PSYC 385 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Personnel Selection, Decision Theory, Base Rate
Document Summary
The practical value of using a test to aid in decision making. Judgements concerning the utility of a test are made on the basis of test reliability and validity as well as on other data. A valid test is not always a useful test. Example: tests of achievement in identifying a learning disorder. A test is psychometrically sound for a particular purpose if reliability and validity coefficients are acceptably high. Index of utility: tells us something about the practical value of the information derived from scores on the test. Test score are said to have utility if their use in a particular situation helps us make better cost-effect decisions. In general, the higher the criterion-related validity of test scores for making a particular decision, the higher the utility of the test is likely to be. Many factors may enter into an estimate of a test"s utility. Variations in the ways the utility of a test is determined.