Psychological tests from a (fuzzy-)logical point of view

Matthias Buntins (), Katja Buntins () and Frank Eggert ()
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Matthias Buntins: University of Bamberg
Katja Buntins: University of Bamberg
Frank Eggert: University of Braunschweig - Institute of Technology

Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, 2016, vol. 50, issue 6, No 5, 2395-2416

Abstract: Abstract Psychometric theory relies on two basic assumptions: (a) psychological constructs refer to latent (unobservable) variables and (b) psychological tests serve as a way to measure these constructs. This view is complemented by an alternative interpretation of psychological constructs, which neither relies on latent variables nor on the concept of measurement. Using the formal apparatus of many-valued logic, psychological constructs are re-interpreted as linguistic concepts (rather than latent variables), which can be inferred by means of logical calculus (as opposed to measurement). Thus, test scores do not refer to the values of latent variables, but to the degree to which the necessary and sufficient conditions for the ascription of a construct are fulfilled. Following this rationale, a formal theory of psychological tests is developed, which models the process of testing as logical inference. Applying the derived procedures, a person’s testing behaviour yields the degree to which a construct describes her adequately.

Keywords: Psychometrics; Psychological constructs; Psychological tests; Latent variables; Many-valued logic; Fuzzy logic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1007/s11135-015-0268-z

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