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Reactions to cognitive ability tests: the relationships between race, test performance, face validity perceptions,
D Chan1, N Schmitt, R P DeShon
1Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, 48824-1117, USA. david.chan@ssc.msu.edu
The Journal of Applied Psychology
|April 1, 1997
Summary
Test-taking motivation positively impacts cognitive test performance, partially explaining racial differences in scores. Perceptions of test fairness are linked to performance, indirectly influencing motivation.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Educational Measurement
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Understanding factors influencing cognitive test performance is crucial for fair assessment.
- Racial disparities in test performance persist, necessitating investigation into underlying mechanisms.
- The role of motivation and perceived test validity in academic and professional testing requires further clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the interrelationships between race, perceptions of face validity, test-taking motivation, and performance on cognitive ability tests.
- To determine if motivation mediates the relationship between race and test performance.
- To investigate whether race influences face validity perceptions and if these perceptions affect performance.
Main Methods:
- Undergraduate students completed two parallel cognitive ability tests and a measure of test reactions.
- Statistical analyses were employed to assess the relationships among the variables, controlling for relevant factors.
- Mediation analyses were conducted to explore indirect effects.
Main Results:
- Test-taking motivation was positively associated with subsequent test performance, even after controlling for race and prior performance.
- Racial differences in test performance were partially mediated by differences in test-taking motivation.
- Black-White differences in perceived test face validity appeared to be a function of differences in test performance.
- Perceptions of test face validity indirectly influenced subsequent performance through test-taking motivation.
Conclusions:
- Test-taking motivation is a significant factor in cognitive test performance and may partially explain racial group differences.
- Perceived test validity is related to performance and influences motivation, highlighting the importance of test fairness.
- These findings underscore the complex interplay of psychological and social factors in standardized testing outcomes.