How to Administer Psychological Tests
Psychological tests are designed to assess the abilities, attitudes or personalities of a specific group of people; for example, some are based on age, gender, background or occupation. The tests follow a questionnaire format whereby candidates are asked a series of multiple choice questions that can later be analyzed to see if and what patterns emerge in the group. The most common types of psychological tests are the intelligence quotient tests, personality tests, aptitude tests, attitude tests and occupation tests, all of which follow the same format.
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Instructions
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Choose the type of psychological test you would like to administer and then compile your list of questions with four possible answers to each question from which the examinees can select. The content of your test will depend on which type you have chosen. For example, if you decide on an IQ test, your questions should contain a mix of general knowledge, mathematical and scientific questions, whereas a personality test will be based on asking the person about their emotions and the way they view the world. Write up your test and photocopy it according to the sample size or, alternatively, type it up on a document and then print it out. Remember to include a prompt on the test to ensure that the participant writes down the details of the group characteristic; for example, the person should include his age, gender or occupation so you can log this when you analyze the results later.
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Select the sample group you would like to test. You might want to test more than one group so you can compare your results. For example, a personality test given to 20- and 30 year-olds or an IQ test given to a varying age range of men and women. The larger the group, the more accurate the results will be, so aim to get as many participants as you can. You must explain to each person taking part what the test is about and how the results will be used.
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Decide whether you want to administer the test electronically via email or if you would prefer to oversee the test in person, in which case you will need to arrange a time and place to do the test with the participants. Set a deadline for the test also, regardless of the method you use; this way you can manage your time effectively and ensure that all the results will be returned to you by a certain time.
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Instruct your candidates to answer the questions in the test as honestly as possible and without referring to other materials that could affect the accuracy of their result. At the end of the test, ask all of the participants to sign a disclaimer that states you have their permission to analyze the results and use them as you wish.
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Analyze the results to see if patterns emerge in the answers. It might be useful to put the information into a bar chart or a table so you can see all the results in one place.
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Tips & Warnings
To make your psychological test as reliable and accurate as possible, you need to control as many variables as you can. Variables are things that could inadvertently affect the results of your test; for example, the time of day you administer it or the temperature of the room you do the test could affect the results. If you plan and record these details for every test you administer, you will be able to compare your results more accurately.
If you can, do a re-test on the same group at the same time and place the following day, week or month. This will enable you to see if the results change much and, therefore, the reliability of the results.
You must take into account that when testing the human psyche, it isn't possible to attain entirely accurate results. For example, the participants might not be completely truthful in their answers, and there can be variables that are not within your control, such as the participant's feelings of being happy one day or sad on another, which could affect their answers in a personality or attitude test.
Be sure to ask your participants not to write their name on their tests unless you have specifically stated that it is required. Psychological tests are usually anonymous and require only details relating to the group you are testing, such as age or gender.
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