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Foundations of Psychological Testing: A Practical Approach Fourth Edition Test Bank

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    Chapter 1 Multiple Choice Questions 1. According to your textbook, why is it important to understand the foundations of psychological testing? A) Psychometrics are central to psychological research. B) Sound tests facilitate high - quality decisions, and unsound tests facilitate low - quality decisions. C) The APA recommends that all students learn about psychological tests and measures. D) Some day you will encounter psychological testing on the job. Ans: B 2. Psychological testing is best defined as A) the process of administering, scoring, and interpreting psychological tests. B) a way of measuring that uses psychometrics. C) a diagnosis method used solely by educators and psychologists. D) a process clinical psychologists use to diagnose mental disorders. Ans: A 3. Psychological tests require a person to A) complete a written test. B) answer all test questions honestly. C) correctly answer as many questions as possible. D) perform a behavior. Ans: D 4. What is a behavior? A) A skill that is learned B) An action that is either correct or incorrect C) An observable and measurable action D) An answer on a psychological test Ans: C 5. Which one of the following statements is true about psychological tests? A) They are always created by psychologists who understand how to interpret the test taker's answers. B) They require the test taker to perform a behavior so as to measure some personal attribute, trait, or characteristic or to predict an outcome. C) Information from psychological test results is used to make decisions; therefore, these tests are regulated by federal and state governments. D) Psychologists began developing standardized educational tests in the last quarter of the 20th century, and these tests have become important indicators of academic performance. Ans: B

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    6. Assessment centers require job applicants to A) perform job - related tasks. B) register and show their social security cards. C) describe their work experience and future goals. D) be 18 years or older. Ans: A 7. The road portion of a driving test A) is a measure of the skills needed to drive a car. B) does not meet the criteria of a psychological test. C) does not rely on observation of the test taker's behavior. D) has nothing in common with written tests and exams. Ans: A 8. The questions on two IQ tests may be quite different because A) IQ tests are unique to each test taker. B) test takers interpret the questions differently. C) of how the test developer defines IQ. D) as the tests have been updated their purposes have changed. Ans: C 9. Emotional intelligence is defined by Gibbs as one's ability to A) understand how and when to control one's own emotions and the emotions of others. B) perceive own and other's underlying feelings. C) understand one’s own feelings and the feelings of others and to manage one’s emotions. D) to use one's own emotions to motivate others to perform. Ans: C 10. A good test does what? A) Measures what it claims to measure and measures it consistently B) Provides useful information to the test taker and the test user C) Helps psychologists and others expand their business D) Efficiently and economical measures knowledge, skills, and abilities Ans: A 11. What is a critique of a test? A) A review of the test B) A quality rating of the test C) An estimate of the uses of the test D) An analysis of the test Ans: D 12. Which one of the following statements about the history of psychological testing is false? A) Some scholars believe that the use of psychological tests can be traced to 2200 bce in Ancient China. B) Most scholars agree that serious research efforts on the use and usefulness of psychological tests did not begin until the 20th century.

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    C) Organizations did not begin using psychological tests until after assessment centers were developed during World War II. D) Late in the 19th century, Alfred Binet founded the first experimental psychology research laboratory in France. Ans: C 13. What test Parisian school officials use to decide which children, no matter how hard they tried, were unable to profit from regular school programs? A) Wechsler – Bellevue Intelligence Scale B) Binet – Simon Scale C) The Personal Data Sheet D) The Rorschach Inkblot Test Ans: B 14. Binet's psychological tests were designed to evaluate A) children. B) personality traits. C) Army recruits. D) immigrants. Ans: A 15. The Wechsler – Bellevue Intelligence Scale for adults provided A) evaluations of applicants' job - related skills. B) diagnoses of mental disorders. C) scores on schizophrenia and depression scales. D) an index of general mental ability. Ans: D 16. During World War I, what test did the U.S. military design to help detect soldiers who would not be able to handle the stress associated with combat? A) Army Alpha test. B) Army Beta test. C) Wechsler - Bellevue Intelligence Scale. D) Personal Data Sheet. Ans: D 17. What type of tests are the Rorschach Inkblot Test and the Thematic Apperception Test? A) Projective tests B) Clinical diagnostic tests C) Intelligence tests D) Emotional intelligence tests Ans: A 18. What do vocational tests help to predict? A) Whether a test taker will like a particular job B) Wether an applicant will be successful in specific occupations C) Success in a manager or vice president role

