Longitudinal Studies of Risk Taking on Objective Examinations

Abstract

Risk taking on objective examinations (rtooe) is defined as guessing when the examinee is aware of a penalty for incorrect responses (Slakter, 1967). Since rtooe measures can be obtained from Ss ostensibly taking aptitude or achievement tests, they provide psychologists with useful disguised measures of risk taking. Prior studies have indicated that rtooe is related to dominance-submission (Votaw, 1936), maladjustment (Sherriffs and Boomer, 1954), vocational choice (Ziller, 1957), curriculum choice (Slakter and Cramer, 1969), and perception of risk in military situations (Torrance and Ziller, 1957). Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that examinees low in rtooe tend to be penalized on test score (Hammerton, 1965; Sherriffs and Boomer, 1954; Slakter, 1968a; Slakter, 1968b; Votaw, 1936). These latter studies have shown that when Ss low in rtooe are forced to respond to all items, their average test score increases even though the usual penalty for incorrect responses is applied. Hence, we have evidence that rtooe confounds the aptitude or achievement being measured by the examination, and therefore rtooe concerns individuals involved with educational measurement.