Abstract. Due to their high item difficulties and excellent psychometric properties, construction-based figural matrices tasks are of particular interest when it comes to high-stakes testing. An important prerequisite is that test preparation – which is likely to occur in this context – does not impair test fairness or item properties. The goal of this study was to provide initial evidence concerning the influence of test preparation. We administered test items to a sample of N = 882 participants divided into two groups, but only one group was given information about the rules employed in the test items. The probability of solving the items was significantly higher in the test preparation group than in the control group ( M = 0.61, SD = 0.19 vs. M = 0.41, SD = 0.25; t(54) = 3.42, p = .001; d = .92). Nevertheless, a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis, as well as a differential item functioning analysis, indicated no differences between the item properties in the two groups. The results suggest that construction-based figural matrices are suitable in the context of high-stakes testing when all participants are provided with test preparation material so that test fairness is ensured.

The present study aims to investigate longitudinal changes in mental well-being as well as the role of individual differences in personality traits (Big Five) and the level of Personality Organisation during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. Overall, 272 adults (Mage= 36.94, SDage= 16.46; 68.62% female, 23.45% male, 0.69% non-binary) took part in our study with four weekly surveys during the lockdown as well as a follow-up one month after restrictions were lifted. To analyse the development of mental well-being during and shortly after the first lockdown in Germany latent growth curve models (LGCM) were calculated. The considered facets of well-being differ by their trajectory. Additionally, results suggest that the lockdown did not affect all facets to the same extent. While Life Satisfaction decreases in the short term as a reaction to the lockdown, Stress and Psychological Strain were reduced after the second week of contact restrictions. When adding personality characteristics, our results showed that Neuroticism and Conscientiousness were the two dimensions associated most strongly with SWB during the first month of the pandemic. Thus, our research suggests that personality traits should be considered when analysing mental well-being.

Recent research has highlighted competitive worldviews as a key predictor of faking—the intentional distortion of answers by candidates in the selection context. According to theoretical assumptions, applicants’ abilities, and especially their cognitive abilities, should influence whether faking motivation, triggered by competitive worldviews, can be turned into successful faking behavior. Therefore, we examined the influence of competitive worldviews on faking in personality tests and investigated a possible moderation of this relationship by cognitive abilities in three independent high school and university student samples (N1 = 133, N2 = 137, N3 = 268). Our data showed neither an influence of the two variables nor of their interaction on faking behavior. We discuss possible reasons for these findings and give suggestions for further research.

Extensive evidence clearly endorses the use of standardized reasoning ability tests and subject-specific knowledge tests as valid and useful tools for admission-restricted study programs. Yet, tests are still rarely applied for university admission in Germany. Instead, current admission practices are predominantly based on grade point average (GPA) achieved in high school. In the present study, we report the development and validation of a test battery for admission into bachelor’s degree programs in psychology for German universities. Its compilation is driven by evidence from international validity generalization, consensual models of cognitive abilities, and a taxonomy of the B.Sc. psychology degree in Germany. It consists of three subtests for reasoning ability, two tests that tap relevant declarative knowledge, and two psychology-specific text comprehension tests. N = 371 freshmen from five German universities completed the tests and university GPA was retrieved 2.5 years later. We use confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling to investigate the construct and criterion validity of the test battery. The results indicate that individual tests, as well as the test battery, meet psychometric requirements. As expected, the test battery predicts university GPA substantially and incrementally beyond high school GPA. The results illustrate the substantial added value that standardized achievement tests provide in university admissions.

Standardized ability tests that are associated with intelligence are often used for student selection. In Germany two different admission procedures to select students for medical studies are used simultaneously; the TMS and the HAM-Nat. Due to this simultaneous use of both a detailed analysis of the construct validity is mandatory. Therefore, the aim of the study is the construct validation of both selection procedures by using data of 4,528 participants (Mage = 20.42, SD = 2.74) who took part in a preparation study under low stakes conditions. This study compares different model specifications within the correlational structure of intelligence factors as well as analysis the g-factor consistency of the admission tests. Results reveal that all subtests are correlated substantially. Furthermore, confirmatory factor analyses demonstrate that both admission tests (and their subtests) are related to g as well as to a further test-specific-factor. Therefore, from a psychometric point of view, the simultaneous use of both student selection procedures appears to be legitimate.