PSYb2590 Introduction to Psychometrics

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2027
Extent and Intensity
2/1/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Hynek Cígler, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Petr Palíšek (lecturer)
Mgr. David Elek (lecturer)
Mgr. Mikuláš Mačas (lecturer)
Mgr. Pavla Palkovičová (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Adéla Švestková (assistant)
Mgr. Šimon Šeďa (assistant)
Mgr. Adam Strojil (assistant)
doc. Mgr. Stanislav Ježek, Ph.D. (alternate examiner)
Mgr. Jan Širůček, Ph.D. (alternate examiner)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Hynek Cígler, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. et Mgr. Petr Palíšek
Supplier department: Department of Psychology – Faculty of Social Studies
Prerequisites
PSYb1170 Statistics
We strongly recommend enrolling in the same semester as PSYb2550: Psychology of Individual Differences. Both courses are inextricably linked, and their simultaneous completion will provide you with several benefits. Besides, we assume basic knowledge of psychological methodology (PSYb1120, Methodology of Psychological Research) and knowledge of both previous statistical subjects (PSYb1170: Statistical Data Analysis; PSYb2520, Statistical Data Analysis II). Students of two-discipline psychology can also enroll in the course without knowledge of related statistics. However, they should take into account that some concepts may be more challenging to learn. Students of other disciplines can enroll in the course. In such a case, please ask the teachers.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 18 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Abstract
Psychometrics is supplementary psychological science providing technical background especially for psychological diagnostics. Alternatively it can be considered as theoretical science emerging between psychology and applied mathematics. During the course students will master fundamental principles of psychological measurement with focus on so-called “classical test theory”, its critics and applications. At the end of the semester successful students will be able to evaluate manuals of psychological assessment methods, review their psychometrical qualities and indicate adequate use of these methods. They will posses necessary qualification for planning and technical realization of full (re-)standardisation of existing psychological assessment method, respectively they will be able to create simple assessment method on their own.
Learning outcomes
The aim of the course is to provide students with the basic theoretical knowledge of the field and to strengthen the ability to apply them adequately when assessing and choosing psychodiagnostic methods, applying psychometric procedures to the evaluation of test results, and finally also independently designing their own methods for specific application purposes. The educational objectives of the course are determined by the Bloom Taxonomy. To pass the course successfully, it is not needed only passive knowledge of the lectured concepts; it is necessary to work actively with the obligatory literature and to acquire the ability to handle the concepts of the field in an adequate way. Practical skills and critical data handling will be also tested during the course. Easier would be the course for those students who have learned the fundamentals of personality psychology, methodology and fundamentals of statistical analysis of data in the range of compulsory courses lectured at the Department of Psychology of FSS MU in the study program of single-subject psychology.
Key topics
Introduction to psychometrics: A basic framework for thinking about measurement in psychology, historical milestones in the development of measuring psychological phenomena, and the importance of the existence of a measurement theory or model. Illustration of ways psychometrics can be used within psychological practice, in both theoretical and applied research. Basic psychometric concepts: validity, reliability, objectivity, standardization, and norms. The concept of psychological scaling, types of items and scales.
Item writing: How psychodiagnostic measurement instruments are developed; types of items, their selection, and the basics of the concept of content (sampling) validity.
Reliability and measurement error: The measurement model of classical test theory and the concept of reliability as its central foundation. Basic methods for estimating reliability.
Working with measurement error: The concept of measurement error and its use in administering and interpreting psychodiagnostic tests at the individual level, e.g., in the form of confidence intervals. Hands-on application of computations.
Validity: The concept of validity of a measurement instrument, especially psychodiagnostic methods for practical psychological assessment as well as research in the social sciences. Traditional ways of thinking about validity vs. the modern, so-called Messickian conception of validity.
Item analysis: Practical procedures for item analysis, estimating test reliability, etc., within classical test theory (CTT). Analysis work in MS Excel, SPSS, and especially JASP/JAMOVI.
Factor analysis: A latent-variable measurement model as assumed by factor analysis, and ways of using exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analysis in the development and standardization of psychodiagnostic methods. Basic theoretical foundations. Exploratory factor analysis (estimating the number of factors, extraction, rotation). Confirmatory factor analysis.
