Cognitive Ability Test

Abstract

Standardized psychological tests are designed to measure aptitude, intelligence, and skill. When psychological tests are constructed they emphasize factors of reliability, validity, and the standards for developing a feasible and workable test. Industrial and Organizational psychologist develop standardized psychological tests that are used in various organizations to assist with areas of job –performance, critical thinking, competence, mental abilities, and job –placement.

Cognitive Ability Tests: Wonderlic Personnel Test

            Industrial and Organizational (I/O) Psychology focus on workplace development, structure, and organization; it structuralizes around developing methods to apply methodical principles within the workplace. I/O psychology is a field, like other fields of psychology that develop theories and evaluate concepts about how individuals reason, feel, and behave in work. I/O psychologists rely on research, quantitative methods, and testing procedures.

            This document will briefly describe a standardized psychological test “Cognitive Ability Test” specifically the Wonderlic Personnel Test (WPT) currently used in I/O psychology and concentrate on a particular populations and action of attentiveness in which the test is used. The standardized procedure used in the construction of the test and administration of the test is included. When administering the test, the required standardized conditions and concerns with test bias is also included.

Standardized Psychological Test

            Standardized psychological tests are designed to measure or ascertain such characteristics of an individual’s or group as intellectual capacity, motivation, perception, role behavior, values, and general personality integration (“Psychological Test,” 2012). Industrial and Organizational psychologist emphasize the use of structured psychological testing and focus on the factors of job satisfaction, employee motivation, and a variety of functions surrounding the organizations (Kaplan & Saccuzzo, 2013).

            A standardized psychological test currently being used by I/O psychologist is the Wonderlic Personnel Test. The WPT predict a comprehensive range of important life outcomes, behaviors, and performances (Natividad, 2006). The tests are one form of predictor used for job performance, and usually provide questions or problems to measure the ability to learn quickly, rationality, intellectual, reading comprehension and other enduring mental abilities (Natividad, 2006). The WPT can be a quick 12 –minute test of mental abilities in adults (Kaplan & Saccuzzo, 2013). The WPT evaluate an individuals’ ability or skill to solve job –related problems by producing information about their mental abilities, such as oral or calculated reasoning and perceptual abilities like speed in recognizing concepts and perspectives of situations (“Wonderlic,” 2014). Also measured are the critical thinking skills of business professionals that possess competence, capability, and strategic know-how within an organization (Facione, Blohm, & Facione, 2010).

            Cognitive ability tests have advantages and disadvantages during the process of application. Advantages of the tests are the ability to produce valid conclusions for a variation of organizational conclusions (SIOP, Inc., 2014b). The tests are able to envisage job performance for more intricate jobs, cost efficient, and can identify individuals for employment purposes, advancement, or training for those who need the skills and abilities (SIOP, Inc. 2014b). Disadvantages of the test are the possibility to gather different results due to gender and race. The construction of the test could also be overwhelming and time –consuming (SIOP, Inc. 2014b).

Test Construction and Administration

            When constructing and administering the WPT, there are a variety of factors to consider. Factors to consider are the initial constructing process of the test, reliability, validity, information on administration, and data for test interpretation. Constructing the cognitive ability test can be time –consuming and complicated (SIOP, Inc. 2014b). The process consists of research and development and well-kept documentation to support the research process. Questions on the purpose of the test should be considered. For example, what is the concept or experience the test is grounded on? Has the test been constructed according to individuals and groups that are similar to the organizations applicants or employees? And what methods used to develop the test? (SIOP, Inc. 2014b).

            The administrating of the tests focuses on the reliability and validity of the tests. Reliability is the stability of the test results and the validity refers to the accuracy of the interpretations made based on test results (SIOP, Inc. 2014a). The administration of the WPT can be taken quickly with paper and pencil or through an online intelligence test with extensive norms (Kaplan & Saccuzzo, 2013).

