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PSY3010 Assessment of Behaviour

Semester 1, 2022 Online
Units : 1
Faculty or Section : Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences
School or Department : School of Psychology and Wellbeing
Grading basis : Graded
Course fee schedule : /current-students/administration/fees/fee-schedules

Staffing

Examiner:

Requisites

Pre-requisite: PSY2100

Overview

Assessment of behaviour is central to research in the behavioural sciences and to the practice of psychology. Students could not pursue post-graduate studies, or enter professional practice, without knowledge of the principles underlying psychological assessment, as well as the major techniques of developing, evaluating, and using psychological measures.

The course begins with coverage of the basic principles of psychological testing: ethical practice in testing, theories relevant to psychological testing, test reliability and validity, norms, and how each of these aspects inform the evaluation and use of psychological tests. Students then apply these foundational principles to various aspects in which testing is conducted e.g. intelligence, personality, vocational aptitude and interests, clinical and neuropsychological functioning. Students can expect to learn about some of the major tests currently in use, and how these test results are communicated in written reports.

Course learning outcomes

On completion of this course students should be able to:

  1. demonstrate an understanding of the principles of psychological assessment, including major theories, statistical foundations, methods of test construction and analysis, and test bias;
  2. demonstrate an understanding of the professional, ethical, and legal issues affecting psychological assessment in the practice setting;
  3. locate and understand information to evaluate the reliability, validity, and construction methods, of psychological tests and related measures;
  4. interpret the results of some common psychological tests and measures;
  5. understand the theoretical and empirical bases of psychological tests used to assess the main domains of e.g., cognition and personality;
  6. understand the application of psychological tests in a variety of domains of psychological practice (e.g., education and organisational contexts).

Topics

Description Weighting(%)
1. Ethical practice in the use of psychological tests 15.00
2. Nature, functions, classifications, uses and issues concerning psychological tests 10.00
3. Theories and principles underlying test construction and application including consideration of reliability, validity, norms, item analysis and the interpretation of test scores 25.00
4. Background to uses and administration of an array of particular tests. Test types included will be individual and group tests of intelligence, abilities and aptitudes, personality tests, and tests for specific areas of functioning 25.00
5. Issues in interpretation and reporting of test results in practice settings 25.00

Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed

Cohen, R, Swerdlik, M & Sturman, E 2018, Psychological Testing and Assessment: an introduction to tests and measurement, 9th edn, McGraw-Hill, McGraw-Hill, New York.
(Important Note: School Locker confirmed that the 9th edition is out of print and they are not able to source the text. The 9th edition is available for download on .)

Student workload expectations

To do well in this subject, students are expected to commit approximately 10 hours per week including class contact hours, independent study, and all assessment tasks. If you are undertaking additional activities, which may include placements and residential schools, the weekly workload hours may vary.

Assessment details

Approach Type Description Group
Assessment
Weighting (%) Course learning outcomes
Assignments Written Problem Solving No 15 2
Assignments Written Case 精东传媒app A1 of 2 No 25 3
Assignments Written Case 精东传媒app A2 of 2 No 30 4,6
Examinations Non-invigilated Time limited online examinatn No 30 1,3,4,5,6
Date printed 10 February 2023