The Use of Psychological Tests and Analyzing the Concept of Validity in Psychological Testing

This paper attempts to historically trace and asses the use of psychological and the value of using them. On the other hand the paper does not pretend to analyze every variable that encompasses this vast and complex field of study. The history of testing can be traced back to 2200 B.C. when proficiency testing took place in China, and 4000 years ago when the Chinese used for civil selection (Cohen, Swerdlik and Smith, 1992; Friedenberg, 1995). As Shelly and Cohen (1986:3) put it: Long before there were psychologists there were psychological tests (p3). And as long as there were tests, there were debates and arguments surrounding it. In the 40s, Hoffman (1962: 7) points out, was manifestly useless to raise even a question about the value and effect of these tests because it was believed that individuals could be properly evaluated if given a range of psychological (Cohen et al., 1992). In the 1960s this changed, and proponents of testing began fighting… the irresistible force of the argument which says that their questions are in practice often bad and in theory very dangerous (Hoffman, 1962:8). This essay will look at anti-test arguments and the proponents' responses in relation to: psychometric properties, social and cultural factors, privacy issues and the correct versus. the best answer.