Psychometrics – The Science of Measuring People’s Mental Processes
What is Psychometrics?
Psychometrics comes from the Greek word psych which means mind and metre which means to measure. Thus, psychometrics is a branch of psychology that measures what is in someone’s mind. What is being measured is the cognitive skill, attitude, and personality. As much as the size of a room can be measured using a measuring tape or measure the body temperature using a thermometer, what is in people’s minds can also be measured. By the way, every attribute can be measured. Some attributes’ instruments have not yet been developed, and once they have been, then they can easily be measured. But how does one measure the mind?
What do Psychometricians do?
Psychometricians are scientists who practice the science of measuring the mind. They do that by developing different aptitude and personality test instruments ( such as written tests, observation schedules, questionnaires). Aptitude tests are those tests that measure the learners’ knowledge, abilities and skills. These are common quizzes, monthly tests, end of term tests or examinations. On the other hand, personality tests measure and reveal certain aspects of a person’s personality. These are questionnaires, inventory, rating scales and interviews. For example, personality assessments are often used to help people learn more about themselves and their unique strengths, weaknesses, and preferences.
Questions on personality tests might ask about certain situations, how a person feels about the situation or might handle the situation. These tests do not have right and wrong answers, and are not timed, as is the case with aptitude tests. The answers that the person provides are compared to various personality traits, and the dominant traits are picked out and highlighted.
It is the responsibility of the psychometricians to administer and score the test instruments, analyse the data, determining their reliability, and compile reports. Thus, research is a large part of a psychometrician’s career, as such, some psychometricians spend a great deal of time gathering data and calculating statistics from that data.
Where do Psychometricians work?
Most psychometricians get hired wherever psychological or standardised testing is required such as in Educational Assessment, Human Resources, Clinical Psychology, Medicine, and Research.
In schools, they work for Guidance and Counselling Office that facilitates student’s testing activities, achievement test and career tests. They make use of student data to help the school administrators, teachers and parents in decision making. The information they provide helps students determine which courses to study or the ideal career path they should pursue. They also calculate achievement rankings, modify curriculum in schools, develop career guidance programmes and make related kinds of decisions.
Psychometricians working in Assessment Institutions and/ or Curriculum Development Units develop various assessment instruments and determine their reliability and validity. The data generated is used for various purposes such as selection and placement into next higher level of education, to modify the national curriculum or certification.
Licensing Bodies employ psychometricians to develop fair, reliable and valid assessments instruments for professional credentials. Licensure is a formal permission by a professional to practice in a certain profession, for example, nurses’ licensure, lawyers’ licensure, or teachers’ licensure.
Psychometricians also work in research
Institutions, Test Publishing Companies, and Universities. Their core function is to conduct research and creating dependable various assessment instruments to be used by Awarding Bodies. Psychometricians can also work in the military, where they test the intelligence and mental stability of new recruits, while the criminal justice employs them to research the mental state of criminals and inmates.
In the Human Resources Department, they are in charge of recruitment and performance appraisal. They use standardised tests in recruitment to make recommendations in hiring decisions. They relate the test results to the requirements of the company. They make recommendations to standardised procedures of the performance appraisal.
In the clinical or child development clinics, psychometricians play a major role in creating a valid and reliable psychological assessment. For instance, they administer, score and interpret the test battery ( a variety of tests). They make observations and take note of unusual behavior during the assessment process. They do mental health evaluations to detect depression and learning problems in children and adults.
What are the educational qualifications for Psychometricians?
Psychometricians usually possess a specific qualification, and most are psychologists with advanced graduate training. Many individuals who are starting a career in this field will earn degrees in closely related areas, such as psychology, statistics, mathematics or a related field such as computer science. They then acquire advanced graduate degree from an Educational Measurement/ Assessment programme, Research
Programme or Statistics Programme.
Since psychometricians develop assessments that measure psychological characteristics, their assessment will be largely courseworkbased rather than theoretical. In addition, most programmes also require students to produce evidence of research proficiency, either a research thesis, research publication or experience working in a research institution. Proficiency in written and verbal communication skills, statistics, analytical skills and problem- solving are also mandatory for success in this field.
The Author holds PhD in ‘ Assessment & Quality Assurance’ and writes in his personal capacity as a Psychometric Researcher. The views expressed are the author’s. Contact/ WhatsApp: 71713446 or masoletm@ gmail. com or facebook page: Trust Mbako Masole.