PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST INSTRUMENTS: QUESTIONS ON THE USE OF SAMPLES OF BEHAVIOUR

While doing my graduate studies, I took up courses in Logic & Philosophy, Statistics & Research I & II, and Psychological Test & Measurements besides other subjects related Psychology and Counselling Psychology. Having had exposures in Psychological, Logical and Philosophical methodologies of researching, compiling, analyzing and interpreting data, I can reasonably comment on this current topic: Psychological Test Instruments: Questions On The Use Of Samples Of Behaviour.

Psychological test instruments are psychological tools that are employed in Psychometrics (science of Psychological testing) for measuring behavioural samples which are compiled for statistical analyses and interpretations based on foregoing comprehensive literature reviews of the subjects/topics/items being researched. It must be noted that this form of research is mainly related to quantitative studies. It is a pity that qualitative research methods are still in its infancy.

Questions of Reliability

In our current profit-minded society, a great deal of hype is being place on the wondrous Psychological test instruments that can measure anything related to human behaviour. When I say anything, I mean it literally. For your information, there are Psychological tests even for “farting.” If you don’t believe, just goggle it. Emphasis is placed on instruments created by Western (Caucasian) individuals, groups or institutions with Psychological celebrity status as being the most reliable. Here is an infusion of Colonial mentality. Others try to impress with the number of PhD(s) behind the creation of their instruments. Even in Psychology, colonial mentality, nationality biasness, marketing, status consciousness and egos do make an impact on lay persons in the choice of Psychological test Instruments. But are all these hypes and claims true? How reliable are these Psychological test instruments?

Questions on the use of “samples of behaviour”

Take a fictitious example of company “T” who uses an American developed behavioural-based instrument to interview a local MBA job seeker. One question asked is: Will you disobey your sales manager’s direct orders if you think your decision will be profitable for the company? The expected answer is “yes” which was preselected to denote independent decision making ability. But let’s say the local job seeker, Mr. X says no. Mr. X

would be scored as not having independent decision making ability. Is the scoring on this item (question) accurate? Of course not!

If local culture and social behaviour emphasizes obedience right from primary to university educational levels and obedience is considered a cardinal virtue, especially obedience to superiors - How cans Mr. X who from his childhood to his MBA education, who had been conditioned to a mindset of obedience is expected to alter his mindset and behaviour to fit an American mindset and answer? The problem is not with Mr. X. It is with the Psychological test instrument and especially the question (item) itself. The American Psychological test instrument and questions (items) was developed using American behavioural samples which naturally elicited a “yes” answer due to the American national culture that conditions independent decision making mindsets. The Psychological test instrument was not developed and tested with samples of behaviour based on the cultural and social variables of Mr. X’s environment.

It must be noted that it is impossible for one Psychological test instrument and its questions to be generalized for every culture and sub-cultures on this planet. If there is any celebrity Psychological test instrument that claims to be globally applicable, you can be assured that it is a fake claim. But unfortunately, there are still gullible lay persons out there, who think that, the more expensive and branded a Psychological test instrument markets itself to be, the more reliable it will be in performances.

Questions to Ask Before Using a Psychological Test Instrument

In the context of questions on the use of samples of behaviour, here are three specific questions you should ask before using any Psychological test instrument.

1. Is this Psychological test instrument developed specifically for the current test?2. Are there existing completed studies to confirm and verify that this Psychological

test instrument is reliable for the current test purpose?3. Were the samples of behaviour that were used in the development of the

Psychological test instrument, were from the same or intrinsically similar population as with this current test?

If the answer to any of these three questions is a negative, I would suggest don’t use it even if the “Psychological Pope” says that it is the “psychological test bible” of the century. Rather take the trouble and cost to develop one specifically for the current use.

A Word of Caution

If you observe any sales advertisements in TVs or other Medias, you will notice the use of so called professionals or experts who enthusiastically verify and confirm commercial products that being promoted. This is a marketing illusion for persuading potential buyers to decide on an assurance of reliability or credibility from experts. In the same manner, when Psychological test instrument are given a glamorous marketing hype with celebrity PH D(s) Psychologists queuing-up to testify about its credibility and reliability, this is when you have to be extra cautious. Shit is shit. Even if you were to encase it in gold, it is still shit at its core. So if a Psychological test instrument is shitty in its development, branding it through expert testimony does not change the fact that it is shitty.