Bayesian Psychometric Modeling

A Single Cohesive Framework of Tools and Procedures for Psychometrics and Assessment

Bayesian Psychometric Modeling presents a unified Bayesian approach across traditionally separate families of psychometric models. It shows that Bayesian techniques, as alternatives to conventional approaches, offer distinct and profound advantages in achieving many goals of psychometrics.

Adopting a Bayesian approach can aid in unifying seemingly disparate―and sometimes conflicting―ideas and activities in psychometrics. This book explains both how to perform psychometrics using Bayesian methods and why many of the activities in psychometrics align with Bayesian thinking.

The first part of the book introduces foundational principles and statistical models, including conceptual issues, normal distribution models, Markov chain Monte Carlo estimation, and regression. Focusing more directly on psychometrics, the second part covers popular psychometric models, including classical test theory, factor analysis, item response theory, latent class analysis, and Bayesian networks. Throughout the book, procedures are illustrated using examples primarily from educational assessments. A supplementary website provides the datasets, WinBUGS code, R code, and Netica files used in the examples.

Roy Levy is an associate professor of measurement and statistical analysis in the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics at Arizona State University. His primary research and teaching interests include methodological developments and applications of psychometrics and statistics to assessment, education, and the social sciences. He has received awards from the President of the United States, Division D of the American Educational Research Association, and the National Council on Measurement in Education.

Robert J. Mislevy is the Frederic M. Lord Chair in Measurement and Statistics at Educational Testing Service. He was previously a professor of measurement and statistics at the University of Maryland and an affiliated professor of second language acquisition and survey methodology. His research applies developments in statistics, technology, and psychology to practical problems in assessment, including the development of multiple-imputation analysis in the National Assessment of Educational Progress. He is a member of the National Academy of Education and has been a president of the Psychometric Society. He has received awards from the National Council on Measurement in Education and Division D of the American Educational Research Association.