Chapter 8 – Psychological tests and measurement scales

Exercises

Exercise 8.1

Problematic items in psychological scales

Some proposed items for different kinds of psychological scales are listed below. In each case select the kind of error (from the list in the box below) that is being made with the item (see Chapter 8 of the book for explanations).

Leading question

Ambiguous

Technical terms

(too) Complex

(too) Emotive

(too) Personal

Double-barrelled

Double negative

Inappropriate scale

1. Violent video games can have a negative effect on children’s socio-psychological development.

Show answer

Technical terms.

Explanation: Would respondents understand socio-psychological?

2. Boxers earn a lot of money (in an attitude to boxing scale).

Show answer

Ambiguous

Explanation: That boxers earn a lot of money is a fact but it gives no indication of a person’s views on boxing. Both sides will agree so the item has no discriminatory power.

3. Boxing is barbaric and should be banned.

Show answer

Double barrelled

Explanation: May agree it is barbaric but argue against a ban.

4. Hunters should not terrify poor defenceless little animals.

Show answer

Emotive

Explanation: Could be an item in some scales but is a bit OTT on emotional tugging here.

5. I thought the advertisement was:

• Good
• Average
• Poor
• Very Poor

Show answer

Inappropriate scale

Explanation: There are two negative ‘poor’ choices but only one positive choice. Also, what is meant by ‘average’?

6. Have you ever suffered from a mental disorder?

Show answer

Too personal

Explanation: Should not need to ask this and may not get an honest reply. Might be relevant in specialised research but would probably not be approached so bluntly.

7. People have a natural tendency to learn though encountering problems, seeking information and testing hypotheses about the world and therefore education should be about providing resources for discovery rather than about top-down delivery and testing of knowledge.

Show answer

Too complex

Explanation: Though the statement makes sense it may well need reading a few times and may tax some respondents with its vocabulary and length.

8. Don’t you think the government will miss its child poverty targets?

Show answer

Leading question

Explanation: Probably wouldn’t be as blatantly leading as this but even ‘Do you think…’ invites agreement.

9. There are no grounds upon which a child should not be given a right to education.

Show answer

Double negative

Explanation: Should be understood by most but double negatives do make respondents have to think twice.

Exercise 8.2

Select True or False for each item to test your understanding of psychological tests and measurement scales.

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Weblinks

Psychological tests and measurement scales

As this is a chapter about psychological scales you might find it useful to look at the scales at the links below.

This is the American Psychological Association’s advice on finding tests. It is very comprehensive, linking to several databases such as APA PsycTests, but is obviously US-oriented.

http://www.apa.org/science/programs/testing/find-tests.aspx

Here is a link to APA PsycTests. Most need to be paid for.

https://www.apa.org/pubs/databases/psyctests

This is a link to a small set of tests that you can use without worry about copyright (see the text for web page detail). The link is from York University, Ontario, Canada and was set up by Ron Okada, an Emeritus Professor. He says on the site that he will not be able to monitor the site after May 2013 so sadly you might find it becomes unavailable.

http://www.yorku.ca/rokada/psyctest

An example of the freely available tests found in Okada’s list is Rosenberg’s (1965) self-esteem scale, which is also in the public domain. Note that this is a good example of a Likert scale with reversed items to avoid response set. Also note that the Likert response format has no central ‘neutral’ or ‘undecided’ point. Here is the Rosenberg link:
http://www.wwnorton.com/college/psych/psychsci/media/rosenberg.htm

Rotter’s (1966) Locus of Control scale is easily found on the internet (it is public domain), as are several others, but make sure you get the scoring scale too otherwise the test will be useless for your own research. The scale uses a format that is not described in the Coolican text. The idea is that you are forced to choose between two extreme views on each item, one indicating internal LoC (you are in control; you make your own decision in life) and the other indicating external LoC (things happen to you; fate is in command in your life). It is similar to the method used by Hammond’s error choice technique which is described in Chapter 8. Here is the link to Rosenberg’s test:
http://www.mccc.edu/~jenningh/Courses/documents/Rotter-locusofcontrolhandout.pdf

The Social Research Methods pages for psychological scales: www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/scaling.php

An interesting article on the background to, and some practical implications of, the Rorschach test from The Guardian, 21 February 2017 at:

www.theguardian.com/science/2017/feb/21/rorschach-test-inkblots-history

An interesting article on test development:

www.researchgate.net/publication/309761309_Test_Development

The International Personality Item Pool (IPIP) where you can find sets of items for use in psychological scales at no cost:

http://ipip.ori.org/