Psychometric Principles and Analysis Flashcards
7 cards from real CBT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Psychometric Principles and Analysis flashcards as text
Which of the following is the primary advantage of polytomous IRT models (e.g., Graded Response Model) over dichotomous models?
Answer: They model ordered response categories, capturing more score information per item
Polytomous models explicitly account for multiple ordered response options (e.g., Likert scales), extracting more information from each item than a simple pass/fail scoring.
Which statistic is most appropriate for estimating reliability when a test has items scored on multiple response categories (e.g., 0–3 points each)?
Answer: Coefficient alpha (Cronbach's alpha)
KR-20 is limited to dichotomous items; Cronbach's alpha is the appropriate generalization for items with multiple score points or continuous responses.
In a multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) matrix, convergent validity is supported when:
Answer: Correlations between the same trait measured by different methods are high
Convergent validity in MTMM is evidenced by high correlations in the validity diagonal—same trait, different methods—indicating the construct is being measured consistently.
A test developer wants to assess whether scores predict job performance 6 months after hiring. Which validity study design should be used?
Answer: Predictive criterion-related validity study
Predictive validity studies collect test scores first, then measure criterion performance after a time interval, directly evaluating the test's forecasting utility.
Which of the following best defines 'construct underrepresentation' as a threat to validity?
Answer: The test fails to capture important facets of the intended construct
Construct underrepresentation occurs when the test is too narrow and omits important aspects of the construct, limiting the generalizability of score interpretations.
Which of the following is a key feature that distinguishes norm-referenced score interpretation from criterion-referenced interpretation?
Answer: Norm-referenced interpretation requires comparing an individual's score to a standardization sample
Norm-referenced interpretation derives meaning by comparing an individual's score to the distribution of scores from a defined reference group (norm sample).
In item analysis, a distractor analysis reveals that for a 4-option item, Option C (wrong) is chosen by 45% of low-scoring examinees and only 5% of high-scoring examinees. What does this indicate about Option C?
Answer: Option C is a functioning distractor that effectively discriminates ability levels
An effective distractor attracts low-ability examinees but is rarely chosen by high-ability examinees; this pattern confirms Option C is performing as intended.