Psychometrics and its discontents: an historical perspective on the discourse of the measurement tradition

• Published in: Advances in health sciences education : theory and practice Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 719 - 729
• Main Authors: Schoenherr, Jordan Richard, Hamstra, Stanley J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.08.2016; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Change Strategies; Debate; Education; Education, Medical - history; Education, Medical - standards; Educational Development; Educational History; Educational Measurement - history; Educational Measurement - methods; Educational Practices; Evaluation Problems; Evaluation Research; Heuristics; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans; Measurement; Medical Education; Minimum Competency Testing; Psychometrics; Psychometrics - history; Psychometrics - methods; Quantitative psychology; Reflections; Research Methodology; Statistical Analysis; Medical education; Psychometrics; Measurement and scaling; History
• ISSN: 1382-4996; 1573-1677
• DOI: 10.1007/s10459-015-9623-z

Psychometrics has recently undergone extensive criticism within the medical education literature. The use of quantitative measurement using psychometric instruments such as response scales is thought to emphasize a narrow range of relevant learner skills and competencies. Recent reviews and commentaries suggest that a paradigm shift might be presently underway. We argue for caution, in that the psychometrics approach and the quantitative account of competencies that it reflects is based on a rich discussion regarding measurement and scaling that led to the establishment of this paradigm. Rather than reflecting a homogeneous discipline focused on core competencies devoid of consideration of context, the psychometric community has a history of discourse and debate within the field, with an acknowledgement that the techniques and instruments developed within psychometrics are heuristics that must be used pragmatically.