Achievement, Guessing, and Risk-Taking Behavior Under Norm Referenced and Criterion Referenced Testing Conditions1

Abstract

This experimental study was designed to determine whether the levels of guessing, risk-taking, or achievement could vary under norm referenced or criterion referenced testing conditions. Subjects were 156 students in an introductory measurement course, systematically assigned to a norm referenced or criterion referenced testing condition. Scores on guessing, risk-taking, achievement under penalty, and achievement without penalty-for-guessing were obtained using a multiple choice procedure suggested by Slakter (1967). Results of multivariate and univariate analysis of variance indicated that students tested under the norm referenced condition earned higher achievement scores than those tested under criterion referenced conditions. A significant relationship was observed between risk-taking and achievement only under the criterion referenced condition.