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    D) How honest a test taker will be on the job Ans: B 19. One of the most significant and controversial uses of psychological testing in the 21st century has been the result of what? A) The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 B) Employment tests that discriminate against protected classes C) High costs of administering psychological tests D) Using projective tests with children Ans: A 20. Which one of the following strategies have public schools across the nation implemented in response to the NCLB Act of 2001 to improve school performance? A) Training elementary teachers how to "teach the standardized tests" B) Increasing the flexibility high - performing states and school districts have for spending federal education dollars C) Requiring parents to help improve failing schools rather than transferring their children to a better school D) Placing greater emphasis on children's math and reasoning skills in order to prepare them for a job in science Ans: B 21. Which one of the following is not a characteristic that all good tests have in common? A) Representatively samples the behaviors thought to measure an attribute or thought to predict an outcome B) Includes behavior samples obtained under standardized conditions C) Has rules for scoring D) Are 99.9% reliable and valid Ans: D 22. Which one of the following strategies would provide the best measurement of a student's musical skills? A) Ask the student to perform a very long and difficult piece of music. B) Ask the student to play a tune on several instruments that are unfamiliar to the student. C) Ask the student to play a portion of several pieces that are of different styles on different instruments. D) Ask the student to describe his or her musical background and level of skill. Ans: C 23. Which one of the following factors in a testing situation is difficult to standardize? A) Room temperature and lighting B) Examinee experiences C) Clarity of instructions given to test takers D) Examiner attitude Ans: B 24. Which one of the following is not an assumption that test users make about psychological tests? A) Test scores are 99.9% accurate with little or no error.

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    B) Psychological tests measure what they say they measure. C) An individual’s behavior, and therefore test scores, will typically remain stable over time. D) Test takers will report accurately about themselves. Ans: A 25. Tests of maximal performance require test takers to do what? A) Make associations, make drawings, or tell stories B) Complete as many questions as possible in a limited amount of time C) Achieve physical goals such as lifting weights, or running a race D) Perform a well - defined task such as completing mathematical calculations Ans: D 26. Behavior observation tests involve what? A) Observing and recording a test taker's behavior B) Observing and rating a test administrator's behavior C) Observing a test taker's attitude toward testing D) Observing how well the test taker can observe changes in stimuli Ans: A 27. Self - report tests require test takers to do what? A) Complete multiple choice questions about themselves and others B) Report or describe their feelings, beliefs, opinions, and/or mental states C) View and explain ambiguous stimuli D) Rate the behavior of a family member or coworker Ans: B 28. An interview can be characterized as a A) self - report test and a maximal performance test. B) behavioral observation and a maximal performance test. C) self - report test and a behavioral observation.. D) self - report test, a behavioral observation, and a maximal performance test. Ans: D 29. What is a standardization sample? A) A group of people tested to obtain data to establish a frame of reference for interpreting individual test scores. B) A test that has explicit instructions for the test taker and the test administrator to follow. C) A portion of a test's norms that apply to one or more types of test takers. D) A group of test takers who all attend the same school. Ans: A 30. What are norms? A) The demographic characteristics of most test takers including gender, age, ethnicity, and geographical location B) The average performance of a group and the distribution of scores above and below the average C) Statistics about the accuracy of test scores for making decisions D) The frequency that test users administer the test to test takers across the nation Ans: B

