IOP3701 - Industrial Psychological Testing and Assessment (IOP3701)
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IOP3701 Additional Exam Questions & Answers
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IOP3701 - Industrial Psychological Testing and Assessment (IOP3701)
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University Of South Africa (Unisa)
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IOP3701 - Industrial Psychological Testing and Assessment (IOP3701)
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Study Unit 1
Your company has tasked you with finding out exactly what will be needed to construct a valid and reliable questionnaire
for measuring work satisfaction
(a) Provide relevant information that will emphasise the need for obtaining proper psychometric information and explain
what this information will entail and how sufficient information can be gathered (5)
The assessment process is multidimensional in information gathering. Explain. (5)
Psychometrics – systematic and scientific way in which psychological measures are developed and the technical
measurement standards required of measures.
The assessment process is multidimensional in information gathering:
It entails the gathering and synthesizing of information as a means of describing and understanding functioning.
It can inform appropriate decision-making and intervention.
By gathering a wide array of data in the assessment process a richer and broader sampling of behaviour functioning
can be achieved.
However the assessment battery (combination of measures used) must be tailored to an individual, group or
organisation needs.
Information gathering is multi-dimensional:
Sources of infor Examples
Multiple Different types of assessment measures such as norm-based and criterion-referenced tests, interviews,
measures behavioural observation, rating scales completed by teachers or supervisors, and ecologically-based
measures that describe the social or occupational context of an individual should be used.
Multiple The following could be assessed, e.g.: attention; motor, cognitive, language-related, non-verbal, and
domains personality-related functioning; scholastic achievement; and job performance.
Multiple sources Consult with other professionals, teachers, parents, extended family members, and employers.
Multiple settings Assessment should take place in a variety of settings and social arrangements to get as broad a
perspective as possible of a person’s functioning and the factors that influence it.
Multiple For assessment to be relevant, valid, and accurate, patterns of functioning have to be identified over a
occasions period of time and not merely in a single assessment session.
Testing and assessment forms one of the major areas in the work of an industrial psychologist. Discuss the important role
played by testing and assessment within the work context. In your discussion, mention the different types of assessment
and what information they provide for decision making in the work context. (10)
Psychological tests are tools used to obtain information about individuals, groups or even organisations in order to
improve decision making. Assessment is used to make informed decisions to the benefit of the employee and the
employer -- for evaluation, placement, training, promotion, developmental activities etc.
The use of tests is central to the work of psychologists
Valid assessment a necessary condition for equity and efficient management of personal development in a multicultural
country.
Since tests are objective in nature, it can be used as an alternative or additional method to interviews.
Tests provide structure for providing baseline information which can be used for various interventions.
High unemployment has resulted in many people applying for positions even if they do not qualify for those positions;
testing and assessment – when used in combination with other processes – is a more reliable, valid, fair and cost
effective way to identify qualified candidates.
Types of tests used :
Intelligence/ability tests
Aptitude tests (specific ability acquired with training)
Personality questionnaires
Interest questionnaires
Aptitude scales etc
Page 2 of 43
,Psychological assessment measures or tests are often used in work context. List and briefly discuss the key characteristics
of psychological tests. (5)
Assessment measures have been defined as objective, standardised measures that are used to gather data for a specific
purpose. Describe in detail the main characteristics of assessment measures. (10)
Characteristics of assessment measures
Assessment measures include many different procedures that can be used in psychological, occupational, and
educational assessment and can be administered to individuals, groups and organisations
Specific domains of functioning (e.g. intellectual ability, personality, organisational climate) are sampled by assessment
measures. From these samples, inferences can be made about normal and abnormal behaviour.
Assessment measures are administered under carefully controlled (standardised) conditions.
Systematic methods are applied to score or evaluate assessment protocols.
Guidelines are available to understand and interpret the results of an assessment measure. Such guidelines may make
provision for the comparison of an individual's performance to that of an appropriate norm group or criterion (e.g.
competency profile for a job), or may outline how to use test scores for more qualitative classification purposes (e.g. into
personality types or diagnostic categories).
Assessment measures should be supported by evidence that they are valid and reliable for the intended purpose. (This
evidence is usually provided in the form of a technical test manual.)
The appropriateness of an assessment measure for an individual, group, or organisation from another context, culture, or
society, cannot be assumed without an investigation into possible test bias (i.e. whether a measure is differentially valid
for different subgroups).
Assessment measures may vary in terms of:
How they are administered
Whether time limits are imposed. In a speed measure, there is a large number of fairly easy items of a similar level of
difficulty. These need to be completed within a certain time limit. In power measures time limits are not imposed.
However, the items in a power measure get progressively more difficult
How they are scored
How they are normed (e.g. by using a comparison group or a criterion)
What their intended purpose is (e.g screening versus diagnostic, competency-based testing)
The nature of the items (e.g. verbal items, performance tasks)
The response required by the test-taker
The content areas that they tap (e.g. ability or personality related)
Discuss the importance of doing a thorough job analysis in testing and assessment in the work context. (5)
For fair & equitable testing & assessment in the work context, the starting point is that the job must be described, explain
why this would be important (5)
The first step and main emphasis in the decision making process is a thorough job analysis
A job analysis is a systematic study of the tasks, duties, responsibilities of a job and the knowledge, skills and abilities
required to perform it.
