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Discussion: Trends in Psychological Measurement As mentioned in this week’s Intr

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Discussion: Trends inPsychological MeasurementAs mentioned in this week’s Introduction, computers have propelledmany of the changes in psychological testing. Computers facilitate thecomputation needed for test construction, administration, scoring, andinterpretation. Through the Internet, computers also make it much easier tocollect test validation data and to administer tests at a distance. Nevertheless,these changes are accompanied by new challenges and problems. For instance,some computer programs are available that score test protocols, writenarratives, and make recommendations. A computer-generated report, however, isunable to weigh clinical information in the way that a professional could andcan therefore be misleading. When test validation and administration is donevirtually, there is less control over the nature of the sample and theconditions of administration. Furthermore, electronic storage and transmissionof test information raises concerns about security and confidentiality.Another outcome of increasing computer technology is thatitem-response theory (IRT) is becoming increasingly easy to apply. New softwareand fast and inexpensive computers are readily accessible. This has madepossible the development of item banks and computer administration that can becarefully matched to an examinee’s ability level. IRT also allows test items tobe compared across languages and cultures.Increased sensitivity to cultural diversity and disability isanother trend. Since the 1970s, there has been a significant awareness of howculture affects and biases test performance. Early responses to this awarenesswere to “throw out the baby with the bathwater.” For instance, the 1979California Larry P. v. Riles legal decision banned the use of intelligencetests for placing African-American students in special education classes. Anevolving understanding of culture allows us to apply tests more appropriately,selecting test instruments that are consistent with an examinee’s background,interpreting patterns of scores rather than single summary scores, and lookingat test results against the background of personal information.To prepare for this Discussion, select one peer-reviewed journalarticle from the Walden Library on a current trend in psychological measurement(one mentioned above or a different one). Consider the implications of thistrend for future testing, measurement, and research.With these thoughts in mind:By Day 4Post a brief summary of the article you selected and an explanation ofhow the article characterizes the trend. Finally, explain two implications ofthis trend in future testing, measurement, and research.Be sure to support your postings and responses with specificreferences to the Learning Resources.Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

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