Question 1

Conrad's economic's professor tells the class that the next exam will cover Chapters 5 though 7 of their text. The day of the exam, the professor accidentally photocopies the exam from the previous semester, which includes a number of questions from Chapters 8 and 9. In this case, the students might reasonably argue that the exam
A) had poor construct validity.
B) lacked reliability.
C) had been improperly standardized.
D) had poor content validity.

Accepted Answer

Poor content validity refers to a test that does not adequately measure the material it is supposed to cover. In this case, the inclusion of questions from Chapters 8 and 9 on an exam that was supposed to cover only Chapters 5 through 7 means that the exam has poor content validity.

Question 2

Criterion-related validity is established by
A) logic and theory testing.
B) having experts in the field assess the items on the test.
C) examining correlation coefficients for repeated administrations of the test.
D) correlating scores on the test with another trait associated with the test.

Accepted Answer

Criterion-related validity is established by examining correlation coefficients for repeated administrations of the test, or by correlating scores on the test with another trait associated with the test. Choice A refers to face validity, choice B refers to content validity, and choice C refers to test-retest reliability.

Question 3

When a test performance is compared to other independent criteria currently available to access a given trait the psychologists is measuring
A) criterion-related validity.
B) construct validity.
C) test-retest validity.
D) content validity.

Accepted Answer

Criterion-related validity refers to the extent to which a test score is related to other independent criteria that assess the same construct or trait. This may include other test scores, performance measures, or behavioral observations. Therefore, when a test performance is compared to these independent criteria currently available, it is being evaluated for criterion-related validity.

Question 4

If you wanted to be able to predict how successful you would be at being an engineer, you would take a test that measured your potential for this profession. It is hoped that the test would be high in
A) criterion-related validity.
B) internal validity.
C) construction validity.
D) hypothetical validity.

Accepted Answer

Criterion-related validity measures how well a test predicts performance in a related field or outcome. In this case, the test would ideally measure potential for success as an engineer, making criterion-related validity the best choice. Internal validity relates to the accuracy of the study design and data collected, construction validity measures how well the test measures the intended construct, and hypothetical validity is not a recognized type of validity.

Question 5

For which of the following would it be the MOST difficult to demonstrate validity?
A) a mechanical aptitude test
B) a history test
C) a secretarial aptitude test
D) a test of creativity

Accepted Answer

It is difficult to objectively measure and define creativity, making it challenging to establish criteria for validity.

Question 6

If you were to develop a psychological test to measure an abstract personal quality such as intelligence or extraversion, you should be most concerned with demonstrating that the test has
A) criterion-related validity.
B) category validity.
C) construct validity.
D) content validity.

Accepted Answer

Construct validity is concerned with how well a test measures an abstract concept, such as intelligence or extraversion. It assesses the degree to which a test accurately measures the construct it is designed to measure. Therefore, if a psychological test intends to measure an abstract quality, like intelligence or extraversion, demonstrating construct validity is vital. In contrast, criterion-related validity pertains to the correlation between test results and a specific criterion, such as job performance. Category validity and content validity are relevant when the test's specific content and categories are critical components in measuring an individual's abilities or traits. However, since the question involves an abstract personal quality, construct validity should be the primary concern.

Question 7

The extent to which a test measures some abstract personal quality, such as creativity or intelligence, is a matter of
A) criterion-related validity.
B) content validity.
C) construct validity.
D) face validity.

Accepted Answer

Construct validity refers to the extent to which a test measures an abstract characteristic or trait, such as creativity or intelligence. Criterion-related validity assesses the relationship between a test and an external criterion, while content validity examines the extent to which a test represents the content domain it is supposed to measure. Face validity refers to whether a test appears to accurately measure what it is intended to measure.

Question 8

The correlation between a group's scores on an industrial aptitude test and actual performance on the industrial job would describe the test's
A) content validity.
B) construct validity.
C) criterion-related validity.
D) reliability.

Accepted Answer

Criterion-related validity refers to the extent to which a test score can predict future performance or outcomes. In this case, the aptitude test is being correlated with actual job performance, which makes it an example of criterion-related validity.

Question 9

If you were to develop a psychological test to measure an abstract personal quality such as intelligence or extraversion, you should be most concerned with demonstrating that the test has
A) criterion-related validity.
B) category validity.
C) construct validity.
D) content validity.

Accepted Answer

Since the personal quality being measured is abstract, construct validity is the most appropriate type of validity to be concerned with. Construct validity refers to whether a test measures the concept or construct it is intended to measure. In this case, it would be important to provide evidence showing that the test is measuring intelligence or extraversion, as opposed to some other concept. Criterion-related, content, and category validity are important as well, but not as relevant for an abstract personal quality.

Question 10

At the beginning of the semester, all the students enrolled in Tommy's fitness class are required to take a test designed to assess their current fitness level. The test assesses each student's fat to muscle ratio, asks a number of questions about lifestyle and personal habits, and also measures aerobic function and stress response. In this case, it appears that the preliminary fitness test
A) has been well standardized.
B) is likely to have high construct validity.
C) is likely to have low criterion-related validity.
D) is likely to have high reliability.

Accepted Answer

The answer of At the beginning of the semester, all...

Question 11

If a test designed to measure extroversion correlates negatively with measures of social discomfort, correlates positively with measures of sociability, and has low correlations with measures of intelligence, you could conclude that the test has
A) low construct validity.
B) low test norms.
C) high construct validity.
D) high reliability.

Accepted Answer

The test has high construct validity because it is measuring what it is intended to measure (extroversion) and is showing appropriate positive correlations with related constructs (sociability) and appropriate negative correlations with unrelated constructs (social discomfort and intelligence). High construct validity is important for a test to be considered valid. Low test norms and high reliability are not relevant to the information given in the question.

Question 12

Professor Ridley is known for giving fair exams that include only test items for which the student should have been prepared. Professor Ridley's exams can be said to be high in
A) criterion-related validity.
B) content validity.
C) predictive validity.
D) standardized validity.

Accepted Answer

Content validity refers to the extent to which a test measures the knowledge or skills that it is intended to measure. In the case of Professor Ridley's exams, since they only include test items for which the student should have been prepared, they can be said to have high content validity. Criterion-related validity refers to the extent to which a test score can be used to predict a criterion of interest, predictive validity refers to how well a test can predict future performance or outcomes, and standardized validity refers to the degree to which a test score can be used to make comparisons across different groups of people. While these types of validity are also important, they are not directly relevant to Professor Ridley's exams as described in the question.

Question 13

Professor Meeny has been known to administer exams that have exam questions on topics not covered in the course. Professor Meeny's students are upset at the fact that his exams are so low in
A) reliability.
B) predictive validity.
C) content validity.
D) concept validity.

Accepted Answer

Content validity refers to how well an exam measures the content that it is intended to measure. If Professor Meeny's exams have questions on topics not covered in the course, they do not have good content validity as they are not measuring the material the students were supposed to learn. This can lead to frustration and a sense of unfairness among the students.

Question 14

Galton attempted to measure intelligence in order to demonstrate that intelligence was determined by
A) heredity.
B) experience.
C) neither heredity nor experience.
D) both heredity and experience.

Accepted Answer

Galton believed that intelligence was primarily determined by heredity and that it could be measured through tests, such as reaction time and sensory acuity. He argued that intelligence was inherited and that individuals with high intelligence would produce offspring with similar levels of intelligence.

Question 15

Dr. Clarke designs a test she believes will predict an individual's ability to perform in managerial positions. When Dr. Clark administers her test to 100 managers at Aldor Corporation, she finds that some of the best managers do well on the test, but others do quite poorly. Dr. Clarke should probably conclude that her test
A) lacks criterion-related validity.
B) lacks content validity.
C) is not well standardized.
D) is unreliable.

Accepted Answer

If some of the best managers are not doing well on the test, it suggests that the test is not a good predictor of managerial performance, indicating a lack of criterion-related validity. Content validity refers to the extent to which a test covers the relevant content, rather than whether it predicts a certain outcome. Standardization and reliability are not necessarily implicated based on the information given.

