Question

Dr. Nicole and her team are tasked with creating a new AP Psychology test. To do this, she must take several concepts into consideration. Define each term below, and explain how it will play a role in Dr. Nicole’s project.
Operational definition
Standardization
Normal curve
Reliability
Validity
Bias

Answer 1

Answer:

• Operational definition- An operational definition is the statement of procedures the researcher is going to use in order to measure a specific variable. We need operational definitions in psychology so that we know exactly what researchers are talking about when they refer to something. This will play a role in Dr. Nicole's project because it'll be prudent that she makes sure that concepts, ideas, research and so on are explained in a way that makes it comprehensible to others.
• Standardization- Procedure used in psychological testing to make meaningful comparisons among test score. If the scores obtained by different persons are to be comparable, testing conditions must obviously be the same for all. This will play a role to her project as it is important to make sure that the test is standardized and is made sure that the conditions for those testing are the same.
• Normal curve- A frequency curve where most occurrences take place in the middle of the distribution and taper off on either side. Normal curves are also called bell shaped curves. A "true" normal curve is when all measures of central tendency occur at the highest point in the curve. The normal curve is an important, strong, reoccurring phenomenon in psychology. An example of a normal distribution would be a frequency distribution of people's height. Most people would be of average height with extremes occurring on either side. This will play a role in her project as it will be necessary to monitor the curve of test scores and make sure it is not abnormal.
• Reliability- Refers to the consistency of a research study or measuring test. For example, if a person weighs themselves during the course of a day they would expect to see a similar reading. Scales which measured weight differently each time would be of little use. This will be very important to her project as she needs to make it a priority to develop the test in a way that is reliable. As reliability goes down, the chance for test error increases, which is something she'll want to avoid.
• Validity- Refers to the degree to which evidence and theory support the interpretations of test scores entailed by proposed uses of tests. This plays another important role in her project as she needs to make the test valid so that it correctly measures what it's meant to. The less valid the test is, the more the test fails to accurately measure what it was intended to do.
• Bias- Occurs when a test yields higher or lower scores on average when it is administered to specific criterion groups such as people of a particular race or sex than when administered to an average population sample. This is yet again another thing that plays an important role in Dr. Nicole's project. She must make sure that test yields are normal or average, meaning she needs to eliminate any sources of bias in the construction of the test as much as possible.

Note: I hope it helps. Waiting to see if my instructor gives me a good grade on this assignment. I tried my best to answer the prompt.

Answer 2

Answer:

Operational definition

It is a definition of a variable in terms of precisely how it is to be measured. These measures generally fall into one of three broad categories: self-report measures, behavioral measures, and physiological measures. Generally, operational definitions should be concrete and measurable. Defining variables in this way will allow Dr. Nicole and her team to see if the AP Psychology test they are developing has validity. Also, they need operational definitions so as to understand how generalizable the findings of their test are. 

Standardization

It refers to the consistency, objectivity, and uniformity of how tests are administered and scored. Many psychological tests are about comparing an individual's score to other people's scores to see how that person did in a specific measure. It is important for Dr. Nicole and her team to understand the concept of standardization so that the results of the AP Psychology test they're developing can be empirically documented, and the test scores can be shown to have a relative degree of validity and reliability prior to data analysis, such that the results of the AP Psychology test is generalizable and replicable.

Normal curve

The normal curve is a hypothetical distribution of scores that is widely used in psychological testing. Normal curve distributions are very important in psychological testing and assessment because of the relationship between the mean, standard deviation, and percentiles, and is used to characterize complex constructs containing continuous random variables. It is important for Dr. Nicole and her team to know whether scores are normally distributed because it makes a difference in the kind of statistical tests that are appropriate for analyzing and interpreting the numbers. When measurements produce a normal distribution, certain things are predictable. In fact, many behavioral measurements result in normal distributions. 

Reliability, validity, and bias

Reliability is when a test or assessment consistently delivers the same results. Dr. Nicole and her team can strengthen the reliability of their test by providing data collectors and respondents with clear instructions on how to administer and complete the test.

Validity is when a test accurately measures what it intends to measure. Dr. Nicole and her team will know if their measurement is valid when it produces results addressing the specific outcome they wish to measure using the AP Psychology test. Validity is also supported when the results produced by the AP Psychology test can be corroborated by information from other sources.

Finally, tests should be free of bias, which is when different groups of people consistently have different scores on an assessment. Results are considered biased when they are systematically skewed or distorted, which is due to several reasons such as the over- or under-representation of particular groups in the dataset, and due to question wording that tends to encourage or discourage particular responses. The timing of data collection can also systematically bias results. These are the things that should be avoided by Dr. Nicole and her team.

Explanation: