How are psychometric tests constructed?
A full answer to this question would require a large technical volume. However, the basic principles can be set out simply. The first stage in developing a test is to undertake research into the area of ability or personality that is to be assessed by the test. In the case of ability tests, this would involve researching the components that make up the ability in question, the way the ability is expressed in actual performance at tasks, the sorts of questions or exercises which would be tap into that ability and so on. In the case of personality it is somewhat more complex and involves looking into the nature of personality and how it is structured in terms of particular dimensions. Personality questionnaires are normally based on a particular ‘model’ of personality and it should be said that there a variety of different models of personality, each of which offers a different perspective upon human behaviour. Once the initial research stage has been completed, the next stage involves w