Job analysis consists of:
Job description – indicates the tasks that need to be done in the job.
Job specification – specific characteristics required of a person to perform well in the job.
Performance criteria - means for evaluating a workers success in performing a job.
Job evaluation - formal assessment of the relative value of a job to an organisation
Fair and equitable testing and assessment:
to know exactly what the job entails and what qualities, characteristics, qualification and experience are required
to be successful in the job.
Important to also list specific requirements that are not often stated, but only come out when certain candidates
cannot be considered for a particular position. Clarity about exactly what the stated and unstated requirements
are.
Page 3 of 43
, Fair procedure for making decisions. This entails well thought through and justifiable procedures for job
description, advertisements and all further steps incorporated in the decision-making process.
Evaluate and justify requirements in formal education, prior learning, relevant experience, training, skills and
knowledge.
Decide which testing and / or assessment or measurement techniques are suitable to use for the specific job
application.
Use scientific, professional and ethical guidelines in evaluating the procedures to be used
Monitor outcomes for fairness and adverse impact.
Take steps to ensure equity and fairness for future opportunities.
The Employment Equity Act (EEA) 1998 is used as a guideline to ensure fair and equitable assessment in the industry.
Discuss the value of the EEA in the psychological assessment domain in the South African context. (5)
Your manager has asked you to do a presentation to staff members about the EEA and its implications and relevance for
psychological assessment in the South African context. Provide the layout of the information that you will include. (10)
Discuss how psychological assessment in SA has been influenced by both international and local historical events. Mention
how current legislation - specifically the EEA 55 of 1998 - is linked to local history. (10)
The EEA has had major implications for the field of psychological assessment:
Explain how adherence to the EEA requirements will enhance fair and equitable testing in the South African context. (10)
Is the act too restrictive or will it improve testing practices? Discuss the question and motivate your answer. (10)
Explain how the EEA has benefitted testing and assessment in South Africa. (10)
Discuss the consequences of the EEA for testing and assessment in South Africa. (10)
Historically the development of psychological assessments in SA reflected a racially segregated society, they were
standardized for whites and they were driven by political ideologies, measures of intelligence were used in research
studies to draw distinctions between races in an attempt to show superiority of one group over another.
The misuse of test results to reach conclusions about differences between groups without considering the impact of inter
alia cultural, socio-economic, environmental and educational factors on test performance.
Later the development of measures considered that people who are unfamiliar with the concept of measures should be
familiarised with them before they are assessed and that test should be investigated for bias or cross culturally validated.
Historically individuals were not protected against any form of discrimination, however with new constitution & the
Labour Relations Act in 1996, workers unions and individual have support of legislation that forbid discriminatory
practices.
The purpose of the Employment Equity Act in the workplace is to:
Promote equal opportunity and fair treatment in employment through the elimination of unfair discrimination;
Implement affirmative action measures to redress the disadvantages in employment experienced by designated
groups, in order to ensure their equitable representation in all occupational categories and levels in the workforce.
To ensure that discrimination is addressed within the testing arena, the EEA states that psychological testing and other
similar assessments of an employee are prohibited unless the test or assessment being used:
Has been scientifically shown to be valid and reliable;
Can be applied fairly to all employees; and
Is not biased against any employee or group.
Typical characteristics of assessment measures that we need to investigate when evaluating their utility in a particular
context: reliability, validity, fairness, bias and norm groups (applicability, fairness and bias)
The EEA has major implications for assessment practitioners in SA because measures whether local or imported from US
have not been investigated for bias or cross culturally validated
The impact has far reaching consequences as many practitioners have been called upon to demonstrate in court that the
assessment measure does not discriminate against certain groups of people. Since the act in 1998, there has been a
noticeable increase in the number of bias studies
A further consequence is that there is an emerging thought that it would be useful if test publishers could certify a
measure as being “EEA compliant” when selecting measures & can aid practitioners when selecting measures – can be
Page 4 of 43
, misleading because a certified measure does not protect the results from being used in an unfair way when making
selection decisions.
Due to variety of cultural & language groups in SA, bias investigations would have to be conducted for all subgroups on
whom measure is to be used before it can be approved. The alternative is that it must be clearly indicated for what
subgroups the measure has been found unbiased and it is for only these groups that the measure complies with the Act.
This also forced practitioners to look closely at available measures its quality, cross-cultural applicability appropriateness,
norms & availability of different language versions.
Differentiate between a speed test and a power test. (5)
Speed tests:
Scope of the questions is limited and the methods you need to use to answer them is clear
Large number of fairly easy items of similar level of difficulty
Needs to be completed in a certain time with the result almost no one completes all the items in the specified time
Concerned with how many questions you can answer correctly in the allotted time (more type of mcq)
Power tests:
Represent a smaller number of more complex questions.
Time limits are not imposed so test takers may complete all the items
Methods to use to answer questions is not obvious.
Working out how to answer questions is the difficult part.
Speed test are used for administrative, clerical and power tests more at graduate, professional level.
Page 5 of 43
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