{"formatVersion":"1.1","id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing","path":"/library/psychological-testing","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing","title":"Introduction to Psychological Testing","family":"Library detail","description":"Explore Psychological Assessment, measuring human abilities and traits through tests.","language":"en-US","access":{"audience":"custom-shared-preview","indexable":true},"provenance":{"sourceUrl":"https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/psychological-testing","wordpressId":"8262","contentCompleteness":"complete","dateScope":"original-source"},"authors":[],"dates":{"datePublished":"2024-06-25T16:58:51Z","dateModified":"2026-08-23T15:30:51Z"},"content":{"html":"<nav class=\"breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\"><ol><li><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/\">Home</a></li><li><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library\">Library</a></li><li><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/assessments-diagnosis\">Assessments &amp; Diagnosis</a></li><li><span aria-current=\"page\">Introduction to Psychological Testing</span></li></ol></nav><div class=\"article-page article-standard\" data-library-standard><div class=\"article-main-grid\"><header class=\"article-heading\"><h1>Introduction to Psychological Testing</h1><div class=\"article-dates\"><span>Published on <time datetime=\"2024-06-25T16:58:51Z\">June 25, 2024</time></span><span aria-hidden=\"true\"> · </span><span>Updated on <time datetime=\"2026-08-23T15:30:51Z\">August 23, 2026</time></span></div></header><div class=\"article-jumpbar\"></div><div class=\"article-layout\"><div class=\"article-reading\"><article class=\"prose\" id=\"article-content\"><p>Welcome to our <a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/assessments-diagnosis\" class=\"article-inline-link\">Psychological Assessment</a> topic center. Psychological Assessment is a sub-field of Clinical Psychology specializing in the measurement of human abilities, traits and characteristics. Primarily, psychologists use tests to measure personality characteristics, intelligence and cognitive (e.g., thinking, attention, memory) characteristics</p><figure class=\"article-feature\"><img src=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/editorial-247/13361.webp\" alt=\"A healthcare professional speaks with a child at a table.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"600\" loading=\"eager\" decoding=\"async\"></figure><section class=\"article-takeaways\" aria-labelledby=\"key-takeaways\"><h2 id=\"key-takeaways\">Key takeaways</h2><ul><li>Psychological testing measures abilities, personality traits, and cognitive functions such as attention and memory.</li><li>Different tools use approaches ranging from standardized questionnaires to responses to ambiguous material.</li><li>Neuropsychological assessment examines relationships between brain function and behavior, including difficulties after brain injury.</li></ul></section><h2 data-editorial-heading=\"\" id=\"different-types-of-psychological-tests\">Different types of psychological tests</h2><p>There are literally hundreds of psychological tests in existence. The best known among these are several tests of intelligence yielding the IQ score (the Stanford-Binet, and the Weschler tests). These and other similar tests are commonly used to classify people into mentally retarded, learning disabled, normal and gifted categories for school purposes.</p><h3 data-editorial-heading=\"\" id=\"projective-tests\">Projective tests</h3><p>Another well known set of tests are the Rorschach Ink Blot Test, and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), which are examples of two very different sorts of personality tests. The Rorschach test involves making sense out of people’s spontaneous verbal responses to ambiguous ink blot pictures. The MMPI, in contrast, involves making sense out of a persons’ response to a large true or false answer questionnaire. </p><p>The Rorschach test is ‘projective’ in that it is designed to make clear exactly how the test subject goes about making sense out of (projecting meaning onto) the ink blots. The MMPI is ‘objective’ in that conclusions drawn from it are based on rigorous scientific studies of how thousands of people have responded to the same set of true or false questions.</p><h2 data-editorial-heading=\"\" id=\"neuropsychological-assessment\">Neuropsychological assessment</h2><p>The field of Neuropsychology exists to assess the relationships between brain and behavior, especially when the brain is damaged. Neuropsychologists use specialized tests that measure memory, learning, attention, intelligence, concentration, etc. to demonstrate that brain damage has indeed occurred even when that damage may be too slight and mild to have resulted in something visible on an MRI, CT or X-ray scan.</p></article><div class=\"article-endmatter\"><section class=\"article-about article-panel\"><h2 id=\"about-mentalhealth-com\">About MentalHealth.com</h2><p>MentalHealth.com helps people understand themselves, build healthier relationships, and access the right care. We bring together mental health education, diagnostics, and care management to support well-being throughout every phase of life.