| mental test | An instrument designed to measure a subject's ability to reason, plan, and solve problems; an intelligence test.
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| test | An objective and standardized procedure for measuring a psychological construct using a sample of behavior.
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| norming | Comparing a test score to other relevant test scores.
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| norm group | The group whose tests scores are used to compare and understand an individual's test score.
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| test battery | A collection of tests that usually assesses a variety of different attributes.
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| speed test | Test that has rigid and demanding time limits such that most test takers will be unable to finish the test in the allotted time.
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| power test | Test that has no rigid time limits; enough time is given for a majority of the test takers to complete all of the test items.
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| group test | Test that can be administered to large groups of individuals; often valuable in reducing the costs (both in time and money) of testing many applicants.
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| individual test | Test that can be given only on an individual basis.
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| paper and pencil test | One of the most common forms of industrial testing that requires no manipulation of any objects other than the instrument used to respond.
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| performance test | Test that requires the individual to make a response by manipulating a particular physical object or piece of equipment.
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| Mental Measurements Yearbook | A widely used source that includes an extensive listing of tests as well as reviews of those tests.
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| bias | A technical and statistical term that deals exclusively with a situation in which a given test results in errors of prediction for a subgroup.
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| fairness | A value judgment about actions or decisions based on test scores.
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| culture | A system in which individuals share meanings and common ways of viewing events and objects. In organizations it refers to the shared beliefs and values among employees that are created and communicated by the managers and leaders of the organization.
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| cognitive ability test | Test that allows individuals to demonstrate what they know, perceive, remember, understand, or can work with mentally; includes problem identification, problem-solving tasks, perceptual skills, the development or evaluation of ideas, and remembering what one has learned through general experience or specific training.
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| cognitive test battery | A collection of tests that assess a variety of cognitive aptitudes or abilities; often called Multiple Aptitude Test Batteries.
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| knowledge test | Test that assesses the extent to which individuals understand course or training materials; also administered for licensing and certification purposes.
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| psychomotor abilities | The physical functions of movement, associated with coordination, dexterity, and reaction time; also called motor or sensorimotor abilities.
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| screen out test | A test used to eliminate candidates who are clearly unsuitable for employment; tests of psychopathology are examples of screen out tests in the employment setting.
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| screen in test | A test used to add information about the positive attributes of a candidate that might predict outstanding performance; tests of normal personality are examples of screen in tests in the employment setting.
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| emotional intelligence (EI) | A proposed kind of intelligence that is focused on our awareness of our own and others' emotions.
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| emotional intelligence quotient (EQ) | Parallels the notion of intelligence quotient (IQ); a score on a test of emotional intelligence.
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| individual assessment | Situation in which only one candidate (or a very few) is assessed on many different attributes.
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| situational interview | Asks the interviewee to describe in specific and behavioral detail how he or she would respond to a hypothetical situation.
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| structured interview | Interview that consists of very specific questions that are asked of each candidate; includes tightly crafted scoring schemes with detailed outlines for the interviewer with respect to assigning ratings or scores based on interview performance.
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| unstructured interview | Interview that includes questions that may vary by candidate and that allow the candidate to answer in any form he or she may prefer.
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| assessment center | Collection of procedures for evaluation that is administered to groups of individuals; assessments are typically done by multiple assessors.
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| work sample test | Assessment procedure that measures job skills by taking samples of behavior under realistic joblike conditions.
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| situational judgment test | Commonly a paper and pencil test that presents the candidate with a written scenario and asks the candidate to choose the best response from a series of alternatives.
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| biodata | Information collected on an application blank or in a standardized test that includes questions about previous jobs, education, specialized training, and personal history; also known as biographical data.
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| ecology model | Underlying model for life history biodata instruments. Proposes that the events that make up a person's history represent choices made by the individual to interact with his or her environment. These choices can signal abilities, interests, and personality characteristics.
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| incremental validity | The value in terms of increased validity of adding a particular predictor to an existing selection system.
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| graphology | A technique that presumes that traits can be assessed from various characteristics of a person's handwriting; also known as handwriting analysis.
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| polygraph | Machine that measures a person's physiological reactions. Approach assumes that when people are being dishonest, their physiological reactions will signal that they are being deceptive; often known as a "lie detector" test.
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| overt integrity test | Test that asks questions directly about past honesty behavior (e.g., stealing) as well as attitudes toward various behaviors such as employee theft.
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| personality based integrity test | Test that infers honesty and integrity from questions dealing with broad constructs such as conscientiousness, reliability, and social responsibility and awareness.
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| Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) | Testing approach in which every candidate does not need to answer every test item for adequate assessment; approach that presents a test taker with a few items that cover the range of difficulty of the test, identifies a test taker's approximate level of ability, and then asks only questions that will further refine the test taker's position within that ability level.
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| routing test | The preliminary test used in computer adaptive testing that identifies a test taker's approximate level of ability before providing additional questions to refine the test taker's position within that ability level.
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