Page 370 - DEDU504_EDUCATIONAL_MEASUREMENT_AND_EVALUATION_ENGLISH

Educational Measurement and Evaluation

Notes The first systematic attempt to develop intelligence tests was made by Alfred Binet. He attempted
to identify children who did not benefit from regular class-room teaching and had to be placed in
special schools. Binet and T. Simon developed the first test of intelligence in 1905. The core of
intelligence was considered to be more complex mental processes such as memory, imagery,
comprehension and judgment.
The term personality is derived from the Latin word persona, the mask used by actors performing on
the stage in ancient Greece and Rome. Many professionals use the term as dynamic rather than
descriptive. A dynamic orientation provides theoretical basis for a majority of the performance and
projective tests of personality and self-concept. Theories of personality arose in the context of need
of physicians for a rational procedure to deal with their patients having psychological problems.
Personality and behaviour theories underwent rapid developments, leading to convergence of the
two theoretical formulations.

32.1 Measurement of Attitude

32.1.1 Meaning and Definition of Attitude
It is clear that an attitude is not hereditary, a person develops it on the basis of his experiences.
Another fact in this regard is that a person can form positive or negative feelings toward an object,
person, activity or thought. Thus, an attitude towards an object, person, activity or thought may be
positive or negative. Thurston has defined an attitude as a measure of positive and negative thought
factor. In words :
An attitude is the degree of positive or negative effect associated with some psychological object.
— Thurston
Freeman has defined attitude the following words :
An attitude is a dispositional readiness to response to certain situations, persons or objects in a
consistent manner, which has been learned and has become one’s typical mode of response.
—Freeman
We can define attitude more clearly in the following words :
Attitudes are the mental feelings of a person towards an object, person, activity or thought which
are developed by his own experiences regarding that object, person, activity or thought and
which direct him to react to these accordingly.
In order to understand the concept of attitude clearly, it is necessary to differentiate it from other
similar concepts.
32.1.2 Nature and Characteristics of Attitude
On the basis of foregoing discussion, the nature and characteristics of attitude may be summaried
as follows :

(1) Attitude is a mental talent of a person towards an object, person, activity or thought.
(2) Attitude can be either positive or negative.
(3) Attitude is related to one’s own experiences.
(4) Emotions prove helpful in the development of attitude.
(5) Development of attitudes occurs due to social relations.
(6) Attitudes of a person are stable so long he does not experiences otherwise; they are subject to
change on the basis of environment and experiences.
(7) Attitudes influence the personality of a person.

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