</p><div class=\"article-contributors\"></div></section><section class=\"article-medical article-panel article-pending\" role=\"note\" aria-label=\"Pending medical review\"><h2 id=\"medical-review-status\">Pending Medical Review</h2><p>We take mental health content seriously and follow industry-leading guidelines to ensure our users access the highest quality information. All editorial decisions for published content are made by the MentalHealth.com Editorial Team, with guidance from our Clinical Affairs Team.</p><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/publishing/editorial-policy\">Our medical review process</a></section><section class=\"article-expert article-expert-mobile\" aria-label=\"Subject matter expert\" data-expert-kind=\"related\"><p class=\"article-bio-role\">Subject matter expert</p><div class=\"article-expert-identity\"><img src=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/wordpress/10235.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"64\" height=\"64\" loading=\"lazy\"><h2><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/roy-sugarman\">Dr. Roy Sugarman</a></h2></div><p class=\"article-expert-focus\">Neuroscience and clinical mental health</p><a class=\"profile-experience-link experience-button\" href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/roy-sugarman\">View experience</a></section><section class=\"article-topic-community article-topic-community-mobile\" aria-label=\"Related communities\"><img class=\"topic-community-banner\" src=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/library/editorial-13688.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" loading=\"lazy\"><p class=\"topic-community-label\">Related communities</p><h2>Assessments &amp; Diagnosis</h2><p>Explore questions about mental health assessments, diagnostic language, and the evaluation process.</p><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/community/assessments-diagnosis\">Explore community</a></section></div></div><aside class=\"article-sidebar\" tabindex=\"0\" data-bounded-rail=\"\" aria-label=\"Article navigation and related information\"><details class=\"article-contents\" open data-section-preview=\"3\" data-expanded=\"false\" data-scrolled-past=\"false\"><summary><strong>Table of contents</strong><span aria-hidden=\"true\"></span><small data-current-section=\"\">Choose a section</small></summary><nav aria-label=\"Article contents\"><ol id=\"article-section-list\"><li><a href=\"#different-types-of-psychological-tests\" title=\"Different types of psychological tests\" aria-label=\"Different types of psychological tests\">Different types of psychological tests</a></li><li><a href=\"#neuropsychological-assessment\" title=\"Neuropsychological assessment\" aria-label=\"Neuropsychological assessment\">Neuropsychological assessment</a></li></ol><button type=\"button\" class=\"article-sections-toggle\" data-sections-toggle aria-controls=\"article-section-list\" aria-expanded=\"false\" hidden=\"\">View more</button></nav></details><section class=\"article-expert\" aria-label=\"Subject matter expert\" data-expert-kind=\"related\"><p class=\"article-bio-role\">Subject matter expert</p><div class=\"article-expert-identity\"><img src=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/wordpress/10235.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"64\" height=\"64\" loading=\"lazy\"><h2><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/roy-sugarman\">Dr. Roy Sugarman</a></h2></div><p class=\"article-expert-focus\">Neuroscience and clinical mental health</p><a class=\"profile-experience-link experience-button\" href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/roy-sugarman\">View experience</a></section><section class=\"article-topic-community\" aria-label=\"Related communities\"><img class=\"topic-community-banner\" src=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/library/editorial-13688.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" loading=\"lazy\"><p class=\"topic-community-label\">Related communities</p><h2>Assessments &amp; Diagnosis</h2><p>Explore questions about mental health assessments, diagnostic language, and the evaluation process.</p><a href=\"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/community/assessments-diagnosis\">Explore community</a></section></aside></div></div></div>","text":"HomeLibraryAssessments & DiagnosisIntroduction to Psychological TestingIntroduction to Psychological TestingPublished on June 25, 2024 · Updated on August 23, 2026Welcome to our Psychological Assessment topic center. Psychological Assessment is a sub-field of Clinical Psychology specializing in the measurement of human abilities, traits and characteristics. Primarily, psychologists use tests to measure personality characteristics, intelligence and cognitive (e.g., thinking, attention, memory) characteristicsKey takeawaysPsychological testing measures abilities, personality traits, and cognitive functions such as attention and memory.Different tools use approaches ranging from standardized questionnaires to responses to ambiguous material.Neuropsychological assessment examines relationships between brain function and behavior, including difficulties after brain injury.Different types of psychological testsThere are literally hundreds of psychological tests in existence. The best known among these are several tests of intelligence yielding the IQ score (the Stanford-Binet, and the Weschler tests). These and other similar tests are commonly used to classify people into mentally retarded, learning