An objective test is a psychological test that measures an individual's characteristics in a way that is independent of rater bias or the examiner's own beliefs, usually by the administration of a bank of questions that are marked and compared against exacting scoring mechanisms that are completely standardized, much in the same way that examinations are administered. Objective tests are often contrasted with projective tests, which are sensitive to rater or examiner beliefs. Projective test

Projective test

In psychology, a projective test is a personality test designed to let a person respond to ambiguous stimuli, presumably revealing hidden emotions and internal conflicts. This is different from an "objective test" in which responses are analyzed according to a universal standard...

s are based on Freudian Psychology (Psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis is a psychological theory developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalysis has expanded, been criticized and developed in different directions, mostly by some of Freud's former students, such as Alfred Adler and Carl Gustav...

), and seek to expose the unconscious perceptions of people. Objective tests tend to have more validity than projective tests, however they are still subject to the willingness of the subject to be open about his/her personality and as such can sometimes be badly representative of the true personality of the subject. Projective tests purportedly expose certain aspects of the personality of individuals that are impossible to measure by means of an objective test, and are much more reliable at uncovering "protected" or unconscious personality traits or features.

An objective test is built by following a rigorous protocol which includes the following steps:

• Making decisions on nature, goal, target population, power.
• Creating a bank of questions.
• Estimating the validity of the questions, by means of statistical procedures and/or judgement of experts in the field.
• Designing a format of application (a clear, easy-to-answer questionnaire, or an interview, etc.).
• Detecting which questions are better in terms of discrimination, clarity, ease of response, upon application on a pilot sample.
• Applying a revised questionnaire or interview to a sample.
• Using appropriate statistical procedures to establish norms for the test.

See also

• Situational judgement test
  Situational judgement test
  Situational Judgement Tests or Inventories are a type of psychological test which present the test-taker with realistic, hypothetical scenarios and ask him to identify an appropriate response. These are generally in a multiple choice format, but represent a distinct psychometric approach from the...
  
  
• Employment testing
  Employment testing
  Employment testing is the practice of administering written, oral or other tests as a means of determining the suitability or desirability of a job applicant...
  
  
• Projective test
  Projective test
  In psychology, a projective test is a personality test designed to let a person respond to ambiguous stimuli, presumably revealing hidden emotions and internal conflicts. This is different from an "objective test" in which responses are analyzed according to a universal standard...
  
  
• Psychological testing
  Psychological testing
  Psychological testing is a field characterized by the use of samples of behavior in order to assess psychological construct, such as cognitive and emotional functioning, about a given individual. The technical term for the science behind psychological testing is psychometrics...
  
  
• Sexological testing
  Sexological testing
  Sexuality can be inscribed in a multidimensional model comprising different aspects of human life: biology, reproduction, culture, entertainment, relationships and love....