The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between achievement in an introductory course in developmental psychology and knowledge of word-meanings in that area. It is a preliminary study, to be expanded as additional data are collected. Several studies exist which show a significant relationship between general vocabulary and college grade-point average, usually the first term average. The studies of Bernard (1), Bolton (2), and Templeman (4) are typical. Levine (3) developed a psychological vocabulary test in analogy form at the University of Minnesota which is used for both selection and evaluation in graduate and undergraduate psychology classes there

Bath, John A.

Charles, Don C.

Name not available

Vocabulary and Achievement in Developmental Psychology

University of Northern Iowa

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science Volume 65 Annual Issue Article 56 1958 Vocabulary and Achievement in Developmental Psychology Don C. Charles Iowa State College John A. Bath Iowa State College Let us know how access to this document benefits you Copyright ©1958 Iowa Academy of Science, Inc. Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias Recommended Citation Charles, Don C. and Bath, John A. (1958) "Vocabulary and Achievement in Developmental Psychology," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 65(1), 377-380. Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol65/iss1/56 This Research is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa Academy of Science at UNI ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science by an authorized editor of UNI ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact scholarworks@uni.edu. Vocabulary and Achievement in Developmental Psychology By DoN C. CHARLES and JoHN A. BATH The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship be-tween achievement in an introductory course in developmental psy-chology and knowledge of word-meanings in that area. It is a preliminary study, to be expanded as addit:onal data are collected. Several studies exist which show a significant relationship between general vocabulary and college grade-point average, usually the first term average. The studies of Bernard ( 1), Bolton ( 2), and Temple-man ( 4) are typical. Levine ( 3) developed a psychological vocabu-lary test in analogy form at the University of Minnesota which is used for both selection and evaluation in graduate and undergraduate psychology classes there. PROCEDURE Test The original test was developed from a word-list of 150 items chosen from texts and lectures in developmental psychology. This word-list was given to students in such a course for short definitions in their own language. A multip'e-choice vocabulary test was then constructed, using many of the student responses as distractors. The test was administered to similar classes the next term. This test was item-analyzed and a revioed form was developed. In its final form, the test contained 100 multiple-choice items with four alternatives which covered the major subdivis'ons of deve1opment3l psychology. Students have been able to complete this test quite readily in a 50-minute class period. Subjects The subjects of this preliminary study were 85 students in a one-quarter, life-span developmental psychology course, who had taken one three-quarter-hour general psychology course previously. Method The vocabulary test was administered during the first week and again during the final week of the quarter. Achievement was meas-ured in this course by two objective tests given during the term and a final test at the end of the term. A total of 240 items appeared in these tests. American Council on Education Psychological Examina-tion test scores were available for all students. 377 1Charles and Bath: Vocabulary and Achievement in Developmental PsychologyPublished by UNI ScholarWorks, 1958IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE [Vol. 65 Data were analyzed by correlational techniques among the various tests and measures. RESULTS The data are presented in three tables. Table 1 shows the mean scores on the various tests. It will be noted that a significant rise in score occurred between the initial vocabulary test (hereafter referred to as Vocabulary 1) and the retest (hereafter referred to as Vocabu-lary 2). Table I Mean Test Scores Measure Mean S.D. --------Vocabulary 1 Vocabulary 2 Difference, Vocabulary 1 and 2 ACE total score ACE L-score Total Achievement score *Significant at .01 level 47.09 54.50 7.41 * 112.23 67.53 157 .09 10. 66 11.32 6.69 22.25 15.17 15.51 Table 2 shows zero-order correlations of the various tests. Vo-cabulary 1 has a slightly lower r with the achievement score than does either A.C.E. Total or A.C.E. Linguistic score, but all relation-ships are highly significant except the r between the Vocabulary 1 and 2 Difference score and Achievement. Measure Table 2 Intercorrelations of Test Scores Diff. Vocab. Vocab. 2 Vocab. 1 & 2 ACE T ACE L Vocabulary 1 Achievement .82* .56* .60* .45* ________ .0_6 ____ ._5_1 * ___ __c·5~1 *_ *r significant at .01 level In Table 3, partial and mult'ple correlations are presented. The partial r between Vocabulary 1 and Achievement is .24 with A.C.E. Total score held constant, and .21 with A.C.E. L-score held constant. These rs just miss being significant at the .01 level. The multiple Rs are highly significant. Table 3 Partial and Multiple Correlations of Test Scores Partial r 14.2 = .24* 14.3 = .21* Multiple R 4.12 = .55** 4.13 = .54** - -----------~- --·---~,--- ·-----·--------------!=Vocabulary 1 2=ACE Total Score 3=ACE Linguistic Score 4=Acbievement Score *Significant at .OS level **Signilicant at .01 level 2Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, Vol. 65 [1958], No. 1, Art. 56https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol65/iss1/561958] VOCABULARY AND ACHIEVEMENT 379 DISCUSSION The vocabulary test was developed originally out of the investi-gators' curiosity about the relationship between word knowledge and achievement in a given area, because word-understanding seemed to be a major problem among students who had difficulty in the class achievement tests. The resulting test proved to be slightly less related to class achieve-ment than was academic aptitude as measured by the A.C.E. test. The correlation coefficients found were of the same order as those found in studies of general vocabulary and general achievement ( 1, 2, 4). Levine's Psycho-Analogies combining intelligence and knowledge elements in one test, had a higher relationship to achieve-ment (r=.69) in one course (3). The Vocabulary 1 test retained a significant relationship (at the .05 level) when A.C.E. was held constant. The multiple Rs were significantly greater (at the .01 level) than the Vocabulary 1 test alone. The multiple was signific:int:y greater (at the .05 level) than the A.C.E. Total alone, but just missed sig-nificance at this level when the L-score alone was used. It appears that the vocabulary test in general tapped a verbal-knowledge-aptitude area like the A.C.E., but in addition had some independent contribution to make in judging aptitude or readiness to learn developmental psychology. However, since this independent contribution was of borderline significance, further research will be necessary to determine whether its use is warranted as a predictor of achievement. Since a significant gain in score occurred (without any attempt to teach vocabulary per se) it may prove to have future use as an evaluator of achievement. A further study of the internal structure of the test will be made to determine whether sub-areas such as phys'.cal development, in-tellectual development, etc. will be revealed. If such factors exist the test might have use as a diagnostic device in the developmental area. SUMMARY The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship be-tween word knowledge and achievement in development:il psy-chology. A 100-item multiple choice test was constructed to measure knowledge of words used in the field. Test scores were related sig-nificantly to achievement in a one-term course. This relationship was still significant, but was at a lower level, when academic aptitude as measured by the A.C.E. was held conshnt. Further research will be necessary to test the value of the instrument for prediction, achievement evalution and diagnosis. 3Charles and Bath: Vocabulary and Achievement in Developmental PsychologyPublished by UNI ScholarWorks, 1958380 IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE lVol. 65 Literature Cited 1. Bernard, H. W. Some relationships of vocabulary to scholarship. School and Society, 1940. 51, 494-496. 2. Bolton, Eurie B. Predictive value of the Columbia and Michigan Vocabu-lary tests for academic achievement. Peabody Journal of Education, 1954. 32, 9-21. 3. Levine, Abraham S. Minnesota Psycho-Analogies Test. Journal of Applied Psychology, 1950. 34, 300-305. 4. Templeman, W. D. Vocabulary and success in college. Tour>zal of Higher Education, 1942. 13, 213-215. DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY IOW'A STATE COLLEGE AMES, loW'A 4Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, Vol. 65 [1958], No. 1, Art. 56https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol65/iss1/56

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