disabled, normal and gifted categories for school purposes.Projective testsAnother well known set of tests are the Rorschach Ink Blot Test, and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), which are examples of two very different sorts of personality tests. The Rorschach test involves making sense out of people’s spontaneous verbal responses to ambiguous ink blot pictures. The MMPI, in contrast, involves making sense out of a persons’ response to a large true or false answer questionnaire. The Rorschach test is ‘projective’ in that it is designed to make clear exactly how the test subject goes about making sense out of (projecting meaning onto) the ink blots. The MMPI is ‘objective’ in that conclusions drawn from it are based on rigorous scientific studies of how thousands of people have responded to the same set of true or false questions.Neuropsychological assessmentThe field of Neuropsychology exists to assess the relationships between brain and behavior, especially when the brain is damaged. Neuropsychologists use specialized tests that measure memory, learning, attention, intelligence, concentration, etc. to demonstrate that brain damage has indeed occurred even when that damage may be too slight and mild to have resulted in something visible on an MRI, CT or X-ray scan.About MentalHealth.comMentalHealth.com helps people understand themselves, build healthier relationships, and access the right care. We bring together mental health education, diagnostics, and care management to support well-being throughout every phase of life.Pending Medical ReviewWe take mental health content seriously and follow industry-leading guidelines to ensure our users access the highest quality information. All editorial decisions for published content are made by the MentalHealth.com Editorial Team, with guidance from our Clinical Affairs Team.Our medical review processSubject matter expertDr. Roy SugarmanNeuroscience and clinical mental healthView experienceRelated communitiesAssessments & DiagnosisExplore questions about mental health assessments, diagnostic language, and the evaluation process.Explore communityTable of contentsChoose a sectionDifferent types of psychological testsNeuropsychological assessmentView moreSubject matter expertDr. Roy SugarmanNeuroscience and clinical mental healthView experienceRelated communitiesAssessments & DiagnosisExplore questions about mental health assessments, diagnostic language, and the evaluation process.Explore community","wordCount":476},"schema":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/#organization","name":"MentalHealth.com","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/#website","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/","name":"MentalHealth.com","inLanguage":"en-US","publisher":{"@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/#organization"}},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Library","item":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Assessments & Diagnosis","item":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/assessments-diagnosis"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Introduction to Psychological Testing","item":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing"}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#primaryimage","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/editorial-247/13361.webp","contentUrl":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/editorial-247/13361.webp","width":1200,"height":600,"encodingFormat":"image/webp","caption":"A healthcare professional speaks with a child at a table."},{"@type":"Article","@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#article","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing","headline":"Introduction to Psychological Testing","description":"Explore Psychological Assessment, measuring human abilities and traits through tests.","wordCount":336,"mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#webpage"},"publisher":{"@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/#organization"},"articleSection":"Library","inLanguage":"en-US","datePublished":"2024-06-25T16:58:51Z","dateModified":"2026-08-23T15:30:51Z","image":{"@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#primaryimage"}},{"@type":"MedicalWebPage","@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#webpage","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing","name":"Introduction to Psychological Testing","description":"Explore Psychological Assessment, measuring human abilities and traits through tests.","inLanguage":"en-US","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/#website"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#breadcrumb"},"mainEntity":{"@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#article"},"relatedLink":["https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-tests-intellectual-disabilities","https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing-intelligence-quotient","https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing-myers-briggs-type-indicator","https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing-thematic-apperception-test","https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/wechsler-adult-intelligence-scale-psychological-testing","https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/roy-sugarman"],"publisher":{"@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/#organization"},"medicalAudience":{"@type":"MedicalAudience","audienceType":"General