RESPONSE TO THE 3 PERSPECTIVES BELOW. A MINIMUM OF 200 WORDS PER PERSPECTIVE. LIST REFERENCES USED WITH EACH PERSPECTIVE.

RESPONSE 1 (Robert): Our lesson this week covered the four levels of measurement as well as discussed unique capabilities and qualities of each level of measurement.  Each level provides information to possible test takers and the purpose of research will dictate the appropriate level of measurement.  Our assigned readings discussed the importance of testing and the different kinds of test that also have their unique set of concerns.  Test are developed to standardize raw data that can be used to identify correlation within variables, as well as discover the sort of data included in research.  Test takers provide this information so researchers must be aware of possible outlets that can effect the validity and reliability of the test.

Some areas of consideration for test takers include: test taker fatigue to include stress levels and time of day, test anxiety, physical discomfort caused by test site, and overall motivation levels of the test taker.  Overall motivation level may be important and can identify possible influences from the researchers providing the test.  For instance, if a researcher explains the test and gets excited when talking about a certain subject, they are most certainly going to influence the part of the test.  Other environmental factors to be considered include: light levels, temperature, ambient noise levels, ventilation concerns and possible distractions.  The testing environment needs to be in a neutral/non-distracting setting that allows for the most accurate individual responses of the test questions.

Researchers should avoid administering a test during traditional lunch hours or dinner hours.  If testing children the test should not be right before, after, or during recess.  Scheduling a test right before or after a holiday is ill advised. Also, the length of the test should be considered.  Any test that last over an hour is causing test fatigue and creating extenuating circumstances.  When testing children tests should be kept even shorter, perhaps around twenty minutes.

Statistics considers possible errors when summarizing test data.  This is done by estimating probable outcomes utilizing the test data, instead of presenting the data as %100 accurate.  Within the psychological community it is acceptable to present these sort of educational guesses and these estimations are useful for future research objectives.  It is assumed that these estimated outcomes also consider the usual test variables that can skew results.  I hope these ideas get the psychological wheels turning and thank you very much for choosing my post to read and reply!  Have a great week class!

RESPONSE 2 (Cameron): This week’s topic discusses the many aspects that may influence individuals test performance.  Since there are various reasons for taking tests to begin with, a person’s mindset going into a test may be determined or affected by the specific contextual situation.  However, there are also a variety of aspects that may positively or negatively influence a test taker’s overall performance on a test.  Some variables such as testing environment, rapport between examiner and examinee, test taking anxiety, testing medium or format, and test taking skills or prior experience in test taking, may all play a role.

As Urbina (2014) explains, the testing environment is an important aspect that plays a vital role in a test takers performance.  In addition to a good testing environment that is free of noise and other distractions, positive rapport between examinee and examiner is also extremely important, as test performance may suffer immensely if good rapport does not exist throughout the testing process.  Providing friendly, open and honest communication with the test taker is a great way to improve rapport, which could go along way in improving performance.  Another common and potential risk to test performance is test-taking anxiety, which can not only negatively impact score performance, but can also affect a test taker’s ability to even take the test in the first place (Urbina, 2014).  Fear and apprehension about one’s abilities to perform, or consequences of what could happen if test scores are low, all contribute to test anxiety, so it is important that proper anxiety reducing and coping strategies are utilized to help alleviate stress.

Additional variables that could interfere with test performance are the medium in which the test is presented, as everyone responds differently to various types of formats.  For example, differences in performance may vary depending on whether the test given is presented electronically or in paper format, and whether it contains selected-response or constructed-response items, as specific test items emphasize the use of different individual skill sets, which may ultimately influence performance.  Moreover, differences in performance may not only be influenced by individual skills or abilities, but also by whether or not the test taker has previous experience taking a particular type of test, or whether he or she has received practice ahead of time.  As Urbina (2014) points out, test takers that are familiarized with specific test-taking procedures or who have practiced test taking using sample tests, may be more likely to perform better.

