• Define the term test.
• Describe the major categories of tests and identify the major uses and users of these tests.
• Compare and contrast the concepts of reliability and validity and discuss how they affect the field of psychological testing.
Psychological tests come in many shapes and forms; all of them are set to measure the performance of the person taking them. Reliability and validity take place in testing, both are important but it should be noted there could be no validity without reliability. The reliability and validity of psychological testing affect the field because the psyche of the human mind is too intricate to be fully understood.
Test
A test can be anything that is used to measure the performance, validity, reliability, or quality of an item. It can also be considered to be a procedure used for critical evaluations of the subjects at hand. Some examples of this would be using a test to determine the eyesight of a person. A psychological test is an instrument created to help researchers learn about the human mind and human behaviors. Psychological tests are more like questionnaires in which the test taker can answer the questions depending on his or her mood. In order for a psychological test to be considered valid it must be both valid and reliable.
Major Categories and Uses of Tests
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There are a few categories of tests, mental ability tests, achievement tests, personality tests, and neuropsychological tests. The first is the mental ability test, this tests contains a large variety of cognitive functions such as special visualization, memory, and creative thinking (Hogan, 2007). Its subsections can be broken down into group administered tests, individually administered tests, and other