PSYC 3250 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: The Roots, Neuropsychological Test, Applied Psychology

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 3250
• Professor: Deborah Powell

Document Summary

Psychological tests represent systematic applications of a few relatively simple principles in an attempt to measure personal attributes, thought to be important in describing/understanding individual behavior. Tests are used to make important decisions about individuals. Used to measure; intelligence, motivation, math, vocational preferences, spatial ability, anxiety, form perception, etc. However; rarely provide exact, definitive measures of variables that are believed to have important effects on human behaviour. They are the fairest, best, and most economical method of obtaining necessary information to make sensible decisions about individuals. Psychological testing is highly controversial; (public debate over standardized tests of intelligence) For the most part, psychological attributes, such as iq and creativity, cannot be measured by the same sorts of methods used to measure physical attributes. Psychological measurement is rarely as simple or direct. Every psychological test requires the respondent to do something. The subjects behaviour is used to measure some specific attribute (ex. Introversion) or to predict some specific outcome (ex.