Tests and Measures of Individual Differences

The scope of psychology’s fields of specialization is great. The professionals
who work in these areas strive to help humans know, understand, and help
themselves. To accomplish this, psychologists use numerous tests to help
them ascertain specific information about an individual, a group of people,
or a particular population. Ability tests measure multiple aptitudes, creativity, achievement, and intelligence levels. Psychologists may performoccupational
and clinical assessments. Also included in the area of assessment are
personality tests, which encompass self-report inventories, measures of interests,
attitudes and values, projective techniques, and performance and
situational evaluations.
An example of a multiple-aptitude test is the Differential Aptitude Test
(DAT), first published in 1947, then revised in 1963, 1973, and 1991. Its primary
purpose is to counsel students in grades eight through twelve in educational
and vocational matters. Creativity tests have received much attention
from researchers and practitioners alike. The Aptitudes Research Project
(ARP) was developed by the University of Southern California. It is a structureof-
intellect (SI) model, which encompasses all intellectual functions. Although
its initial platform was reasoning, creativity, and problem solving, its
base was expanded to divergent production. Until the ARP, research resources
in this area were very limited.
Achievement tests, which differ from aptitude tests, measure the effects
of specific instruction or training. Some of the most respected tests are the
California Achievement Tests, the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, the Metropolitan
Achievement Test, and the Stanford Achievement Test. Their significance
lies in reporting what the individual can do at the time of test administration.
Aptitude instruments, on the other hand, make recommendations
about future skills. Intelligence tests speak their own language; it is unfortunate,
though, that so much importance is placed upon the results they yield.
One should always remember that the scores identified in the Stanford-
Binet test and in the various Wechsler intelligence scales are only part of a
big picture about any given human being and should be evaluated accordingly.
Personality tests measure the emotional, motivational, interpersonal, and
attitudinal characteristics of an individual. The Kuder Interest Inventories
list occupations according to a person’s interest area. The Rorschach Inkblot
Projective Technique investigates the personality as a whole. The Thematic
Apperception Test (TAT) researches personality and attitude. The
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is a widely used measure of personality dispositions
and interests based on Carl Jung’s theory of types. 671