Q.1 What is the primary purpose of psychological test construction?
To entertain individuals
To measure psychological traits and abilities
To diagnose physical illnesses
To determine career preferences
Explanation - Psychological test construction aims to create tools that accurately measure mental traits, abilities, or characteristics.
Correct answer is: To measure psychological traits and abilities
Q.2 Which of the following is an essential step in test construction?
Randomly guessing test items
Defining the construct
Copying items from other tests
Skipping pilot testing
Explanation - Defining the construct ensures the test accurately measures the specific trait or ability intended.
Correct answer is: Defining the construct
Q.3 Content validity refers to:
The degree to which test items cover the construct
Consistency of test scores over time
Test’s ability to predict future outcomes
Random selection of test items
Explanation - Content validity ensures that test items represent the full domain of the construct being measured.
Correct answer is: The degree to which test items cover the construct
Q.4 A pilot test is conducted to:
Finalize the scoring system immediately
Evaluate the clarity and difficulty of test items
Publish the test
Train respondents
Explanation - Pilot testing allows researchers to identify ambiguities, assess item difficulty, and refine the test before full administration.
Correct answer is: Evaluate the clarity and difficulty of test items
Q.5 Item analysis in test construction helps to:
Eliminate poorly performing items
Determine the physical fitness of participants
Replace constructs
Predict social behavior
Explanation - Item analysis identifies items that do not effectively differentiate between high and low scorers, improving the test's reliability and validity.
Correct answer is: Eliminate poorly performing items
Q.6 Which type of reliability assesses stability of test scores over time?
Inter-rater reliability
Test-retest reliability
Parallel-forms reliability
Internal consistency
Explanation - Test-retest reliability measures whether a test produces consistent results when administered to the same group at different times.
Correct answer is: Test-retest reliability
Q.7 Construct validity ensures that a test:
Measures what it is intended to measure
Is enjoyable for participants
Has equal number of items in each section
Predicts future income
Explanation - Construct validity evaluates whether the test truly reflects the theoretical construct it claims to measure.
Correct answer is: Measures what it is intended to measure
Q.8 Which method is commonly used to improve internal consistency of a test?
Increasing sample size
Using Cronbach’s alpha to analyze item correlations
Shortening the test
Randomizing scoring
Explanation - Cronbach’s alpha helps determine how closely related a set of items are, ensuring consistency across items.
Correct answer is: Using Cronbach’s alpha to analyze item correlations
Q.9 Norm-referenced tests are designed to:
Compare an individual’s performance to a group
Provide absolute standards of performance
Predict personality disorders
Measure physical endurance
Explanation - Norm-referenced tests rank individuals relative to a reference group rather than using fixed criteria.
Correct answer is: Compare an individual’s performance to a group
Q.10 Which type of scale uses categories with no intrinsic order?
Nominal scale
Ordinal scale
Interval scale
Ratio scale
Explanation - Nominal scales classify data into categories without any rank or order, e.g., gender, religion.
Correct answer is: Nominal scale
Q.11 Factor analysis in test construction is used to:
Identify underlying constructs measured by a test
Increase the number of test items
Predict physical performance
Determine test duration
Explanation - Factor analysis helps determine which items group together, reflecting underlying dimensions of the construct.
Correct answer is: Identify underlying constructs measured by a test
Q.12 Which of the following best describes a criterion-referenced test?
Scores are interpreted against a fixed standard
Scores are compared to peers
Scores are always high
Scores are based on test duration
Explanation - Criterion-referenced tests evaluate performance against predefined criteria rather than other individuals.
Correct answer is: Scores are interpreted against a fixed standard
Q.13 In item writing, a 'double-barreled' item is problematic because it:
Asks two questions in one item
Is too easy
Uses technical language
Lacks scoring instructions
Explanation - Double-barreled items confuse respondents and reduce reliability because they address multiple issues simultaneously.
Correct answer is: Asks two questions in one item
Q.14 Inter-rater reliability is most important when:
Test scoring involves subjective judgments
Using multiple-choice tests
Administering online surveys
Measuring reaction time
Explanation - Inter-rater reliability assesses agreement among scorers, critical when responses are open-ended or subjective.
Correct answer is: Test scoring involves subjective judgments
Q.15 A test’s standardization process ensures that:
All test-takers have the same testing conditions
Test-takers choose their own time limits
Items are subjective
Test scores are unpredictable
Explanation - Standardization minimizes variability due to external factors, ensuring fairness and comparability of scores.
Correct answer is: All test-takers have the same testing conditions
Q.16 Split-half reliability measures:
Consistency between two halves of a test
Test’s ability to predict future behavior
Time taken to complete a test
Agreement between raters
Explanation - Split-half reliability divides a test into two parts and checks the correlation between them to assess internal consistency.
Correct answer is: Consistency between two halves of a test
Q.17 Which of the following is NOT a type of validity?
Content validity
Construct validity
Predictive validity
Temporal validity
Explanation - Temporal validity is not recognized as a standard type of validity in psychometrics.
Correct answer is: Temporal validity
Q.18 Item difficulty in test construction is generally expressed as:
Proportion of test-takers answering correctly
Time taken to answer
Number of words in an item
Score deviation from mean
Explanation - Item difficulty indicates how easy or difficult an item is, usually quantified by the percentage answering correctly.
Correct answer is: Proportion of test-takers answering correctly
Q.19 Which type of test is primarily used to measure abilities rather than knowledge?
Aptitude test
Achievement test
Vocabulary test
History test
Explanation - Aptitude tests assess potential or capacity to perform tasks rather than learned knowledge.
Correct answer is: Aptitude test
Q.20 A high correlation between two forms of a test indicates:
High parallel-forms reliability
Poor validity
Inconsistent scoring
Unclear instructions
Explanation - Parallel-forms reliability is established when two equivalent versions of a test produce similar scores.
Correct answer is: High parallel-forms reliability
Q.21 Why is clear operational definition of constructs important in test construction?
To reduce ambiguity and improve measurement accuracy
To make tests more difficult
To attract more participants
To reduce the number of items
Explanation - Operational definitions clarify exactly what a test intends to measure, improving validity and interpretability.
Correct answer is: To reduce ambiguity and improve measurement accuracy
Q.22 Which type of scale allows for equal intervals between values but has no true zero?
Interval scale
Nominal scale
Ratio scale
Ordinal scale
Explanation - Interval scales have equal spacing between units but lack an absolute zero, e.g., IQ scores or temperature in Celsius.
Correct answer is: Interval scale
Q.23 In test construction, 'item discrimination' refers to:
How well an item differentiates between high and low scorers
Item difficulty
Number of options in a multiple-choice item
Time required to answer an item
Explanation - Item discrimination evaluates whether an item effectively distinguishes between test-takers with different levels of the trait.
Correct answer is: How well an item differentiates between high and low scorers
Q.24 Which of the following best describes a 'Likert scale'?
Respondents indicate agreement or disagreement on a scale
Items are true or false
Items rank objects in order
Items measure physical performance
Explanation - Likert scales measure attitudes or opinions using a range of responses from strongly agree to strongly disagree.
Correct answer is: Respondents indicate agreement or disagreement on a scale