PSYCH101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Personality Test, Factor Analysis, Acculturation

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH101
• Professor: Paul Wehr

Document Summary

Psychological tests must be standardized, reliable, and valid. An intelligence test measures general abilities and is not dependent on prior experience or knowledge. An aptitude test measures a specific ability and is not dependent on prior experience or knowledge. An achievement test is specific and measures prior experience and knowledge. Intelligence in psychology is often defined as the ability to profit from experience, acquire knowledge, think abstractly, act purposefully, or adapt to changes in the environment. However, note that reification (treating something you created as if you discovered it) happens often with definitions in psychology. Rational thought can be broken up into two categories: formal reasoning is where the info is complete and objective, the problem has a single solution. Algorithms are used which guarantee a solution so long the process is executed properly (regardless of understanding): informal reasoning is where the info is incomplete and subjective, the problem has multiple solutions.