Perhaps the best-known devices in psychology are psychological tests. For many, they should be classified with taxes, traffic lights, and television, unwanted by-products of an advanced society. For others, they are simply an additional means of gathering information about someone, helping that individual to find his or her most appropriate place in our highly complex society. We shall return to this controversy in later discussions of intelligence. Each answer is indicated by selecting one of three or four choices and marking it on the printed form.
Most group tests have two significant limitations.
The first concerns the test questions, which examinees must read and answer without individual attention from the test administrator. These questions are largely verbal items, placing heavy emphasis on the ability to use words, which does not always reflect an individual's personal characteristics or mental ability. Second, the test administrator cannot be sure that each subject understands the instructions, has suitable motivation, and is in a proper condition to take the test. Such problems can lead to spuriously low test scores. To answer this test item, a person must know the meaning of the word eponym and possess a background in Western history and culture.