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History

History of Psychometric Testing

Psychometric testing has a long and fascinating history. Some experts link it to assessments conducted in China as far back as 2200 BC, with the purpose of assessing talents, intelligence, and the ability to hold a prominent position. In China, this was regularly used and updated. Later, scientists from the United Kingdom, France, and the United States took the initiative to organise it into a logical structure in order to increase its performance. Some of the important facts of its development is as under:

China

  • Testing for Proficiency dates back to 2200 BC when a Chinese Emperor Yushan tested for skills, intelligence, and endurance for Official Public roles. He periodically tested the officials every 3 years. However, little archaeological evidence is available to support this claim.
  • ​Royal examinations began in either Late Qin or Early Han Dynasty Period. The first written examination began during this period in 165 BC. 
  • ​Examinations became more formal during the Ming Dynasty period. Results of examinations became associated with granting formal civil service titles and rankings.
  • ​The concept of Objectivity and Reliability in testing was introduced in China. To ensure Objectivity, the examinee’s identity was maintained anonymous. They also proctored exams and ensured uniform test conditions. The Chinese discovered that a relatively small sample of an individual’s performance, measured under carefully controlled conditions, could yield an accurate picture of that individual’s ability to perform under much broader conditions for a longer period of time. Hence, the concept of Reliability was established.

United Kingdom

As part of the Charter Act – 1833, British introduced the idea of an open competitive test system to select civil servants.
• The first true psychometric test was developed by Francis Galton in the 1880s. Galton was interested in understanding the psychological differences between people rather than common traits. This led to Introduction of Differential Psychology.
• During 1884-90, He gauged intelligence through measurement of physical characteristics as well as sensory and motor skills. He used Brass instruments to measure sensory threshold and reaction time to visual and auditory stimulus. Galton tested around 17,000 people and demonstrated that objective tests could provide meaningful scores.

United States of America

  • James Cattell used the term ‘Mental test’ for the first time in 1890 in USA East. He was inspired by Galton’s method of testing and hence used Brass Instruments to measure motor acuity.
  • ​Clark Wissler, who was Cattell’s student, did the first basic validation research during 1901-03 in USA East. He used the Pearson Correlation coefficient formula to show that there was no correlation found between Cattell’s mental test scores and academic achievement. ​His results were largely discouraging because he had only bright college students in his sample. However, this led to the introduction of Validity testing. His research also debunked the psycho-physical testing of intelligence.
  • ​Lewis M. Terman introduced Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale in 1916 in USA west. This scale was an adaptation of the Binet-Simon scale. Terman introduced completely objective scoring for this scale. He removed Cultural Bias and addressed the developmental difficulties and intellectual challenges of diagnosing children in the modern era.
  • ​Robert Yerkes (1917) convinced the US government to recruit army officials for World War I based on their ability to handle combat related stress.  Two sets of tests were created – Army Alpha for literates and Army Beta for illiterates which were used to recruit Army officials. This led to the introduction of Self reported inventory rather than administered clinical tests.

France

  • Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon, got together to develop a psychometric test in 1905 that could identify young children affected by mental deficiencies. They introduced the first modern intelligence test called the Binet-Simon Intelligence Scale, which directly tested higher psychological processes including real abilities & practical judgments.         

    Psychometric assessments are scientific methods for assessing a person’s personality by looking at their attitude, skills, and interests. It is mostly utilised as part of the recruitment process for new employees in a company and to support students in deciding on a career path. Psychometric tests for students will aid them in discovering their hidden skills and talents, allowing them to choose a career path as they progress through their studies. Psychometric tests are an objective way to measure the potential of candidates. The purpose of psychometric testing is to get an objective, scientific assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of an individual so that a decision can be made of how to use the capabilities of the person to the fullest potential.

    The terms ‘psych’ and ‘metric’ pertain to the mind and measurement, respectively. Therefore it’s just a way to test one’s mental capacity. A psychometric examination for school students is playing an important role throughout the world. It is important for student, parents and teachers to take educated decisions regarding student’s future studies.