Etyczny wymiar decyzji eksperckich podejmowanych na podstawie wyników testów psychologicznych. Część l

Abstract

The article, which is a first part of a bigger study concerns the ethical context of decisions taken towards people on the base of their results in psychological tests. The Author singled out two kinds of determinants of such decisions: (1) internal and (2) external ones. Internal determinants - only these are mentioned here -influence the psychometrical goodness of the test, and the quality of quantitative (statistical) and qualitative (psychological) interpretation of the test result. The range of the issues mentioned in the article was determined by three perspectives, equivalent to three theories: psychological, psychometrical and statistical one. The Author focused his attention on the dominant role of theoretical perspective. He also claims that the ethicality of the expert using psychological test goes beyond the traditional concept of ethical evaluation of psychologist's activity towards the individuals that come under his various influences. Ethically biased expert's activity may be connected with gross lacks in his methodological awareness and with uncritical approach to the test, which sometimes is a psychological test in nothing but name. The Author recommends respecting in this scope the instructions formulated in Standards (AERA/APA/NCME, 1999).