The Importance Of Psychological Assessment

Register to read the introduction… It was transported from western, middleclass culture with its corresponding values, and applied mostly out of the context in which it was developed. Plainly this was misuse of the tests and constituted abuse. Psychological tests applied in South Africa were standardized for the white population, and applied without any adaptation to the very different context in the country; Factors, such as culture, language, socio-economic status, education and levels of acculturation of the South African population were ignored (Bedell et al, 1999).Test results were used to justify racial differences and entrench the idea of white superiority in relation to other groups. In the 1930's and 1940's tests standardized on white children were administered to other races without investigation for test bias. White children scored highest in these tests and black children the lowest ( Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005). Psychologists used the international Stanford Binet intelligence test; the South African revision of which later became known as the Fick Scale. In1929 Fick noticed the unfairness of the test when applied to black school children, and tried to correct this by using individual measures such as motoring and reasoning.. These measures were also standardized for white children, and …show more content…
It is important therefore to consider the factors that are responsible for differences in test performance. If the results of tests are interpreted in a sensitive and intelligent way, with these factors in mind, the correct decision can be made and mistakes in selection avoided. The factors are briefly discussed hereunder.
Every human being is influenced by his or her own culture, and also in the process of enculturation influenced by other cultures, particularly those that are dominant in a given society .Culture influences every aspect of our life's journey from birth until death. How we view the world is a reflection of the culture into which we are born, how we live our lives, the languages that we speak, and our values are important aspects of our cultural heritage. As such objectivity in relation to our own culture is usually very difficult and the ability to understanding other cultures often