            Information on administration and data test interpretation focus on materials required for administration and score interpretation. Information for administering the tests require test brochures, answer sheets, scoring keys, and administration instructions (SIOP, Inc. 2014a). Data test interpretation focus on whether a test score is have been accurately determined, depending on the distribution of scores of a comparison group. The comparison is usually referred to as a norm group (SIOP, Inc. 2014a). The test developer or publishers are to make available necessary material about the different norm groups that are available for the test being considered (SIOP, Inc. 2014a)

Standardized Conditions and Bias

            Standardized conditions and test bias emphasize on time requirements, credentials and experience, test environment, and the possible biases of tests. Standardized conditions of administering the Wonderlic personnel test should have established time limits whether time is limited or unlimited. The WPT is normally a 12 –minute test but could be done in more or less time considering the test taker and the formation of the test. The test taker should know how long the testing process would take. Credited and experienced (e.g., MA, PhD) professionals should be administering and interpreting the tests, however depending on the focus of the test, skilled administrators are not required. The test environment should comforting and welcoming to the test taker. In order to ensure reliability and validity of the test, the environment should be considered and no individual should feel violated, uncomfortable, or pressured.

            Test bias should be avoided at all costs. During the process of construction and development the test should avoid any biases that may perceive false results of the test.  Evidence that the test does not contain bias on the basis of gender, race, culture, and sex should be provided (SIOP, Inc. 2014a). The test is not expected to have similar results for different groups of people and biased indicators of an outcome of interest should be avoided.

Literature Strategy and Assessment

            Literature strategy and assessment utilized to develop information in reference to cognitive ability tests and Wonderlic personnel test (WPT) was achieved through researching Capella University online library, the SIOP website, the publishers of the Wonderlic testing website, and the eighteenth Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY) (2010) and the fourteenth Mental Measurements Yearbook (1998). The strategy consisted of researching current tests used by I/O psychologist that measure job –performance and ability, construction (e.g., development, process), administering the test, possible biases, and dependency of the tests (e.g., reliability and validity).

 The assessment focused on literature and research articles available in reference to the chose standardized psychological test. The WPT is widely used within the I/O field and according to Donlon (1998), the Wonderlic is created specifically for use within organizations and educational establishments to measure general cognitive abilities. The WPT strategy is to define whether an individual have the cognitive ability necessary to absorb information and information quickly and solve problems at the level of difficulty that is required (Donlon, 1998)

Conclusion

            Industrial and Organizational psychologist perform various tasks within organizations to help establish employee, employer, and organizational structure. The cognitive ability test, specifically the Wonderlic personnel test (WPT) focuses on individual and group job –performance, reasoning, perceptual abilities, and comprehension.  The process of the WPT consists of the purpose of constructing the test, reliability and validity, test administration, data interpretation, test biases, and credentials and experience of the constructors and administrators.

References

Donlon, T.F. (1998). Review of the Wonderlic basic skills test. In J.C. Impara & B.S. Plake (Eds.), The thirtheenth mental measurements yearbook. Lincoln, NE: Buros Institute of Mental Measurements. Retrieved from Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print database.

Facione, P.A., Blohm, S., & Facione, N.C. (2010) Review of the Business critical thinking skills test. In R.A. Spies, J.F. Carlson, & K.F. Gesinger (Eds.), The eighteenth mental measurements yearbook. Lincoln, NE: Buros Institute of Mental Measurements. Retrieved from Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print database. 

Kaplan, R.M., & Saccuzzo, D.P. (2013). Psychological testing: Principles, applications, and issues (8^th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Natividad, H.R.L. (2006). Prediction of job satisfaction by the wonderlic personnel test. (Order No. 1432496, Roosevelt University). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 34-34 p. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.library.capella.edu/docview/304929469?accountid=27965. (304929469).

Psychological test. (2012). In Mosby’s dictionary of medicine, nursing, & health professions. Retrieved from http://search.credoreference.com.library.capella.edu/content/entry/ehsmosbymed/psychological_test/0

Society for industrial and organizational psychology (SIOP), Inc. (2014a). Information to consider when creating or purchasing an employment test. Retrieve from http://www.siop.org/workplace/employment%20testing/information_to_consider_when_cre.aspx

Society for industrial and organizational psychology (SIOP), Inc. (2014b). Types of employment tests. Retrieved from http://www.siop.org/workplace/employment%20testing/testtypes.aspx

Wonderlic. (2014). Wonderlic cognitive ability test. Retrieved from http://www.wonderlic.com/assessments/ability/cognitive-ability-tests/classic-cognitive-ability-test