public"},"datePublished":"2024-06-25T16:58:51Z","dateModified":"2026-08-23T15:30:51Z","primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#primaryimage"}}]},"representations":{"html":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing","json":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/data/library/psychological-testing.json","jsonLd":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/data/library/psychological-testing.ld.json"},"$schema":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/data/page.schema.json","images":[{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/editorial-247/13361.webp","alt":"A healthcare professional speaks with a child at a table.","width":1200,"height":600},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/wordpress/10235.jpg","alt":"","width":64,"height":64},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/library/editorial-13688.webp","alt":"","width":48,"height":48}],"sections":[{"id":"key-takeaways","title":"Key takeaways","level":2,"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#key-takeaways"},{"id":"different-types-of-psychological-tests","title":"Different types of psychological tests","level":2,"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#different-types-of-psychological-tests"},{"id":"projective-tests","title":"Projective tests","level":3,"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#projective-tests"},{"id":"neuropsychological-assessment","title":"Neuropsychological assessment","level":2,"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#neuropsychological-assessment"},{"id":"about-mentalhealth-com","title":"About MentalHealth.com","level":2,"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#about-mentalhealth-com"},{"id":"medical-review-status","title":"Pending Medical Review","level":2,"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#medical-review-status"}],"references":[],"relatedReading":[],"links":[{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/","label":"Home"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library","label":"Library"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/assessments-diagnosis","label":"Assessments & Diagnosis"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/assessments-diagnosis","label":"Psychological Assessment"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/publishing/editorial-policy","label":"Our medical review process"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/roy-sugarman","label":"Dr. Roy Sugarman"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/roy-sugarman","label":"View experience"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/community/assessments-diagnosis","label":"Explore community"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#different-types-of-psychological-tests","label":"Different types of psychological tests"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing#neuropsychological-assessment","label":"Neuropsychological assessment"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/roy-sugarman","label":"Dr. Roy Sugarman"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/people/roy-sugarman","label":"View experience"},{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/community/assessments-diagnosis","label":"Explore community"}],"seo":{"title":"Introduction to Psychological Testing | MentalHealth.com","description":"Explore Psychological Assessment, measuring human abilities and traits through tests.","canonical":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing","robots":"index,follow","socialImage":{"url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/assets/social-tiles-20261006-dots/library.png","width":1200,"height":630,"alt":"MentalHealth.com — Library","type":"image/png","sitemapGroup":"library"}},"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Home","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/"},{"name":"Library","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library"},{"name":"Assessments & Diagnosis","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/assessments-diagnosis"},{"name":"Introduction to Psychological Testing","url":"https://mentalhealth-v2.workspace-454808.chatgpt.site/library/psychological-testing"}],"subjectMatterExpert":{"name":"Dr. Roy Sugarman","url":"/people/roy-sugarman","profileId":"10097","topic":"learning","focus":"Neuroscience and clinical mental health","selectionBasis":"Documented expertise in the existing published profile","reviewAttribution":false},"keyTakeaways":["Psychological testing measures abilities, personality traits, and cognitive functions such as attention and memory.","Different tools use approaches ranging from standardized questionnaires to responses to ambiguous material.","Neuropsychological assessment examines relationships between brain function and behavior, including difficulties after brain injury."],"navigation":[{"label":"Different types of psychological tests","href":"#different-types-of-psychological-tests","heading":"Different types of psychological tests"},{"label":"Neuropsychological assessment","href":"#neuropsychological-assessment","heading":"Neuropsychological assessment"}],"relatedCommunity":{"community":"/community/assessments-diagnosis","basis":"topic match"},"reviewer":null,"introduction":null,"collections":[]}