group test

n. A psychometric evaluation that may be administered by a single examiner to more than one person simultaneously (in contrast to an individual test, which must be conducted in a one-on-one setting between the test taker and the test administrator). Typically, in a group test, the test administrator provides directions and imposes time limits while the test taker records his/her own responses. The objective nature of most group tests translates into more efficient and reliable scoring with less training and skill required of the test administrator. These factors, combined with the ability to test many people at one time, make group tests extremely efficient. The drawback to group tests is the lack of individualized information that can be obtained unique to each test taker. Group testing offers no safeguards to ensure that individual test takers are motivated and performing at the optimal level. As such, low scores on group tests can be difficult to interpret as there is no information to ensure that scores obtained from a group setting are not attributable to nonability factors such as motivation, cooperation, or emotional state.

- BJM