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    31. Which one of the following statements is true about nonstandardized tests? A) They provide more detailed test administration and test taking instructions than standardized tests B) They have multiple standardization samples and norms C) They are usually constructed by a teacher or trainer in a less formal manner for a single administration D) They are projective tests administered in a less formal manner for multiple administrations Ans: C 32. Which one of the following is an objective test? A) An application blank B) A job interview C) An inkblot test D) A multiple - choice exam Ans: D 33. Projective tests require test takers to do what? A) Make predictions about themselves B) Answer objective questions honestly C) Follow strict rules for responding D) Respond to unstructured or ambiguous stimuli Ans: D 34. Which one of the following types of tests was developed to detect unconscious thoughts or personality characteristics? A) Standardized tests B) Projective tests C) Interviews D) Objective tests Ans: B 35. What achievement tests measure? A) A person’s previous learning in a specific academic area B) A test taker's success in life compared to other test takers C) The personality characteristics displayed on the job D) The skills a test taker has learned and mastered Ans: A 36. Which one of the following statements is false about achievement tests? A) They measure a person’s previous learning in a specific academic area. B) They are objective versus projective. C) They are used primarily in organizational settings. D) They are referred to as tests of knowledge. Ans: C 37. Many schools rely on achievement tests to assign grades, to identify students with special educational needs, to measure students’ progress, and to

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    A) compare knowledge at the beginning and end of the year. B) help students choose a career. C) identify students with IQs in the gifted range. D) punish students who refuse to learn. Ans: A 38. What do aptitude tests assess? A) Potential for learning B) Knowledge C) Progress in learning D) Intelligence Ans: A 39. Which one of the following statements is false about aptitude tests? A) They assess an individual's potential for performing a new job or task. B) They measure the product of cumulative life experiences — or what one has acquired over time. C) They measure an individual's progress in learning a skill or task. D) They measure the maximum performance we can expect from individuals. Ans: C 40. What type of test might a vocational guidance counselor use to help clarify a test taker’s career goals? A) Intelligence B) Aptitude C) Achievement D) Interest inventories Ans: B Essay Questions 1. Name four different psychological tests and explain why each is a psychological test. 2. Describe the three characteristics common to all psychological tests and explain how psychological tests can demonstrate these characteristics to various degrees. Give examples. 3. Compare and contrast four terms: psychological assessment, psychological test, measurement, and survey. 4. Describe the steps you would take to identify a test. How would you determine if the test was a good test? 5. What did you learn from Chapter 1 of your textbook that has made you more informed about psychological test use? Have you changed any of your opinions about psychological testing? If so, what was your opinion that changed and why did it change? If not, what confirmed the opinions you held before reading Chapter 1?

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    Chapter 2 Multiple Choice Questions 1. Why is psychological testing important? A) People often use test results to make important decisions. B) Tests can quite accurately tell you things about yourself you did not know. C) The federal government requires businesses to use them to hire employees. D) Most psychiatrists and psychologists use them to diagnose mental illness. Ans: A 2. When Sally applied to law school, the admittance committee accepted her because her LSAT scores were higher than 99% of those who also applied to law school. What type of a decision did the committee make? A) An individual comparative decision B) An institutional comparative decision C) An individual absolute decision D) An institutional absolute decision Ans: B 3. When Alan received his score on an interest inventory, he used the test result to finalize his decision to become a chef. What type of decision did Alan make? A) An individual decision B) An institutional decision C) An absolute decision D) A comparative decision Ans: A 4. The State Board of Education where Joy went to college decided to give every graduate student in a science program with a combined GRE score more than 1400 a $5,000 education grant. What type of decision was this? A) An absolute individual decision B) An absolute institutional decision C) A comparative individual decision D) A comparative institutional decision Ans: B 5. In _____ settings, psychologists use the results of tests to determine eligibility for gifted programs and to identify developmental, visual, and auditory problems for which children might need special assistance. A) organizational B) institutional C) educational D) hospital Ans: C

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    6. Psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors, and other health care professionals use psychological tests in _____ settings. A) educational B) organizational C) informational D) clinical Ans: D 7. Human resource professionals and industrial - organizational psychologists use psychological tests in A) graduate business programs. B) universities and colleges. C) mental health clinics. D) organizations. Ans: D 8. According to your textbook, one of the largest and most deeply rooted controversies about psychological testing pertains to A) errors and bias in scoring. B) use of projective testing. C) discrimination against protected classes. D) educating the public. Ans: C 9. According to your textbook, activists who believe that intelligence is determined primarily by environment have worked for years to _____ what they consider to be the unfair use of such tests. A) enhance B) eliminate C) encourage D) protest Ans: B 10. During World War I, the American military gave Robert Yerkes permission to administer mental tests to more than 1.75 million U.S. Army recruits. As a result, Yerkes designed A) the Army Alpha and Beta tests. B) the Stanford - Binet tests. C) the Rorschach test. D) assessment centers. Ans: A 11. Walter Lippmann questioned whether intelligence tests actually measured “intelligence” and whether intelligence was determined by heredity or through life experiences — a question that came to be known as the A) nature versus nurture controversy. B) quid pro quo debate. C) IQ controversy. D) creationism question.

