This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Friedman, H. L. Articles by MacDonald, D. A. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Humanistic Testing and Assessment

Douglas A. MacDonald, PhD

Humanistic psychology’s tradition of controversy regarding the worth of psychological testing and assessment is reviewed. Assessment is defined as a process involving qualitative professional judgments integrating information from various sources and necessarily guiding all professional activities, whether performed explicitly or implicitly. Testing, as delineated from assessment, is just one potential source of assessment input that may provide formally gathered qualitative and/or quantitative information. Arguments against testing and assessment as legitimate activities within humanistic psychological practice are countered, concluding that testing and assessment can be congruent with humanistic ideals when focused on growth, subjectivity, agency, the centrality of the role of both the assessor and client as coparticipants, and a view of the person as a whole with inherent value.

Key Words: testing • assessment • humanistic • psychometric

Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Vol. 46, No. 4, 510-529 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0022167806290210


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. V. Johnson and H. L. Friedman Enlightened or Delusional?: Differentiating Religious, Spiritual, and Transpersonal Experiences from Psychopathology Journal of Humanistic Psychology, October 1, 2008; 48(4): 505 - 527. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. T. Gorske Therapeutic Neuropsychological Assessment: A Humanistic Model and Case Example Journal of Humanistic Psychology, July 1, 2008; 48(3): 320 - 339. [Abstract] [PDF]