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| Cognitive assessment errors |
Having said, errors in IQ test and psychological assessment generally could occur due to different factors. For instance, test administrator bias, participant/subject bias, and test environment. Below is a list of common assessment blunders and how to correct them during an IQ test.
1. Experimenter’s facial cues
Facial cues of an experimenter can signal approval or disapproval to a test taker and this might influence the performance during the test.
When tests are biased based on this factor, they flop reliability and validity. An experimenter’s facial cues always would make the test invalid right from the onset. Patronizing psychometrists or psychologists like this guarantees no chance of accuracy of your IQ score either.
2. Time Bias
If you don’t know or have not experienced this already, time bias is the situation whereby a psychologist won’t allow you to finish the test as per the standard time allotted for you to finish it. This can result in incomplete answers, anger, and frustration. This is not so common but few among psychologists are just plain dumb.
3. Age bias
Ever mistook a test meant for age brackets 18 to 25 for a 47-year-old test taker? This is a silly blunder an evaluator can ever commit. If you are not mentally settled and ready for test administration, why confuse your client? Perhaps the client doesn’t even know there is a glitch in your test.
4. Test bias
Problems with IQ tests themselves occur recurrently where there lie many errors. It is common to experience cultural and content validity bias with IQ tests.
For example, a test that includes in its items, questions about ‘hamburger’ which is popular in the United States is obviously not a suitable question for Nigerians.
5. Expectation and anxiety
An expectation of what the questions on an IQ test could be might pair up with anxiety and consequently flop the test taker’s actual performance.
This doesn’t make sense when you really need your IQ score to join Mensa group or for placement in a university. Does it? To erase this error, you need to clear off doubts and prepare well enough for the test.
6. Demotivation
Lack of motivation is lack of interest and enthusiasm for the test and is a waste of time. Motivation can play a huge part in making sense of and getting the most out of an IQ test. Before taking an IQ test, get an energy boost, be enthusiastic about making good use of your score thereafter.
7. Emotional conflict
Having problems with emotion? Go settle that first before taking an IQ test. Why? Emotional problems won’t allow you to concentrate and you simply over-think irrationally – depression.
A marital problem, an academic problem or just how to make your life work – career problem? These are negative energies holding you back. Go fix them, go to a psychologist now, be happy and come back for IQ test.
8. Noisy context
Again, crackings, boomings, hummings won’t allow you to concentrate on a test unless you are among the abnormal few who have multitasking efficiency. Even at that, it still won’t let you handle things well on tests.
Now, if the test is going to be in a noisy or non-tranquil venue, it’s time to question your psychologist. If you have started it already, maybe it’s time to quit or withdraw. It just doesn’t make sense to rely on what doesn’t work.
9. Choky context
Haha, this is really a poor one. No one wants to be in a choky place, let alone, an arse bustling test. You would like to be in a room with good ventilation for an IQ test to hold.
