Discussion Question

Use APA 7th edition.

Discussion 1 – Week 1

Influence of Historical Events
In the late 19th century, psychology emerged as a discipline distinct from philosophy, accompanied by increased efforts to measure and classify human behavior. Psychological testing is one way to measure psychological constructs and behavior. The creation of psychological tests has been fueled by the need for mental health diagnosis and for occupational, educational, and military selection. The invention of new statistical techniques, such as factor analysis and item response theory, has led to improvements in the structure and utility of tests.

To prepare for this Discussion, select two events from the timeline of tests and measurement history. Research the events you selected and consider how they influenced the development of tests and measurement.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post a brief description of the two historical events you chose. Explain how these historical events influenced the development of tests and measurement. Then, choose one of the two events and describe a historical example of test misuse and the consequences related to the event
(TOTAL OF 2-PAGES)

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Respond to at least two (ONE PAGE PER= 2 PAGES TOTAL) of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:

Ask a probing question.
Share an insight from having read your colleague’s posting.
Offer and support an opinion.
Validate an idea with your own experience.
Make a suggestion.
Expand on your colleague’s posting.
Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Discussion 2: Interviewing vs. Testing

Fair and accurate decision-making has long been a goal of psychological testing. The earliest known uses of psychological tests were civil service exams, established in China 2000 years ago. These tests helped to assess individual ability, establishing an arguably fairer way to select capable employees and de-emphasize rank and personal connections.

Nevertheless, decisions about people are not always made by using psychological tests. Decisions are often made by using subjective procedures, such as interviews. Examine the following scenario and consider whether, for this situation, interviewing or psychological testing might be a more effective evaluative method.

The warden at a prison where you work has discovered that parole decisions made by a panel of interviewers often turn out to be wrong, with released prisoners often committing crimes and retained prisoners often demonstrating model behavior. The warden asks the prison psychologist to make a recommendation regarding whether parole decisions should be made on specific test batteries or interviews. Assuming that you need to choose one or the other, what would you recommend as a method for deciding parole—a test battery or the panel interview?

With these thoughts in mind:

Post a brief explanation of differences between objective (testing) and subjective (interviewing) methods. Then provide your position, based on the scenario provided, on whether interviewing or psychological testing is a more effective evaluative method. Support your response using the Learning Resources and the current literature (TOTAL OF 2-PAGES).

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Respond to at least two (ONE PAGE PER=2-PAGES) of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:

Ask a probing question.
Share an insight from having read your colleague’s posting.
Offer and support an opinion.
Validate an idea with your own experience.
Make a suggestion.
Expand on your colleague’s posting