Since its existence, humanity has tried to understand both itself and the environment it is in, and at the end of this effort, science has emerged. Psychology, which is the science that studies the human mind and behavior, has been working to understand people for hundreds of years. Within the scope of these studies, there are some psychological tests used to evaluate human behavior. However, these tests are somewhat controversial.
In the light of the data obtained as a result of psychological tests, of course, some evaluations can be made about human behavior. But remember, man is a unique creature and therefore cannot be deciphered by a few simple tests. This is the point of contention. However, these tests can be a stepping stone for a basic evaluation. Let’s take a closer look at what are psychological tests, what are their features, what are the types of psychological tests.
What are psychological tests? Features and types:
What is a psychological test?
Oral or written tests performed by scientists who are experts in the field of psychology to evaluate human behavior and the human mind are called psychological tests. The purpose of psychological tests is not to classify people, but to try to make sense of their individual behaviors and thoughts that prevent them from being classified.
At this point, it is necessary to open a parenthesis and talk about the discussions on the subject. Psychological tests are fixed and the same test is applied to every person. But every person is unique and it is not correct to evaluate their behavior on a single test. Countless experts who think this way say that psychological tests are outdated work. However, today, evaluations are still made through psychological tests.
Features of psychological tests:
- Reliability
- Validity
- Objectivity
- Standardization
The four key features we have listed are essential features of a psychological test. Psychological testing should give the same result whenever it is done and thus be reliable. The psychological test should give results about which subject it was developed to evaluate, that is, it should be valid.
Evaluation, scoring, interpretation of the scoring and administration of the psychological test should be objective, that is, without prejudice. The place, material, time and environment of the psychological test should have predetermined standard rules.
Psychological tests performed by experts:
- intelligence tests
- personality tests
- Ability tests
- Speed and power tests
- emotional intelligence tests
- neuropsychological tests
- Individual and group tests
- Trial and aim tests
Intelligence tests:
The person who developed the first intelligence test in order to understand which students need special help was French Alfred Binet. In this test, he noticed that some students easily solved questions that were too difficult for normal students to solve. Thinking multidimensionally on the subject, Binet revealed that many different factors are effective during the intelligence assessment.
This intelligence test, created by Alfred Binet, was further developed as a result of studies conducted in the United States and the Stanford – Binet test emerged. In time, intelligence tests became specialized and some scales used in tests and evaluations were found that were applied differently to different groups of people. Some of the most applied intelligence tests are as follows;
- Wechsler Individual Achievement Test
- Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Disability
- Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale
- Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale
- Peabody Individual Achievement Test
- Universal Nonverbal Intelligence
- Differential Ability Scales
Personality tests:
Personality tests are a type of psychological test applied to evaluate human behaviors, emotions, environmental characteristics, attitudes and clinical disorders. Personality tests are generally used to measure a variable or compare two different variables.
Projective assessment is one of the most frequently applied personality tests. Thematic Perception Test and Rorschach Inkblot test are among the most widely applied projective tests. In these tests, pictures are used to reveal the hidden feelings and underlying thoughts of the person and observe how they will react to certain stimuli.
Ability tests:
Each person has their own unique abilities and ability tests are applied to reveal these abilities. The main purpose of aptitude tests is to reveal whether a person has a skill in a particular subject. The result of the administered test focuses on aptitude on a particular subject, not on a general aptitude. Management Acceptance Test, Graduate Record Exam, Scholastic Assessment Test are examples of aptitude tests.
Speed and power tests:
Speed and strength tests are similar to skill tests, but the performance evaluation as a result of these tests is made according to the strength of one’s skill over time. A person can easily demonstrate this skill over a wide period of time. However, when there is a time limit, the real power of the skill emerges and the evaluation is made on this performance.
Emotional intelligence tests:
In recent years, we have known that emotional intelligence is at least as important a skill for a person as intelligence. Yes, emotional intelligence is a skill and can be developed. For this reason, emotional intelligence tests are performed on individuals and evaluated. Emotional intelligence, which shows a constant fluctuation and tendency to change, can be developed by taking it under control as a result of the evaluations of these tests.
Neuropsychological tests:
One of the most important factors affecting the human mind and behavior is the neurological structures in our brain. Neuropsychological tests are applied to the person in cases such as Alzheimer’s, brain damage, depression, anxiety, emotional disorders. The results of the test are evaluated on different factors such as memory, language use, executive function, dementia, visual function, auditory function.
Individual and group tests:
Individual and group tests are mostly the field of social psychology discipline. It is generally applied to groups that are together and to the people in that group. The purpose of individual and group tests, such as the Purdue Professional Achievement Tests, the Fit Test, and the Wonderful Staff Test, is to evaluate individuals in a group one by one and then see how they fit together as a group.
Trial and aim tests:
Trial and purpose tests, as the name suggests, are tests that evaluate the suitability of people who have applied for a specific purpose. In these tests, the mental ability of the person is questioned. If this test is done in a recruitment process, there is only one correct answer to the questions. However, if it is done for a different purpose, the reasoning ability of more people is evaluated.
We answered questions such as what is the psychological test performed by psychologists to evaluate the human mind and behavior, what are its characteristics, what are its types, and we talked about the details you need to know about the subject. What we describe is for informational purposes only. You can get the most accurate and specific information about the subject from expert psychologists.
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