Abstract

With increasing emphasis on psychological training of athletes at all levels of performance, testing of psychological characteristics of athletes has gained importance over the decades. The two approaches to effect this task are: (1) the use of general psychometric tests to study athletic behaviour and (2) construction, standardisation and administration of sport-specific psychological tests. Both approaches have their respective merits and demerits and the debate over them is inconclusive. For example, all general psychometric tests were never developed to be used on athletic populations; this raises a big question mark on their validity in athletic contexts. The increasing number of sport-specific tests face two formidable challenges: (1) validity of the methodological procedures used to construct them and (2) the possibility of their application in different sport settings; for instance, a test of motivation constructed for badminton players to be used to collect data on gymnastic athletes and vice versa. The abstract of nature most psychological variables poses another big challenge to sport psychologists to collect data under dynamic athletic conditions and objectify if. There is, therefore, a need for a concerted effort to resolve this tangle. The presentation highlights important aspects of this most important issue in sport psychology.