Common Psychological Tests

Many psychological tests, also known as psychological assessments, are available. The tests typically cover achievement and aptitude in a specified area, intelligence, cognitive functioning such as ability to think after brain damage, occupational interests to determine the best career choice or personality style. The test's accuracy depends on how carefully and honestly a person answers each question.

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children

• This individual test does not require the taker to do any reading or writing. The verbal portion consists of the child answering oral questions covering general information out of which only the mathematical problems are timed. The general information and math questions receive a pass or fail score, while questions regarding similarities between objects, definitions of words and comprehension questions receive a 2-1-0 score, depending on the quality of the answer. The nonverbal portion of the test, the performance subtests, are all timed with some allowing bonus points for extra fast work.

  Performance test components include completing a picture, solving codes, arranging pictures, designing blocks and assembling objects. The test taker's final IQ score is based on the ten tests included in the verbal and performance IQ scales. While 2,200 children participated in the original test to provide a measuring stick, a child's test results must still be interpreted cautiously, especially if the child exhibits strengths and weaknesses in a certain area.

Rorschach Inkblot Test

• Psychologists use this test to determine the personality characteristics and emotional capacity of their patients. Second only to the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory in forensic assessment, this test differentiates psychotic from nonpsychotic thinking in patients reluctant to openly admit to psychotic thinking. The examiner shows the test taker ten different ink blots on white paper out of which five are black, two red and black, and three multicolored. The blots are presented in a predetermined order. The test taker must respond what the blots look like to him, and then he must study each blot more in depth. The examiner times the test and carefully records the answers, which are then calculated mathematically to produce a structural summary of the test data. The test taker's inkblot interpretations are only a small part of the final test result.

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory

• This verbal personality test consists of 550 statements out of which 16 are repeated and is done to determine if the test taker is severely disturbed and how. Each statement is easy to comprehend. The test taker must only reply yes or no whether a particular statement is true or not of them, or if it does not apply to them. Personality disorders determined using this test include hypochondria, paranoia, depression, hysteria, hypomania and schizophrenia. The most widely used personality test in the United States, its validity is widely questioned.