The subunit Scaling and Test Design focuses on the psychometric evaluation of psychological instruments, the development of novel test designs, as well as research and development on the latent modeling of psychological characteristics in the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS). 

Responsibilities

The subunit is responsible for scientific and infrastructural tasks related to psychometric test evaluation, psychological test development, and the development of novel test designs in the NEPS. Because psychological constructs typically cannot be directly observed, they must be inferred from observed information (e.g., responses to test items). Tests that should be used for the measurement of psychological characteristics must meet certain test psychological requirements. Therefore, the subunit evaluates the quality of the tests administered in the NEPS using psychometric models, estimates respondent scores to estimate the latent characteristic of interest, and prepares the collected data for publication. Another focus is the development of computerized testing procedures to allow for more efficient measurements of psychological characteristics in educational large-scale assessments. 

Research

The members of the subunit conduct independent scientific research in the fields of psychometrics, psychological assessment, and methods of large-scale assessments. This includes, for example, research on latent modeling and valid measurement of psychological characteristics over time or the validity of computer- and web-based psychological testing procedures. In addition, the subunit cooperates with national and international partners in research on substantive psychological topics by contributing methodological expertise. Detailed information on the research topics can be found on the pages of the individual members of the working unit.