Question 16

Which of the following is not one of the items Galton measured in order to assess intelligence?
A) color perception
B) brain size
C) sensitivity to high-pitched sounds
D) reaction time

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is not one...

Question 17

If the scores on a mechanical aptitude test are strongly correlated with performance in an auto mechanics training class, the test would be said to be high in
A) reliability.
B) face validity.
C) construction validity.
D) criterion-related validity.

Accepted Answer

Criterion-related validity refers to the extent to which a measure is related to an outcome or criterion that it is expected to predict. In this case, the mechanical aptitude test is expected to predict performance in auto mechanics training class, making it a measure with criterion-related validity.

Question 18

The degree to which the items on a test are representative of the domain it is supposed to cover is referred to as
A) test reliability.
B) test convergence.
C) content validity.
D) criterion validity.

Accepted Answer

Content validity refers to the extent to which a test measures the intended domain or content. It is important for a test to have high content validity in order to ensure that it is measuring what it is intended to measure. Test reliability refers to the consistency of scores obtained from the test, and criterion validity refers to the extent to which the test scores are related to a specific criterion or outcome of interest. Test convergence is not a commonly used term in the field of psychometrics.

Question 19

Silas took the College Aptitude Test (CAT) when he was a junior in high school, and he attained a very high score on the test. When Silas was in college, he was suspended his first year, and when he was readmitted, he ended up dropping out because he was doing poorly in all his classes. When Silas went for career counseling, he retook the CAT, and again he earned a very high score. Based on Silas' experience, you might conclude that the CAT has
A) been poorly standardized.
B) high reliability, but low validity.
C) high validity, but low reliability.
D) low reliability, and low validity.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Silas took the College Aptitude Test (CAT)...

Question 20

Lanette is arguing with her professor that questions on her last test were not covered during lectures or in the textbook. Lanette is basically arguing that the test did NOT have
A) criterion-related reliability.
B) test-retest reliability.
C) criterion-related validity.
D) content validity.

Accepted Answer

Lanette is arguing that the test questions were not covered in the lectures or textbook, meaning that the test did not have content validity. Content validity refers to the extent to which a test measures the content it is supposed to measure, and if test questions are not aligned with the content covered, then the test does not have content validity. The other options, criterion-related reliability, test-retest reliability, and criterion-related validity, are not relevant to the issue of whether the test questions align with the content covered in class.

Quiz 17: Intelligence and Psychological Testing Part 1

Criterion-related validity is established by

When a test performance is compared to other independent criteria currently available to access a given trait the psychologists is measuring

If you wanted to be able to predict how successful you would be at being an engineer, you would take a test that measured your potential for this profession. It is hoped that the test would be high in

For which of the following would it be the MOST difficult to demonstrate validity?

If you were to develop a psychological test to measure an abstract personal quality such as intelligence or extraversion, you should be most concerned with demonstrating that the test has

The extent to which a test measures some abstract personal quality, such as creativity or intelligence, is a matter of

The correlation between a group's scores on an industrial aptitude test and actual performance on the industrial job would describe the test's

If you were to develop a psychological test to measure an abstract personal quality such as intelligence or extraversion, you should be most concerned with demonstrating that the test has

If a test designed to measure extroversion correlates negatively with measures of social discomfort, correlates positively with measures of sociability, and has low correlations with measures of intelligence, you could conclude that the test has

Professor Ridley is known for giving fair exams that include only test items for which the student should have been prepared. Professor Ridley's exams can be said to be high in

Professor Meeny has been known to administer exams that have exam questions on topics not covered in the course. Professor Meeny's students are upset at the fact that his exams are so low in

Galton attempted to measure intelligence in order to demonstrate that intelligence was determined by

Which of the following is not one of the items Galton measured in order to assess intelligence?

If the scores on a mechanical aptitude test are strongly correlated with performance in an auto mechanics training class, the test would be said to be high in

The degree to which the items on a test are representative of the domain it is supposed to cover is referred to as

Lanette is arguing with her professor that questions on her last test were not covered during lectures or in the textbook. Lanette is basically arguing that the test did NOT have