RESPONSE 3 (Kearia): There are numerous factors that can affect an individual’s test takers performance to include anxiety, ineffective studying skills, and stress from home, work and family, time of day, lack of knowledge, stress levels, and more. Also, besides important test-taking variables such as those previously mentioned along with willingness to take risks and make educated guesses, earlier studies have also found that the ability to tackle emotional and motivational factors such as test anxiety and test motivation the main variables or important issues faced for test performance (Eklöf, Lyrén, & Stenlund, 2018). Research and studies have exhibited that individual’s worries and irrelevant thoughts that can be classified as test anxiety has a strong effect on one’s ability to concentrate along with their ability the level of understanding and retrieval they have when undertaking a test.

Moreover, it is mainly the higher levels of test anxiety, low motivation, and lack of preparation that consequently results in the interference with an individual’s optimal test performance. Also, dependent upon the test type or the method (multiple choice, open questions, essay questions, etc.) can also play a factor in how the individual performs on their test. In regards to events, incidents, or variables that could improve and altogether effect a test taker’s individual performance could include test taking strategies and testing programs. These testing procedures strategies have been defined as the rules used for understanding, solving test items and overall ultimately learning a set of skills in which a test-taker can use to improve a test score regardless of content area (Eklöf, Lyrén, & Stenlund, 2017). One type of during-test strategies that can be utilized is test-wiseness, a set of skills used when the test-taker does not know the answer, for example, to use elimination processes or look for clues in the item stem (Eklöf, Lyrén, & Stenlund, 2017). Additionally, there are other test camps, classes, and tutoring sessions that prepare individuals for tests such as the ACT, SAT, ASVAB, GRE, and more.

Moreover, when conducting research and studies involving testing individual’s there are numerous confounds along with internal and external threats that effect the research or study results. The formal definition of a confounding variable is “an extraneous variable in an experimental design that correlates with both the dependent and independent variables” (Spunt, 2011). A basic lament term definition for confounds is basically any type of variables or flaws that are outside of the researcher or studies control and has an effect on the study or test results.

SettingToward the end of the interview or session with a client athlete, you and your client athlete will want to define and set goals that can be mutually agreed upon for the coming sessions. Your client will probably have some things in mind that he or she will want to work on and you will have an idea of a direction as well.Using the case study discussed in M6: Assignment 3, complete the following:Identify and discuss at least two symptoms that your client may want to address.Identify and discuss at least two behaviors that your client may want to address.Identify and discuss at least two faulty thinking patterns that your client may want to address.Of these six areas that your client would identify, which two would be your highest priorities and why?Identify and discuss how much progress you think this client athlete will need to make before terminating counseling. In other words, what are the discharge goals that you as the counselor or psychologist identify for this client?Create a one- to two-page response in Microsoft Word and submit it by the due date assigned to the 

All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.Assignment 2 Grading Criteria Maximum PointsAccurately identified and clearly described at least two symptoms, behaviors, and faulty thinking patterns that your client may want to address.8Prioritized two out of the six client-identified areas.8Identified and clearly described the goals for your client.8Wrote in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrated ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources, displayed accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.4Total:28