Objectivity, norms, standardization: The concept of norms and test standardization as the basis for interpreting test results and thus for the use of measurement instruments in psychodiagnostic practice. How norms are constructed and how standardization studies are designed.
Other measurement theories: Introduction to other measurement theories and models used in psychology and related sciences that one may occasionally encounter. The aim is a conceptual understanding of individual theories focusing on their essence and main principles, their contribution and advantages, and their main areas of application. Confronting individual theories and emphasizing their differences, both technical distinctions and different epistemological foundations. These additional theories will be presented through comparison with classical test theory, which will be subjected to extensive critique.
Study resources and literature
    required literature
  • FURR, R Michael. Psychometrics: an introduction. SAGE publications, 2021. ISBN 1-0718-2409-0. info
  • SHULTZ, Kenneth S.; David J. WHITNEY and Michael J. ZICKAR. Measurement theory in action : case studies and exercises. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, 2014, xxi, 396. ISBN 9780415644792. info
  • HOGAN, Thomas P. Psychological testing : a practical introduction. 3rd ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2015, xxi, 674. ISBN 9781118554128. info
  • Dudek, F. J. (1979). The continuing misinterpretation of the standard error of measurement. Psychological Bulletin, 86(2), 335–337. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.86.2.335
  • Borsboom, D., Mellenbergh, G.J., & van Heerden, J. (2004). The Concept of Validity. Psychological Review 111(4), 1061–71. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.111.4.1061
  • Harvill, L. M. (1991). An NCME Instructional Module on Standard Error of Measurement. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 10(2), 33–41. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3992.1991.tb00195.x
  • URBÁNEK, Tomáš. Základy psychometriky. Vyd. 1. Brno: Masarykova univerzita v Brně pro Filozofickou fakultu, 2002, 153 s. ISBN 8021027975. info
  • Markus, K. A., & Borsboom, D. (2024). Philosophical Theories of Measurement. In Frontiers of Test Validity Theory (pp. 25–52). Routledge
  • KLINE, Rex B. Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. Fifth edition. New York: The Guilford Press, 2023, xviii, 494. ISBN 9781462552009. info
  • Urbánek, T. (2010). Stav české psychologické diagnostiky a evropský model recenze testu. Testfórum, 1(1), 2–5. doi:10.5817/TF2010-1-1
  • Zwick, R. (2021). A Century of Testing Controversies 1. In The history of educational measurement (pp. 136-154). Routledge.
    recommended literature
  • Messick, S. (1995). Validity of psychological assessment: Validation of inferences from persons’ responses and performances as scientific inquiry into score meaning. American Psychologist, 50(9), 741–749. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066x.50.9.741
  • Urbánek, T. (2010). Stav české psychologické diagnostiky a evropský model recenze testu. Testfórum, 1(1), 2–5. doi:10.5817/TF2010-1-1
  • Revelle, W. (under development). An introduction to psychometric theory with applications in R. Chapter 7, pages 205–212, 236–239
  • RAYKOV, Tenko and George A. MARCOULIDES. Introduction to psychometric theory. New York: Routledge, 2011, xii, 335. ISBN 9780415878227. info
  • BOND, Trevor G. and Christine M. FOX. Applying the Rasch model : fundamental measurement in the human sciences. Third edition. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2015, xx, 383. ISBN 9780415833424. info
  • URBÁNEK, Tomáš. Strukturální modelování v psychologii. 1st ed. Brno: Psychologický ústav AV ČR a Nakladatelství Pavel Křepela, 2000, 234 pp. ISBN 80-902653-4-0. info
  • Gregory, R. J. (2014). Chapter 2: Origins of Psychological Testing. In Psychological Testing : History, Principles, and Applications (pp. 56–81). Pearson.
  • DEMARS, Christine. Item response theory. Oxford: Oxford university press, 2010, 131 stran. ISBN 9780195377033. info
  • KLINE, Paul. The new psychometrics : science, psychology and measurement. Philadelphia: Routledge, 1998, xiv, 224. ISBN 0415187516. info
  • PRICE, Larry R. Psychometric methods : theory into practice. New York: Guilford press, 2017, xvi, 552. ISBN 9781462524778. info
  • AIKEN, Lewis R. Rating scales & checklists : evaluating behavior, personality, and attitudes. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1996, 312 s. ISBN 0471127876. info
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
Course consists of short, thematically based lectures and interactive class work. Individual work is supported via on-line discussion and concurrent feedback on group projects.
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements

Group seminar project, mandatory participation in the discussion forum, and a written and oral component of the final exam.

Alternate completion

If necessary, please contact the course guarantor to arrange an alternative way of completing the course; we will try to find an optimal solution together with you.

Language of instruction
Czech
Study support
https://is.muni.cz/auth/el/fss/jaro2027/PSYb2590/index.qwarp
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught every week.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
Teacher's information
https://is.muni.cz/auth/el/fss/jaro2026/PSYb2590/index.qwarp
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025, Spring 2026.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2027, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2027/PSYb2590