STANDARDIZED PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES

Standardized Psychological Assessment Procedures

Introduction

Standardized psychological assessment procedures are a way teachers/experts can assess their students or people. There are many advantages and disadvantages to both assessments. Right now, whether teachers/experts agree with standardized tests or not, all teachers have to give them to their students.

 

Standardized Psychological Assessment Procedures

Here are some advantages and disadvantages that plague psychological testing and assessment.



Demerits

Mis-matched Validity

There are certain tests that prove to be helpful in particular situations, however, no single test works adequately for every task and everybody in every circumstance.

To find out whether the checks correspond to the test, and are aptly linked to the situation at hand, it is highly important for the psychologist to establish the question right at the beginning i.e.: why exactly am I doing this particular assessment?

Confirmation Bias

It is usual to look for and record and identify data that goes parallel to our pre-conceived notions, widely-held beliefs and anticipations. We may unwillingly favor an outcome that reinforces these beliefs and we may misinterpret data and figures that don't fit into our convictions (Rescorla, 2001).

In order to avoid being victim to this confirmation bias (in which we give preference to data that affirms our expectations), it is advisable that one seeks to find data that goes against our established beliefs and go for alternative analysis of the data collected.(Beck, 2006).

Un-standardizing Standardized Tests

Standardized tests are given consideration due to their level of standardization. The standards, strength, dependability, understanding, and similar measures are derived from an actuarial base: a properly chosen sample from the population that gives responses in a standardized environment and similar method and circumstances (Millon, 2004). If there are changes in the instructions or the test itself, or the way in which scoring is done, we deviate from standardization and our study that claims reliability and validity becomes dubious (Exner, 2005).

This problem could be countered on two ways. The respondents might show up for the test without their spectacles, or under the influence of medicines that affect their alertness level or might just have experienced and emotional trauma, loss of a friend that affects their focus in a negative way. They might not be wholly present mentally, the analysts conducting the assessment should keep all these variables under consideration, and how these elements might affect the results and how could they be adequately addressed to ensure the validity of the test.

Any person taking or giving these tests might fall victim to these variables and respondents might be unable to respond normally on a given day, affected by any of these factors (Derogatis, 2003). That is why it is important to administer only those tests that have been used and validated and are administered under careful supervision. One might have the proficiency to effectively perform in different branches and sub-divisions of psychology but it is false to assume that we have the same degree of competency in all fields. We are responsible for finding out our competency and make proper use of them ...