Forwarded message: From: Self <smckelvi.faculty.users.main.Bishops> To: Michael Sylvester <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: How I perceive psychometrics? Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 15:32:02 -0500 (EST) Dear Tipsters, Michael wrote: > Subject: How I perceive psychometrics? > It is the quintessential Eurocentric scale. > The data is usually based on norms taken fron the white population. > (why not the Chinese-since they are the majority on the planet?) > > The measured skills have more to do with Eurocentric academic type of > activtity. > It assumes deficits instead of differences. Once again, may I gently draw attention to Anastasi and Urbina's treatment of these matters. They specifically address the question of whether a difference should be perceived as "deficit" or "difference". They also make clear that tests are designed and interpreted in the context of norms which are population specific. So, if a test predicts successfully the criterion of interest, it helps do the job. This is not to dodge the questions raised by Michael. Test content may often be Eurocentric. That is because they were developed in a certain cultural context. This may or may not be a problem depending on the question that is being asked. It is true that Chinese people may be a majority, but tests are rarely designed to be interpreted on the basis of the world population. In fact, Anastasi and Urbina (and most writers on testing) emphasize the importance of local norms. I agree that people may often misuse tests and that inappropriate norms may be consulted. I also agree that proper norms, reliability and validity data may not be available. Thus, practives may be found wanting. For example, for individual testing, how often do people take care to calculate a confidence interval based on SEtrue? Psychometrics provides a useful set of principles to guide practice. Whenever a test is given, great care should be taken to use it in a fashion that is consistent with the purpose at hand. Stuart ___________________________________________________ Stuart J. McKelvie. Ph.D., Phone: (819)822-9600 Department of Psychology, Extension 2402 Bishop's University, Fax: (819)822-9661 Lennoxville, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Quebec J1M 1Z7, Canada. Bishop's University Psychology Department Web Page: http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy ___________________________________________________
