Psychological Testing

Psychological testing is an imperative branch of psychology that deals with creating and using several psychological tests in order to determine various aspects of psychology like brain function, behavioral patterns, attitudes, intelligence and emotions. There exist a variety of psychological testing methods used for various purposes. Here are some of the commonly used psychological testing methods:

Norm-referenced Tests

Norm-referenced tests are a part of psychological testing which compare an individual's test performance with the statistical representation of the population. Norms are available for standardized psychological testing, which allows a comparison of an individual's scores with those in the group norms. One of the common examples of norm-referenced tests are the IQ tests or the graduate record examination (GRE).

IQ Tests

IQ testing is a type of psychological testing used to measure intelligence. Alfred Binet introduced the idea of IQ tests in 1904. The 'Intelligence quotient' is defined as Mental Age divided by Chronological Age. IQ tests are a kind of norm-referenced test employed for assessing various abilities of the candidates. Generally the IQ tests include series of tasks presented to candidate and the responses for which are graded according to prescribed guidelines. Most of the IQ tests comprise tests measuring factual knowledge, memory skills, abstract reasoning, visual-spatial abilities, and most importantly the common sense of the candidates.

Neuropsychological Tests

Neurological tests are a part of neuropsychological assessment. Neuropsychological tests are distinctively designed tests used to assess the psychological function known linked to a particular brain pathway. Usually the neurological tests require an examiner to conduct the test for a single person at a time. Also the test needs to be conducted in a quiet atmosphere devoid of distractions. The Luria-Nebraska and Halstead-Reitan test batteries are the most popular and most commonly used neuropsychological tests. The neuropsychological tests help to detect and localize brain impairment, and also help in development of rehabilitation programs for mentally impaired individuals.

Vocational Testing

There exist a range of psychological tests that help to define a person's aptitude for a specific vocation; these are called the vocational tests. These tests are very helpful for people who are trying to figure out their interest or are confused about specific career options. A majority of the vocational tests make use of the Holland codes, which divides the vocational interests into six categories which are:

• Realistic (Hands-on and outdoor occupations)
• Investigative (Scientific/ Forensic/Research based)
• Artistic (creative professions)
• Social (counseling, social work or teaching)
• Enterprising (Business/ Management or Sales)
• Conventional (clerical).

Personality Tests

Personality tests can be of various types and they aim to assess or describe several facets of a person's character including the behavioral patterns, thoughts and feelings. The earliest references to personality tests are seen in the Greek Philosopher Hippocrates' works. Today, there exist several types of personality traits that focus either on specific aspects of the personality or the personality as a whole. There are objective personality tests, projective personality tests, forensic personality tests or even personality tests that define a person's specific habits and attitudes regarding subjects like money, education or life in general.

Quite often in life, we tend to have misconceptions about ourselves, or sometimes rely too much on other people's opinions to fathom our own abilities. The psychological testing methods are effective tools for us to discover our own abilities and limitations as well.