(PEER RESPONSE) PSY 603- Module 4 Discussion: The Case of Peter Parker
Reply to the following 2 classmates with constructive feedback that identifies comments that stood out to you along with new analysis, ideas, questions, or other comments that extend their learning and yours. One (1) of the responses must be supported by academic/peer-reviewed source. Each response must be at least 150+ words for full credit.
CLASSMATE #1 Laguerre, Emerald
Case of Peter Parker
Based on initial evaluations, Peter Parker was diagnosed with a depressive disorder as a result of the death of his parents and the recent loss of his beloved uncle along with a personality change due to a medical condition. Aggression, paranoia, disinhibition, apathy, and emotional lability have been noted as direct results of personality change. To determine which aptitude tests are appropriate for Peter Parker prior to college enrollment, it is important to consider tests with high predictive validity.
Unlike achievement tests which focus on assessing an individual’s current level of performance, aptitude tests are typically utilized to predict future behavior. In other words, it measures an individual’s potential skill level or capacity for success in a particular activity (Sheperis et al., 2020). There are several potential aptitude tests that can be implemented to evaluate Peter. For example, the PSAT/NMSQT should be considered since it helps in preparation for the SAT and allows students to enter the competition for scholarships from the National Merit Scholar Corporation. Another aptitude is, of course, the SAT which was previously known as the Scholastic Aptitude test. It can be applied to determine if Peter possesses the mathematical, critical reading, and writing skills to succeed in college-level classes. In consideration of Peter’s propensity for a scientific career path, the SAT Subjects Tests for biology and chemistry should also be considered.
Unfortunately, there are certain biases that can arise that the examiner should be cautious about when using aptitude tests. Race, socioeconomic status, and gender are factors that can contribute to bias in standardized testing specifically, aptitude tests. However, one bias that can be overlooked is expectation bias. One study by Washington State University examined the impact of expectation bias by comparing individual student expectations and subsequent college outcomes. The study determined that many adolescents do not fully understand the role of academic preparation and this inaccuracy in educational expectations can occur across socioeconomic statuses (Cowan, 2018). While Peter’s performance in high school suggests that he recognizes the importance of academic preparation, it is unclear if he is currently capable of managing his expectations and demonstrating the emotional regulation to perform well in college. For that reason, emotional aptitude tests should also be considered in combination with the tests discussed as a predictor of future academic performance in Peter Parker’s case.
CLASSMATE #2 Jackson, Tiasia
Case of Peter Parker
The case presented is about Peter Parker whose characters have recently changed as noted by his auntie. Peter Parker is a 17 years old boy, who lost her parents in the US military forces. After losing both her parents, her auntie and uncle adopted him and have been raising him to their level best. However, a tragedy has recently happened which left his uncle shot by gangsters and peter have been blaming himself for what happened. According to him he could have saved his uncle’s life. Peter now feels worthless, he has changed his behaviors and how he seems to be getting angry very fast. He seems to be depressed from due to guilt and self-reapproach for not being there to help his uncle. There also indicators that shows that he likely to be involved in risky erratic vigilante behaviors capitalizing on spider bite-induced changes in personality and abilities to repair and self-reapproach. (Sheperis, Drummond, & Jones, 2020)
There are amplitude tests that can be used to evaluate Peter Parker’s situation. Amplitude tests are used to evaluate a people performs on specific tasks to predict how a person will perform sometime in the future or in a different situation (Stringer, 2008). The tests are mostly concerned with an individual’s ability to perform tasks and react situations at work. An example of amplitude test that would be used to evaluate Parker’s ability to learn or succeed in college, given all the changes that have been happening to his life after losing his uncle and being bitten by a spider in the museum is the Differential Aptitude Tests for Personnel and Career Assessment (Sheperis, Drummond, & Jones, 2020). Secondly, Psychomotor tests would also be used to measure Parker’s special abilities such as his speed, or ability to climb walls. A specific test that focuses on abilities that Parker might show in the future is the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, 2nd Edition (BOT-2). The tests examine motor skills in individuals who are between the ages of 4-21 years old. The test assesses fine motor skills, manual dexterity, coordination, balance, and strength and agility. All these features are what Peter shows, when he acts as the spiderman later in future. However, the tests are biased since they focus on the employment sector only, they are not diverse to other people with special gifts such as Peter Parker.
