Psychological testing is a field characterized by the use of samples of performance in order to assess psychological construct, such as cognitive and emotional implementation, about a given individual. The technical term for the science behind psychology testing is psychometrics. It is an instrument designed to measure unseen constructs, also known as latent variables. Psychological tests are naturally, but not necessarily, a series of tasks or problems that the respondent has to solve.

Objective Personality Tests

The best known objective character test is the MMPI. This test was created mainly to measure psychopathology. It contains several validity scales to determine if the client is responding to the questions correctly and truly, and it also contains ten basic clinical scales. Hundreds of additional scales have been created for the MMPI to measure virtually every personality trait and emotion imaginable.
The MMPI was recently revised; the MMPI-2 is now the more commonly used edition. The MMPI is interpreted by looking at scale elevations and configurations. It is particularly useful for the diagnosis of personality disorders. Other objective tests, such as the 16PF and the Myers-Briggs are more useful for looking at personality in the normal range, and are more helpful for counseling as opposite to psychiatric treatment.

Brief Summary of MMPI Scales:

L: Reluctance to admit minor and common moral weaknesses
F: Tendency to exaggerate problems
K: Reluctance to reveal problems
1: Over concern regarding physical problems
2: Depression
3: Tendency to repress and deny problems; shallow relationships
4: Rebelliousness; disregard for social psychology conventions; authority conflict
5: Males: Sensitivity and cultural interests/Females: Assertiveness
6: Distrust
7: Chronic anxiety and obsessive-compulsive tendencies
8: Feelings of being overwhelmed; loss of contact with reality
9: High energy level which is not directed; grandiosity.
10: Shyness

Projective Personality Testing

The best known projective psychological technique is the Rorschach, or inkblot test. The patient is asked to look at each spot and to say what it looks like or what it could be. Because the motivation is ambiguous, the patient must impose his or her own formation. In doing so, thoughts, feelings, and themes, some of which are insensible, are projected into the material. Projective tests tend to have lower validity and consistency than objective tests.
The Rorschach test is mainly useful for detecting the types of muddled thought patterns seen in schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. The scoring of this test takes into account the popularity of the patient's responses, the content of the responses, whether the figures are seen as moving or stationary, response complexity, whether color or shading is used, and other factors

Vocational Testing

Vocational testing can be particularly useful for teenagers, young adults, and persons contemplating a mid-life career change. Such an evaluation examines which occupations best fit with an individual's abilities, interests, and personality.

Types:

1. REALISTIC (outdoors and hands-on occupations)
2. INVESTIGATIVE (scientific)
3. ARTISTIC (creative)
4. SOCIAL (counseling and teaching)
5. ENTERPRISING (management and sales)
6. CONVENTIONAL (clerical).