Traditionally, assessment of the cognitive competencies of older adults has focused on abstract laboratory tests, which have often seemed quite unlike the demands of tasks encountered in everyday activities. Consequently, external validity of these laboratory tasks has been questioned, and their utility for assessing real-world competence has been…

A zoo outreach program for preschoolers was evaluated by assessing the reactions of the children themselves. Children's attitudes toward certain animals were measured before and after live exposure to those animals in regular preschool settings. The attitudinal measure was a nonverbal expression of affect as elicited by pictures. Additionally,…

The study examined psychometric properties of the Comprehensive Early Evaluation and Programming System (CEEPS), a criterion-referenced instrument designed for handicapped children birth to 3 years old. The instrument was intended to provide specific information to develop program objectives across a range of developmental areas and to assess…

The fundamental purposes of this study were to develop mastery tests in the cognitive and psychomotor domains for skin and scuba diving and to establish validity and reliability for the tests. A table of specifications was developed for each domain, and a pilot study refined the initial test batteries into their final form. In the main study,…

The transcript of a six-part National Public Radio broadcast on standardized testing is presented. The first part focuses on the reasons tests are administered; these reasons are discussed by proponents and opponents of testing. Part Two contains a discussion of the possible bias of tests, and their validity. The third part discusses the…

A definition of leader authentication was developed, focusing on a leader's salience of self over role, non-manipulation of subordinates and accepting of personal and organizational responsibility. The Leader Authenticity Scale (LAS) was constructed to be consistent with this definition. Its validity was checked by specifying and testing…

The Certificate in Data Processing (CDP) Examination conducted by the Institute for Certification of Computer Professionals (ICCP) is one of the qualifications for the CDP. The May 1981 administration tested 3,601 candidates at 149 international test sites. Half of the candidates were taking the examination for the first time and were taking all…

Two kinds of WISC-R short forms, item reduction and subtest reduction, are reviewed in terms of their ability to meet these criteria of adequacy: a significant correlation between the full scale IQ and the short form IQ, a non-significant difference between the full and short form mean IQ, a low percentage of IQ classification changes resulting…

The United States Employment Service (USES) Specific Aptitude Test Battery (SATB) for Customer-Service Representative is evaluated from three points of view: (1) technical adequacy of the research; (2) fairness to minorities; and (3) usefulness of the battery to Employment Service staff and employers in selecting individuals for training in…

The United States Employment Service (USES) Specific Aptitude Test Battery (SATB) for Gambling Dealer is evaluated from three points of view: (1) technical adequacy of the research; (2) fairness to minorities; and (3) usefulness of the battery to Job Service staff and employers in selecting individuals for training as Gambling Dealers. Research…

Self-destructiveness can be viewed in two ways: as performing an act which one knows cognitively is not conducive to one's welfare but nonetheless leads to some pleasurable affect (e.g., overeating, smoking); or not performing an act one knows one should perform but which has some negative affective consequences (e.g., dental checkups, saving…

The high incidence of reported posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among Vietnam veterans has prompted researchers to search for reliable assessment and treatment procedures for this disorder. Although some encouraging preliminary data on the use of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) have been obtained, it is uncertain if this…

This annotated bibliography attempts to answer the following questions: (1) What is criticial thinking? (2) Can it be taught and to whom? (3) Which methods are most practical for teaching critical thinking to secondary students? and (4) Can its acquisition be tested? The first question researches the literature for a definition of the term. The…

In an effort to assess the retirement preparedness of Midwestern populations above the age of 28, the King Pre-Retirement Checklist was administered to a sampling of 458 persons randomly selected and proportionally stratified by geographic location and community size. Factors examined were financial, social, family cohesion, mobility/health,…