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    Ans: A 12. The _____ required test takers to follow directions and perform a series of ballet movements that were confusing and distracting. A) Wechsler Intelligence Test B) Alpha and Beta tests C) Stanford - Binet test D) Army's assessment center Ans: B 13. The American Psychological Association published a report called Intelligence: Knowns and Unknowns that stated that A) their interpretation of the Herrnstein and Murray's data on gaps in IQ supported the researchers claim that IQ is inherited. B) Jensen's article published in 1969 and Herrnstein and Murray's book in 1994 clearly proved that IQ is inherited. C) there is no support for the idea that the 15 - point difference on IQ tests between Black and White Americans is due to genetics. D) IQ testing should be abolished because all intelligence tests discriminate against minorities. Ans: C 14. What type of test do critical believe are discriminating against minorities? A) Aptitude tests B) Personality tests C) Interest inventories D) Driving tests Ans: A 15. What is the practice of administering the same test to every test taker, but scoring the test differently according to the race of the test taker, called? A) Within - group norming B) Independent group norming C) Non - discriminatory norming D) Individual norming Ans: A 16. Using _____, a minority test taker who scored the same as a White test taker could rank higher than the White test taker. A) individual norming B) within - group norming C) independent norming D) discriminatory norming Ans: B 17. Many psychologists were outraged about the use of race norming. They claimed it was A) an innovative way to even test scores between Blacks and Whites. B) a plot to bypass Equal Opportunity legislation. C) an illegal “quota system” that unfairly discriminated against Whites.

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    D) important that researchers conduct studies before allowing employers to use race norming. Ans: C 18. In 1964, the U.S. Congress passed _____, which was intended to bring about equality in hiring, transfers, promotions, compensation, access to training, and employment - related decisions. A) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act B) the Equal Employment Opportunity Act C) the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures D) the Fairness in Employment Testing Act Ans: A 19. One reason given by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) that the SAT scores of graduating high school seniors had declined between 1963 and 1975 was A) an increase in Black students caused the average SAT score to decline. B) the type of educational experience students had during the late 1960s and early 1970s had caused a decrease in performance on standardized tests. C) the nation's attitude - particularly the attitudes of parents and high school students - toward education had changed causing many people to no longer value education. D) that students thought making high grades on standardized tests was not "cool." Ans: B 20. Integrity tests claim to measure an individual’s attitudes toward what? A) Answering test questions correctly or to the best of the test taker's ability B) Academic honesty and plagiarism C) Theft, taking drugs and abusing alcohol D) The ethical principles prescribed for psychologists Ans: C 21. Which one of the following statements about integrity tests is false? A) Many individuals oppose the use of honesty tests because they believe the tests are neither reliable nor valid. B) Many individuals and labor groups oppose the use of honesty tests because they believe that the tests are politically and culturally incorrect. C) Many individuals oppose the use of honesty tests because they believe the test questions are an invasion of privacy. D) Many individuals oppose the use of honesty tests because they believe the tests have a different and more inhibiting effect on minority job applicants than for White job applicants. Ans: B 22. After 2 years of research, a task force appointed by the American Psychological Association concluded that A) research had proven that integrity tests published for organizational use were neither valid nor reliable. B) employers who asked their employees to periodically complete an integrity test were liable to be sued for damages. C) integrity tests were valid, reliable, and valuable tools for identifying potential thieves in the workforce.

