Types of Psychological Tests

a) Achievement Tests: An achievement test is a standardized test that is designed to measure an individual's level of knowledge in a particular area. For example: American College Test (ACT).

b) Attitude Tests: Attitude test assess an individual’s feelings about an event, person or object. Typical attitude tests are used as Thurston or Likert Scale.

c) Neuropsychological Tests: The neuropsychological test consists of specifically designed tasks used to measure a psychological function known to be linked to a particular brain structure of pathway. For example: Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE).

d) Personality Tests: Psychological measures of personality are described as either ―rating scale or self-report measures‖ and ―free response measures.

e) Objective Tests: Objective tests have a restricted response format, such as allowing for true or false answers or rating using an ordinal scale. For example: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI).

f) Projective Tests: Projective tests allows for a free type of response. For example Rorschach Inkblot Test.

g) Sexological Tests: The sexological tests examine the various aspects of discomfort, problem or dysfunction, regardless of whether they are individual or relational ones. For example: SESII – W (Sexual Excitation/Sexual Inhibition Inventory for Women).

h) Aptitude Tests: Aptitude tests are used to measures specific abilities such as mechanical or clerical skills. For example: Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).

i) Interest Test: Interest tests are used to assess a person’s interest and preferences. For example: Strong Interest Inventory Test (SIIT).

j) Direct observation Tests: These type of tests involves the observation of people as they complete activities. For example: Parent- Child Interaction Assessment-II (PCIA)


References:

a) Framingham, J. (2018). Types of Psychological Testing. Psych Central. Retrieved on August 23, 2019, from https://psychcentral.com/lib/types-of-psychological-testing

b) Shishya, & Guru. (2018, January 17). What are the different types of psychological tests? Retrieved from https://www.owlgen.com/question/different-types-psychological-tests

History of Psychological Testing

The history of psychological testing is a fascinating story and has abundant relevance to present-day practices. Early records show that some individuals used assessment methods to evaluate potential personality problems or behaviors. Hathaway (1965) points out that one of the earliest descriptions of using behavioral observation in assessing personality can be found in the Old Testament.

Gideon relied upon observations of his men who trembled with fear to consider them fit for duty. Gideon also observed how soldiers chose to drink water from a stream as a means of selecting effective soldiers for battle. In ancient Rome, Tacitus provided examples in which the appraisal of a person’s personality entered into their leader’s judgments about them. Tacitus points out that Emperor Tiberius evaluated his subordinates in his meetings by often pretending to be hesitant in order to detect what the leading men were thinking.

Psychological testing in its modern form originated little more than one hundred years ago in laboratory studies of sensory discrimination, motor skills, and reaction time. The British genius Francis Galton (1822–1911) invented the first battery of tests. The American psychologist James McKeen Cattell in 1890 proclaimed the modern testing agenda in his classic paper entitled ―Mental Tests and Measurements.‖ Cattell’s conjecture that ―perhaps‖ tests would be useful in ―training, mode of life or indication of disease‖. Alfred Binet public first Modern Intelligence Test in 1905.

Psychological Testing

Psychological testing — also called psychological assessment — is the foundation of how psychologists better understand a person and their behavior. It is a process of problem solving for many professionals — to try and determine the core components of a person’s psychological or mental health problems, personality, IQ, or some other component. It is also a process that helps identifies not just weaknesses of a person, but also their strengths.

It is a field characterized by the use of samples of behavior, most often administered as a series of items in which the individual must give a response in order to assess psychological constructs, such as ability, cognitive and emotional functioning or personality.

Psychological testing measures an individual’s performance at a specific point in time — right now. Psychologists talk about a person’s ―present functioning‖ in terms of their test data. Therefore psychological tests can’t predict future or innate potential.

Psychological testing is the administration of psychological tests, which are designed to be "an objective and standardized measure of a sample of behavior". A psychological test is a standardized measure of a person’s behavior that is used to measure the individual differences that exists among people.

Theories of Career Counseling

Trait and Factor Theory: The trait and factor theory was founded by Frank Parsons, the father of career psychology in which he gave more stress to the traits of the client.

              Parsons’s career counseling model was grounded in simple logic and common sense and relied on the observing and interviewing skills of the counselor. Parsons stated that there are three broad factors in the choice of an occupation: (1) knowledge of self, (2) knowledge of the requirements for success in different occupations, (3) matching these two groups of facts.

               First the traits needs to be assessed and then analyzes can be made that in which career or occupation a person could go. It was the mostly used method during the period of World War I (1890-1919).

              In modern times, this theory stresses more on interpersonal nature of the career and the associated life-style as well as performance required for a particular job and position.

Holland’s theory of Career Choice:  Holland gave 6 personality types on the basis of which a career can be chosen. In our culture, most people are one of six personality types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. These are also referred to as RIASEC or Holland Codes.

