Qu'est-ce que Psychometrics ?

Definition

Psychometrics is the scientific field concerned with the theory and technique of psychological measurement. In an HR context, it refers to the use of standardised, statistically validated tests to measure individual differences in cognitive ability, personality, emotional intelligence, interests, values and attitudes — with the goal of predicting behaviour and performance in work settings.

In practice

A quality psychometric instrument must demonstrate four key properties: reliability (consistent results across time and raters), validity (it measures what it claims to measure), standardisation (scored against a relevant norm group), and fairness (no unjustified adverse impact against protected groups). Published psychometric tools come with technical manuals documenting these properties. In selection, well-validated cognitive ability tests (such as Watson Glaser, Raven's Progressive Matrices, or SHL Verify) and personality questionnaires (Hogan, OPQ, NEO-PI-R) provide objective, legally defensible data to complement interviews. Practitioners should have accreditation (e.g. BPS Level A and B in the UK, equivalent certifications in Belgium) to administer and interpret results responsibly.

Key takeaway

"Psychometric test" is not a synonym for "personality quiz" — verify the scientific credentials of any tool before using it in selection, as quality varies enormously across the market.