Norms used in Psychological assessment | Summaries Psychological Data

OBT- What do you understand by norms of the test?

Percentile norms,grade norms and age norms

"norms" generally refer to the established standards or benchmarks against which the

performance or behavior of an individual or group can be compared. These norms are

derived from the scores or responses of a representative sample of people who have

taken the same test or assessment.

The concept of norms in the context of testing and measurement doesn't have a

single inventor. It has evolved over time as part of the development of psychological and

educational testing.

One key figure in the early history of intelligence testing and the establishment of

norms is Alfred Binet. Binet, a French psychologist, is known for developing the first

widely used intelligence test, the Binet-Simon Scale, in the early 20th century. However,

Binet's work focused more on individual differences and identifying children who might

need special education, and the concept of norms as we understand it today was not fully

articulated by him.

The use of norms in psychological and educational testing became more prominent

with the work of later researchers and psychologists. During the early 20th century,

pioneers like Lewis Terman in the United States adapted and revised Binet's intelligence

tests, contributing to the standardization and establishment of norms.

The modern understanding and application of norms in testing have been shaped

by the collective efforts of many psychologists and statisticians. The field of

psychometrics, which involves the measurement of psychological traits and abilities, has

played a crucial role in the development and refinement of testing norms.

In essence, while specific individuals like Binet and Terman made significant

contributions to the history of testing, the concept of norms evolved through the

collaborative efforts of researchers and practitioners in psychology, education, and related

fields over the course of the 20th century.

Norms

Norm-referenced testing and assessment is a method of evaluation and deriving

meaning from test scores by comparing an individual testtaker's score to scores of a group

of test takers. The goal of norm-referenced tests is to yield information on a test taker's

standing or ranking relative to some comparison group of test takers. Norms are the test

performance data of a particular group of test takers designed for use as a reference when

evaluating or interpreting individual test scores.

Partial preview of the text

Download Norms used in Psychological assessment and more Summaries Psychological Data in PDF only on Docsity!

OBT- What do you understand by norms of the test? Percentile norms,grade norms and age norms "norms" generally refer to the established standards or benchmarks against which the performance or behavior of an individual or group can be compared. These norms are derived from the scores or responses of a representative sample of people who have taken the same test or assessment. The concept of norms in the context of testing and measurement doesn't have a single inventor. It has evolved over time as part of the development of psychological and educational testing. One key figure in the early history of intelligence testing and the establishment of norms is Alfred Binet. Binet, a French psychologist, is known for developing the first widely used intelligence test, the Binet-Simon Scale, in the early 20th century. However, Binet's work focused more on individual differences and identifying children who might need special education, and the concept of norms as we understand it today was not fully articulated by him. The use of norms in psychological and educational testing became more prominent with the work of later researchers and psychologists. During the early 20th century, pioneers like Lewis Terman in the United States adapted and revised Binet's intelligence tests, contributing to the standardization and establishment of norms. The modern understanding and application of norms in testing have been shaped by the collective efforts of many psychologists and statisticians. The field of psychometrics, which involves the measurement of psychological traits and abilities, has played a crucial role in the development and refinement of testing norms. In essence, while specific individuals like Binet and Terman made significant contributions to the history of testing, the concept of norms evolved through the collaborative efforts of researchers and practitioners in psychology, education, and related fields over the course of the 20th century. Norms Norm-referenced testing and assessment is a method of evaluation and deriving meaning from test scores by comparing an individual testtaker's score to scores of a group of test takers. The goal of norm-referenced tests is to yield information on a test taker's standing or ranking relative to some comparison group of test takers. Norms are the test performance data of a particular group of test takers designed for use as a reference when evaluating or interpreting individual test scores.

Normative samples are groups of people whose performance on a particular test is analyzed for reference in evaluating the performance of individual test takers. Members of the normative sample will all be typical with respect to some characteristic(s) of the people for whom the particular test was designed. A test administration to this representative sample yields a distribution of scores, which constitute the norms for the test and typically are used as a reference source for evaluating and placing into context test scores obtained by individual test takers. Norming, or the process of deriving norms, can be modifiable to describe a particular type of norm derivation. Race norming, a controversial practice, was outlawed by the Civil Rights Act of 1991, leaving unclear issues regarding whether it is lawful to adjust item content to minimize group differences in assessment procedures. Norming a test, especially with the participation of a nationally representative normative sample, can be expensive, so some test manuals provide user norms or program norms, which consist of descriptive statistics based on a group of test takers in a given period of time. Understanding how norms are derived through formal sampling methods requires some discussion of the process of sampling. Developing norms for a standardized test The process of developing norms for a standardized test involves the test developer administering the test according to the standard set of instructions and conditions, which make the test scores more comparable with future test takers. This is crucial as it helps to ensure that the normative sample takes the test under a standard set of conditions, which are then replicated on each occasion the test is administered. After collecting and analyzing the test data, the test developer summarizes the data using descriptive statistics and provides a precise description of the standardization sample itself. Good practice dictates that the norms be developed with data derived from a group of people presumed to be representative of the people who will take the test in the future. Test developers are encouraged to describe the population(s) represented by any norms or comparison group(s), the dates the data were gathered, and the process used to select the samples of test takers. In practice, descriptions of normative samples vary widely in detail, and test authors often wish to present their tests in the most favorable light possible. However, shortcomings in the standardization procedure or elsewhere in the process of the test’s development may be given short shrift or overlooked in a test’s manual. New norms for standardized tests for specific groups of test takers are increasingly developed some time after the original standardization, but the test remains standardized based on data from the original standardization sample. Included in this new normative

grade level is calculated. The school year typically runs from September to June, ten months, making fractions in the mean or median easily expressed as decimals. Grade norms have great intuitive appeal, as children learn and develop at varying rates but in predictable ways. However, they have limited applicability to children not yet in school or out of school, and are not typically designed for use with adults who have returned to school.Developmental norms, also known as grade and age norms, are developed on the basis of any trait, ability, skill, or other characteristic that is presumed to develop, deteriorate, or be affected by chronological age, school grade, or stage of life. For example, a Piagetian theorist might develop a test of the Piagetian concept of accommodation and then norm this test in terms of stage of life, subject to additional scrutiny and criticism by potential test users who do not subscribe to Piaget's theory. Reference ● Cohen R.J., Swerdlik M.E., Philps. S.SM. (1996), Psychological Testing and Assessment: an introduction to test and measurements (3 rd ed.) ● A.K. Singh. Psychological Testing ● Strauss, E., Sherman, E. M.S., & Spreen, O. (2006). A compendium of neuropsychological tests: Administration, norms, and commentary (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.

Norms used in Psychological assessment, Summaries of Psychological Data

Related documents

Partial preview of the text

Download Norms used in Psychological assessment and more Summaries Psychological Data in PDF only on Docsity!