Psychometrics: Exploring the key concepts and models

Data drives good decision-making, and today, every industry is taking part in the hunt for data. Psychometric data empowers psychologists and social researchers to accurately forecast an individual’s behaviors. While professionals can convert quantitative data into reports and visualizations to drive business decisions, qualitative data more accurately explores the nuances of the subjective and complex human condition.

Learn more about psychometrics, plus the educational opportunities in this advanced field of study.

What is psychometrics?

The definition of psychometrics is a psychology field focusing on measuring psychological attributes, such as intelligence, personality traits, attitudes, and abilities. It involves developing, validating, and applying psychological tests and measurement instruments to quantify and understand various aspects of human behavior and cognition. Psychometrics is crucial in many areas, including education, clinical assessment, personnel selection, and research.

Key concepts in psychometrics

Psychometrics provides objective, valid, and reliable evidence for decision-making. Four fundamental principles judge the quality of an assessment:

Reliability: A reliable test produces consistent results when administered to the same individuals on multiple occasions. It refers to the consistency and stability of measurement over time and across different conditions.

Validity: This principle is essential in ensuring that a test accurately assesses the psychological construct of interest and is not influenced by irrelevant factors. It measures the degree to which a test aligns with its intended purpose.

Standardization: This principle involves the development of uniform procedures for administering and scoring psychological tests to ensure consistency and fairness. These tests are administered to diverse population samples to establish norms.

Fairness: This principle ensures that an assessment does not discriminate against individuals based on different factors such as race or gender. Fair assessments provide equal opportunities for all individuals to demonstrate their abilities and skills.

Understanding psychometric models

Psychometric models are statistical frameworks used to understand the structure of psychological attributes and the relationships between them. These models provide a systematic way to analyze and interpret data from psychological tests and assessments. Here’s an overview of some common psychometric models:

Classical Test Theory (CTT)

CTT is one of the foundational psychometric models that focuses on the observed scores of individuals on a test. According to CTT, an individual’s observed score on a test consists of two components: true score and measurement error.

The University of Illinois Chicago’s (UIC) online Master of Education in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment (MESA) program offers the EPSY 546: Educational Measurement course. Instructed by UIC Professor Yue Yin, she familiarizes students with the fundamental concepts and measurement methods, such as CTT.

“CTT is a framework that provides students with a way to understand and analyze the reliability and validity of psychological and educational measurements,” said Dr. Yin. “CTT remains the foundation for measurement, serving as a prerequisite to understand more advanced psychometric methods.”

Item Response Theory (IRT)

IRT is a family of psychometric models that focus on the relationship between individuals’ responses to test items and their underlying latent traits, such as intelligence or personality. Unlike CTT, which treats test items as interchangeable, IRT models each test item separately.

MESA graduate, Russ Keglovits, says that although IRT was difficult to understand at times, it was one of the most pivotal concepts he gained from his studies.

“Item response theory (IRT) was the most impactful thing I learned,” said Keglovits. “The idea that item difficulty can and should factor into a description of what someone knows makes so much sense, and to see how an IRT analysis is conducted brings the whole idea down to Earth. Then, to be able to put that information on a scale that then can be compared to other knowledge domains just makes the study that much more interesting.”

Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)

SEM is a versatile statistical technique that combines aspects of factor analysis and regression analysis to examine complex relationships among observed and latent variables. SEM allows researchers to test theoretical models of how variables are related to one another, including mediating and moderating effects.

Educational opportunities in psychometrics

UIC offers an exceptional opportunity for professionals interested in exploring psychometrics through its online Master of Education in MESA program. This 100% online asynchronous master’s degree encompasses the best methods to collect data, analyze data, and interpret and effectively communicate the data. Students will develop measurement and assessment design expertise, including creating tools and applying psychometric principles in courses like EPSY 546: Educational Measurement. Full-time students can complete the program in 12 months. Part-time students can complete the program in 24 months.

UIC also offers an online MESA Certificate. This graduate certificate is designed for individuals desiring to pursue a focused course of study in research methods. Full-time students can complete the program in 6 months. Part-time students can complete the program in 12 months.