Psychological testing can include intelligence tests, personality tests and mental health tests. The psychological foundation of intelligence testing is based on the premise that each of us is born with a set level of intelligence, ability and learning potential, promoting the idea that this predestined ability determines ultimate success in life, explains Etienne Benson in the February 2003 issue of "Monitor on Psychology."
Psychological assessments go a step further to test intelligence. While still using psychological tests, they also use interviews, demographic information, medical information, personal history and observations by others to assess intelligence. While psychological tests are objective and standardized, psychological assessments prove more complex, providing a holistic assessment of intelligence.
Benson presents valid arguments against the psychological methods of intelligence testing. One such criticism involves the grouped classification of certain communities, based on race, class, gender and/or culture. Another criticism directly attacks the test format on the grounds that it minimizes the importance of skills/abilities such as creativity and practical know-how.
While many flaws exist with standardized tests, work is being done to improve their psychological methods and ability to determine true intelligence levels. Various changes with questions or scoring processes have allowed better adaptation to diverse cultural populations and a broader range of intelligence types beyond traditional boundaries, Benson writes.