Psikometrike

Psikometrike, or psychometrics, is the branch of psychology and related fields devoted to the theory and techniques of psychological measurement. It encompasses the development, evaluation, and interpretation of instruments such as tests, scales, questionnaires, and rating systems used to quantify mental attributes, abilities, attitudes, and personality traits. The goal is to produce reliable, valid measurements that support research, diagnosis, and decision making.

Historically, psikometrike emerged with the early use of standardized intelligence tests in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and evolved through collaboration among psychometrics, statistics, and education. Key developments include classical test theory and, later, item response theory and Rasch modeling, which provide frameworks for assessing how item properties relate to underlying constructs and respondent ability.

Core activities include defining the construct to be measured, generating items, pilot testing, and performing analyses to assess reliability and validity. Reliability refers to consistency of scores across occasions and items, while validity addresses whether the instrument measures what it claims. Standardization involves developing norms and scoring procedures to enable meaningful interpretation.

Psikometrike products are widely used in education for achievement tests and aptitude assessments, in clinical settings for diagnostic tools, and in organizations for personnel selection and development. It also supports research by providing standardized measures that enable comparisons across studies.

Ethical considerations emphasize fairness, bias reduction, accessibility, and privacy. Limitations include the abstract nature of some constructs, cultural bias in items, and the risk of overreliance on test scores for complex human attributes. Ongoing methodological work seeks to improve accuracy and equity.