M6: Assignment 3 BELOW

Note: All aspects of this case study are completely fictional and any resemblance to a real person is coincidental.Gary is a 45-year-old sport surgeon. He has come for counseling because he’s been feeling depressed lately. Gary is gay and has been in a committed relationship with his partner Sam for 15 years. Most of the surgeries he does are for elite athletes who are injured and need joint repair. Gary is an avid golfer, has been a vegetarian for 20 years, and he also enjoys jogging and gardening. Sam, his partner, is a business manager. Their relationship is happy, monogamous, and mutually supportive. Gary’s biological family live in the Seattle area. His father is 80 and is a retired heart surgeon who still teaches part time at a medical university. His mother is 75 and does not work outside the home. He has two adult sisters with whom he is fairly close. His family knows he is gay and is supportive, as well.Gary has a history of depression dating back to undergraduate school.“I’ve always known I was gay. When I was about 19, I came out to my family, a couple of friends, and to the golf team at school. This caused conflict with my dad for a couple of months, and my golf team acted weird and distant for a couple of weeks. So, during that time I was really down, sad, and couldn’t sleep or eat. I lost weight, worried about things, kept it all in, and couldn’t concentrate. But then things worked out, and all these relationships were okay over time.”Regarding the second time he was depressed, he stated the following:“I was about 30, and I met my partner. We moved from Seattle to Arizona. My whole support system was pretty much gone. I felt alone, isolated, sad, and numb. I lost interest in my golf game and put myself on Prozac from samples I took from the cabinet at my clinic.”Once Gary got situated in Arizona, he got a great job at a local hospital, made new friends, felt better, took himself off the Prozac, and was back to himself again.Gary’s current problem started about three weeks ago.“I left the local hospital job after 10 years and went to work at a
world-famous hospital. I’ve always wanted to work there. The money is fabulous, my office is huge and very plush, the equipment is state of the art, but I think I might have made a mistake. Every time I make big changes, I get depressed. It just brings back all those old feelings of change, and I feel shaky all over again. And I feel so guilty that I should be enjoying this dream job, and I’m just too frozen to celebrate all this success. I’m embarrassed as a doctor that I am feeling sad and depressed again. I should rise above this. After all, I am a doctor.”After three weeks at the world-famous hospital, he has not told any of his current coworkers or support staff that he is gay. Gary says he is worried that they will find out and not like him. His sleep is not of great quality. He is not finishing his meals, concentrates okay, and has only played golf once in three weeks even though he actually has more time to play. He states he is too tired after work to do his gardening. He calls himself a health nut, so he does not drink or smoke, has never tried drugs, and states he is not homicidal or suicidal.

Final PaperSelect and then define a significant issue faced by the justice system, describe the scope and consequences of the issue, and discuss society’s responses to the issue (including public policies and other less formal responses). Papers should also present a clearly reasoned alternative, supported by scholarly research.

While the following example can be modified to suit your needs, this outline is likely to result in a high-quality Final Paper:

Title

Abstract

What is the problem? Be sure to narrow your problem enough to allow a focused examination.

What are the individual and social implications of this problem? Discussion of implications should be supported by accurate research data.

What do the experts say about the problem?

What have we, as a society, done about this problem? Consider public policies and other, less formal responses.

How are public policies and other, less formal responses working?

Describe an alternative solution to the problem.

Discuss why the alternative is, or can be, an effective response to the problem. Remember to consider negative consequences of the alternative response.

Conclude with your thoughts about your chosen social problem. This is a good place to include personal opinions, assuming you wish to share them in a research paper.

References

In short, define a problem, discuss the response, and provide alternative responses to the problem. For example, your problem could be drug use/abuse, with a focus on prescription drug abuse among teenagers. Your description of the problems should be fact based, relying on expert opinion. Your alternative response can be an adjustment of current policy or a new direction. For example, you may propose longer prison sentences, or legalization of all drugs. Be creative, although suggestions must be supported by scholarly research.

The paper must be eight to ten pages in length (excluding the title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style. You must use at least five scholarly resources, at least three of which can be found in the Ashford Online Library, to support your claims and sub-claims. Cite your resources in text and on the reference page. For information regarding APA samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar in your online course. Please visit the Academic Research section on your course homepage (accessible through the Student Responsibilities and Policies tab on the left navigation toolbar) to review what types of materials are not acceptable for academic, university-level research.

Writing the Final Paper

The Final Paper:

Must be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length, and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Must include a title page with the following:

Title of paper

Student’s name

Course name and number

Instructor’s name

Date submitted

Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.

Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.

Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.

Must use at least five scholarly resources, including a minimum of three from the Ashford Online Library.

Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

Waypoint Assignment Submission

The assignments in this course will be submitted to Waypoint.  Please refer to the instructions below to submit your assignment.

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