PSY3041 Psychological testing, theories of ability and ethics
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
PSY3041 Psychological testing, theories of ability and ethics is a level 3, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, offered in 2025 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It needs PSY2061 and PSY2071.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2025
- Semester 1
- Clayton
- Assessment
- Exam 35%
- and 2 other tasks
The 2027 handbook has no page for PSY3041. This is its 2025 entry, the latest one.
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Requisites
Before PSY3041
Prerequisites
Pass these before you enrol.
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
After PSY3041
No unit lists PSY3041 as a prerequisite in the 2025 handbook.
Overview
This unit introduces the principles and processes of test development and concepts of test reliability and validity. Some widely used standardised psychology tests will be described. The unit also covers theories of ability and how our thinking about human abilities is influenced by our cultural framework. Other major themes include methods for establishing the relative influence of heredity and environment on human intelligence, and the role of psychological testing in clinical practice, educational settings, and corporate organisations. A basic knowledge of the ethical, legal and professional responsibilities of psychologists will be provided with the opportunity for students to apply the Code of Ethics to real life ethical scenarios.
Offerings in 2025
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | Online |
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Ethics Report (1,500 words)Written30%
- Research Report (2,000 words)Written35%
- Examination 90 minutes + 10 minutes reading timeExamination35%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Explain the origins and social context in which psychometric testing developed;
- 2
Apply practical and theoretical knowledge of the scale development and evaluation process including understanding the principles of reliability and validity.
- 3
Critically evaluate the psychometric properties of psychological tests;
- 4
Identify diverse applications of psychological assessment;
- 5
Apply the relevant theories of intelligence and appreciate group differences in the testing process;
- 6
Explain key ethical principles and identify potential ethical dilemmas and their possible solutions.
Workload and teaching
- Tutorials19 hours
- Lectures24 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Two hours of lectures weekly.
Two hours of tutorials nine times per semester.
One hour unit induction tutorial in week 1.
Preparation: 8 hours background reading/preparation for lectures, tutorials, and assessment tasks per week.
Attendance at tutorials is recommended in order to successfully complete in-class activities and related assessment tasks.
For full details of the teaching approach to this unit, please refer to Moodle.
Learning resources
Required resources
See Moodle for details about required resources.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Primrose White
- Chief Examiners
- Alexander Wolkow