Psychometrics and assessment glossary
Explore terms used in professional assessment conversations. This glossary distinguishes predispositions from competencies, and norms from reliability and validity evidence.
Content updated:
- Professional predisposition
- A relatively stable characteristic or preference that may support a way of working and developing. It does not automatically establish a learned skill.
- Competency
- The capacity to act effectively in a particular area, considered in relation to requirements and situations. It should not be equated with a need or preference alone.
- Norms
- A reference for interpreting a result in comparison with a defined group. The normative sample is distinct from the total number of assessments and the validation sample.
- Sten
- A unit on a ten-point standardised score scale. Interpretation depends on the appropriate reference group and the instrument’s documentation.
- Reliability
- A measurement property concerning consistency or stability under specified conditions. An indicator must be interpreted in the context of its method, scale and sample.
- Validity
- The support for an interpretation and use of scores. It is considered through evidence for a specified purpose, rather than the appearance of a report.
- Situational assessment
- An assessment in which participants respond to described situations and possible courses of action. pCT uses workplace situations.
- Feedback
- A conversation that relates findings to the participant’s experience, context and goals, helping identify areas for further work.
These are introductory definitions. When interpreting an individual result, use the instrument’s documentation and the appropriate professional preparation.