                  People of the same personality type working together create a work environment that fits their type. For example, when Artistic persons are together on a job, they create a work environment that rewards creative thinking and behavior -- an Artistic environment.  There are six basic types of work environments: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. "Work" includes doing things to achieve a purpose, like paid and unpaid jobs, volunteering, sports, or hobbies.

                 People search for environments where they can use their skills and abilities and express their values and attitudes. For example, Investigative types search for Investigative environments; Artistic types look for Artistic environments, and so forth. People who choose to work in an environment similar to their personality type are more likely to be successful and satisfied. For example, Artistic people are more likely to be successful and satisfied if they choose a job that has an Artistic environment, like choosing to be a dance teacher in a dancing school -- an environment "dominated" by Artistic type people where creative abilities and expression are highly valued.

Personality Types

1)      Realistic: These people are skilled, concrete and technical and mechanical. For example: Engineers, Mechanics and Farmers etc.

2)      Investigative: They are scientific, abstract and analytical. For example: Researchers, Computer Programmers and Lab Technicians etc.

3)      Artistic: They are creative, imaginative and aesthetic. For example: Musicians, Dancers, and Painters etc.

4)      Social: They are educational, service oriented and social workers etc. For example: Counselors, Doctors and Teachers etc.

5)      Enterprising: They are persuasive, out-going and verbal. For example: Entrepreneurs, Managers, Sales man etc.

6)      Conventional: They are organized, practical and conforming. For example: Accountant, Clerk.

      According to Holland, a 3-letter code can be given to the client. For example, if the client holds the characteristics of Artistic, Social and Conventional, then the client can be assigned with a 3-letter code i.e. ASC and then analyze that in which one of these the client holds more characteristics.

Developmental Theory: Super gave developmental theory in 1997, stating that one’s career choice is implemented within one’s vocational self-concept. According to this theory, we relate ourselves to what we do. Super gave 5 stages as follows:

Super’s five life and career development stages

Stages	Age	Characteristics
Growth	Birth -14	Development of self-concept, attitudes, needs and general world of work
Exploration	15 - 24	"Trying out" through classes, work hobbies. Tentative choice and skill development
Establishment	25-44	Entry-level skill building and stabilization through work experience
Maintenance	45-64	Continual adjustment process to improve position
Decline	65+	Reduced output, prepare for retirement

Developmental tasks at these different stages

Life Stages	Adolescence 14-24	Early Adulthood 25-44	Early Adulthood 45-65	Late Adulthood 65+
Decline	Giving less time to hobbies	Reducing sports participation	Focusing on essentials	Reducing working hours
Maintenance	Verifying current occupational choice	Making occupational position secure	Holding one's own against competition	Keeping what one enjoys
Establishment	Getting started in a chosen field	Settling down in a suitable position	Developing new skills	Doing things one has wanted to do
Exploration	Learning more about opportunities	Finding desired opportunity	Identifying new tasks to work on	Finding a good retirement place
Growth	Developing a realistic self-concept	Learning to relate to others	Accepting one's own limitations	Developing and valuing non-occupational roles

        Super states that in making a vocational choice individuals are expressing their self-concept, or understanding of self, which evolves over time. People seek career satisfaction through work roles in which they can express themselves and further implement and develop their self-concept.

History of Career Counseling

Career counseling, or vocational guidance as it was originally known, has a long history within the counseling professions. Career counseling was born in the United States in the latter 19th century out of societal upheaval, transition, and change. This new profession was described by historians as a progressive social reform movement aimed at eradicating poverty and substandard living conditions that had been created by the rapid industrialization and consequent migration of people to major urban centers at the turn of the 20th century. 

The social upheaval in the United States that gave birth to career counseling was characterized by a host of economic issues: the loss of jobs in the agricultural sector, increasing demands for workers in heavy industry, the loss of permanent jobs on the family farm to new emerging technologies such as tractors, the increasing urbanization of the United States, and the concomitant calls for services to meet this internal migration pattern—all this in order to retool for the new industrial economy. 

Returning veterans from World War I and those displaced by their return also heightened the need for career counseling. Frank Parsons was the founder and the father of the Career Counseling. Parsons established a settlement house program for young people either already employed or currently unemployed who had been displaced during this period of rapid change.

Career Counseling

Career Counseling is a process that will help you to know and understand yourself and the world of work in order to make career, educational, and life decisions. Career development is more than just deciding on a major and what job you want to get when you graduate. It is the process of assisting individuals in the development of a life career with the focus on the definition of the role of a worker of an individual’s life and how that role defines the individual’s other life goals. Career Counseling is a process that will help you to know and understand yourself and the world of work in order to make career, educational, and life decisions.

Factors affecting the career choice of an individual:

·         Interest

·        Age or Stage of Life 

      Maturity

·        Family related obligations

McDaniel gave a formula for the Career Choice;

C (Career) = W (Work) + L (Leisure)

Through this formula he clearly stated that a career should be chosen keeping in mind the facts of work and leisure, work without leisure and joy is just an obligation.