ciol.org.uk/tl
FEATURES
Vasiliki Prestidge looks at the tricky field of psychometric
translation, when words measure the human psyche
D
o you remember taking a seemingly
strange questionnaire before a job
interview? Have you heard of verbal,
numerical, abstract reasoning or personality
tests? Welcome to the world of
psychometrics, the field of study concerned
with measuring mental capacities and
processes. Where psychology is about the
theory of how the brain works, psychometrics
is one of the ways in which the theory can be
applied. Psychometricians measure abilities,
personality traits, preferences and even
emotional needs, aiming to help people
understand who they are, how they
relate to others and how they
can develop. In business,
organisations use
psychometric
questionnaires
KNOW THEIR MINDS
to assess job candidates and determine
whether they are a good fit. They often
screen candidates before inviting them to
interview to ensure a faster, more efficient
selection process. Once a candidate has
joined a team, psychometric assessment can
help them to generate a development plan,
identify areas for improvement and enhance
their strong points. Therefore, psychometric
tools can be useful both before selection and
during employment.
Another category of tools gives candidates
a list of career options matching their
personality features. These are often created
with students or young people in mind.
Other tools assess clinical conditions such as
depression and other mental health illnesses.
In an ideal world, candidates would take
the assessments in their native language,
which is why there is a need for translation.
Content requiring translation within this
field includes questionnaires, reports,
online platforms, emails, administrator
environments, resources, development aids
and workbooks.
PERILOUS QUESTIONNAIRES
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines
psychometric questionnaires as "tests
designed to provide a quantitative analysis of
a person's mental capacities or personality
traits, typically as shown by responses to a
standard series of questions or statements".
However, most psychometricians would
argue that psychometric questionnaires are
not tests. A test can be passed or failed; it
has right and wrong answers. A psychometric
tool does not because there is no such thing
as a wrong personality. Of course, candidates