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    D) for most integrity tests, publishers have little information regarding whether integrity tests actually predict honesty. Ans: D 23. Tanya passionately believes she can make positive changes in the world. Which one of Kouzes and Posner’s Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership does she demonstrate? A) Model the Way B) Enable Others to Act C) Encourage the Heart D) Inspire a Shared Vision Ans: D 24. What psychological test did approximately 3 million students take between 2010 and 2011? A) Graduate Record Exam B) College Board C) Scholastic Aptitude Test D) SAT Ans: D 25. The Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) is a 360 - degree, multi - rater leadership assessment that A) predicts how well the test taker is likely to exert leadership in a group. B) matches individuals to various types of leadership jobs. C) provides test takers with a score that indicates whether they are leaders or followers. D) helps measure the extent to which leaders demonstrate five leadership practices. Ans: D 26. Which one of the following is a Practice of exemplary leadership? A) Challenge the Process B) Push as Well as Pull C) Examine the Way D) Encourage Others Ans: A 27. The Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) was developed based on what assumption? A) Leaders are born, not made B) Leaders have strong social skills C) Leadership can be taught and learned D) There are five types of leaders Ans: C 28. In California, Wendy Strong, an African - American mother, could not get help for her daughter, Brianna, who had problems in learning because A) she passed an intelligence test. B) she was placed on a waiting list. C) the school's records showed Brianna as an African American. D) the teacher refused to help her. Ans: C

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    29. Which one of the following is FALSE about the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery? A) It was developed by the Department of Defense in the 1960's B) It is an interest inventory that helps people choose military careers C) It is administered to men and women when they leave the military D) It assesses the skills soldiers need in combat Ans: C 30. According to research, middle and upper class _____ tend to score highest on intelligence tests. A) Hispanics B) Blacks C) Whites D) Asian Pacific Islanders Ans: C 31. Who promoted the use of mental testing during World War I? A) Sigmund Freud B) Thomas Thorndike C) Walter Lippman D) Robert Yerkes Ans: C 32. What is the Flynn effect? A) An increase in raw IQ scores over time B) A decrease in raw IQ scores over time C) An increase in raw IQ scores, followed by a decrease D) Stability of IQ scores over time Ans: A 33. What test did the U.S. Employment Service develop in the 1940s to assist with job referrals and career counseling? A) SAT B) LPI C) General Aptitude Test Battery D) Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Ans: C 34. How many cognitive and manual aptitudes does the General Aptitude Test Battery measure? A) 3 B) 6 C) 9 D) 12 Ans: C 35. The United States Department of Defense uses ASVAB scores to determine what? A) An individual's likelihood to succeed in the military B) An individual's qualifications for certain military occupations C) Enlisted personnel's promotion potential

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    D) Enlisted personnel's developmental coaching needs Ans: B 36. Which one of the following is FALSE about integrity tests? A) Their use may be justified by alarming figures associated with employee theft. B) Employers have used integrity tests for many years to screen job applicants C) Many individuals and labor groups oppose their use by organizations D) In the early 1990s, their use by organizations was outlawed by the APA Ans: D 37. What mental test designed for group testing was developed for test takers who were unable to read, write, or speak English? A) Army Alpha - Beta test B) Army Omega test C) Army Alpha test D) Army Beta test Ans: D 38. According to your textbook, what test do National Football League executives use to help select professional football players? A) Wonderlic Basic Skills Test B) Army Alpha - Beta test C) Hogan Personality Inventory D) Leadership Practices Inventory Ans: A 39. Ranking a minority test taker higher than a White test taker with the same test score is an example of A) equating test scores. B) test norming. C) race norming. D) race equivalency. Ans: C 40. Human resource professionals and industrial - organizational practitioners use psychological tests for all EXCEPT which one of the following? A) Determine training needs B) Make hiring decisions C) Evaluate employee performance D) Plan treatment programs Ans: D Essay Questions 1. Explain why psychological tests are important. Give three examples of why psychological tests are important.

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    2. Describe two types of decisions that are made using psychological tests. Give examples. 3. Explain the difference between individual decisions and institutional decisions. Explain the difference between absolute decisions and comparative decisions Give examples that relate to psychological testing. 4. Describe the nature vs. nurture controversy. Discuss its relationship to intelligence and intelligence testing. Give an example. 5. What have you learned in Chapter 2 of your textbook that has made you better informed about using psychological tests? Have you changed any of your opinions about psychological testing? If so, what was your opinion that changed and why did it change? If not, what confirmed the opinions you held before reading Chapter 2?

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