Why is Psychological Testing Important?

Transcription

1 Chapter 2 Why is Psychological Testing Important? Why is important? We use tests to make different types of important decisions E.g., What grade to assign a student Whether to hire a job candidate If / what merit increase an employee will receive What coaching advice to offer a business leader Why is important? Decisions can be classified as Individual or Institutional Decisions Comparative or Absolute Decisions 1

2 Why is important? Individual decisions - decisions made by the person who takes the test E.g., Whether to drop a course Where to apply for college What to major in What career to pursue Institutional Decisions - decisions made by those other than the test taker E.g., Whether to admit you Whether you will receive a scholarship Whether you will be hired What treatment plan to use Why is important? Institutional Decisions - Made using a Comparative method or Absolute method Comparative - comparing tests scores to see who has the best score Absolute - seeing who has the minimum score needed to qualify Who uses psychological tests and for what reasons? Used by variety of professionals in variety of settings for different purposes 2

3 Who uses psychological tests and for what reasons? Educational Settings to select, place, assess, and counsel students Clinical Settings for diagnosis, treatment, selection, and assessment of treatment outcomes Organizational Settings to make hiring decisions, placement decisions, to guide and assess training and development, and to evaluate worker performance Psychological tests benefit people However, testing is controversial Some stems from misunderstandings about the nature and use of psychological tests Some deeply rooted in ongoing debates Ellis Island 3

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6 Largest and most deeply rooted controversy related to discrimination Concern that tests unfairly discriminate against certain racial and economic groups Results = qualified members being passed over for admission to educational programs or not being hired at the same rate as other groups 6

7 Group Differences in Ability Psychological tests designed to measure differences among people. Test scores that demonstrate differences among people may suggest that people are not created with the same basic abilities. Biggest problem: Some ethnic groups obtain lower average scores on some psychological tests. On average African Americans score 15 points lower than whites on IQ tests. Dispute is not whether differences occur but why they occur - environment vs. biology Problems with Biology Argument IQ scores are improving (called the Flynn effect), more so for African Americans than whites. Victimization by stereotyping could affect test performance and grades. Construct of race has no biological meaning based on evidence from studies in population genetics, the human genome and physical anthropology. 7

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9 Intelligence testing in education Early 20 th century IQ tests used to place students in special academic and vocational-related programs Supported by those who believed intelligence primary based on heredity Not supported by those who believed intelligence primarily based on environment 1960 s - activist groups demanded schools abandon the use of intelligence tests Continued efforts to eliminate intelligence testing failed placement of slow learners and handicapped children in the same classrooms as normal and gifted children slowed learning Intelligence testing in the Army WWI Robert Yerkes promoted mental testing Developed Army Alpha Beta Tests Measured native intellectual ability First mental tests for group testing Used to screen Army recruits for officer training Army Alpha developed for literate groups Army Beta developed for those who could not read, write, speak English 1920 s Walter Lippman criticized Army Alpha Beta Tests Questioned whether they actually measure intelligence Questioned whether intelligence is determined by nurture or nature? 1920 s/ 30 s - Gould claimed tests were culturally biased Language and customs of U.S. unfamiliar to some Stupidity may be lack of cultural knowledge and experience Army Alpha Beta Tests discontinued after WWI Nature vs. nurture debate continued 9

10 The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life (Herrnstein and Murray, 1994) published IQ extremely important, between 40% and 80% heritable Related to school performance, jobs, income, crime, illegitimacy Difference in average IQ scores between White and African-Americans is likely attributable to genetic factors In response, APA published Intelligence: Knowns and Unknowns Interpreted data differently Concluded that no one knows why the difference exists There is no support for the notion that the 15-point IQ difference between Black and White Americans is due to genetics Aptitude testing and the U.S. Employment Service 1940s United States Employment Service developed the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB) Multiple-aptitude test Developed to assist with career counseling and job referrals GATB scores of minorities below other groups Controversy surrounding number of African Americans and Hispanics being referred to employers Amended Civil Rights Act made it illegal to use GATB scores in this way National policy required giving the disadvantaged compensatory advantages Solution from EEOC and court decisions Within-group or race norming From Referrals based on raw test scores or how scores compared to others in the overall norm group To Referrals based on ranking of scores by racial or ethnic group Employment services in 38 states used race norming 10

11 Psychologists claimed Within-Group Norming discriminated against Whites National Research Council study supported norming Referrals should be based on GATB score and experience, skills, and education Early 1990 s Within-Group Norming outlawed Civil Rights Act of 1991 prohibited employers from adjusting scores based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin Not due to unfairness, but to pass Act Declining use of GATB in U.S. due to portions being discriminatory Aptitude testing in education 1970s - Decline in SAT scores Concern about what students were learning in schools ETS panel concluded decline due to 1. More students taking SAT, weaker academic records, more diverse backgrounds 2. Educational experience of students in late sixties / early seventies caused decreased performance on standardized tests Integrity testing in organizations Employee theft $25 billion/year 48% of retail industry losses Integrity tests, or honesty tests, claim to measure individual s attitudes toward theft and other undesirable behaviors such as taking drugs 11

12 Many oppose use of integrity tests, claiming 1. falsely classify some honest people as dishonest 2. invasion of privacy 3. different and more inhibiting effect on minorities APA has reliability and validity concerns Publishers have little information regarding whether integrity tests actually predict honesty 1991 APA urged organizations to not use integrity tests when little validity information available 12