Susan E. Embretson

My interests span modern psychometric methods (e.g., item response theory), cognitive and intelligence, and quantitative methods. My main research program has been to integrate cognitive theory into psychometric models and test design. To this goal, I have been developing new item response theory models and conducting empirical research on the cognitive basis of an individual's responses. Recently, this effort has lead to the exciting possibility of "tests without items". That is, items are automatically generated by artificial intelligence to target levels and cognitive sources of difficulty to optimally measure each individual examinee during testing. The measurement areas have included fluid reasoning, spatial ability, mathematical reasoning and verbal comprehension.

• American Educational Research Association
• American Psychological Association
• President, Division of Measurement, Statistics and Evaluation (1990-1991), Fellow (1984)
• National Council on Measurement in Education
• Psychometric Society. President (1998-1999)
• Society for Multivariate Experimental Psychology President, (1997-1998)

• Embretson, S.E. (2002). Generating abstract reasoning items with cognitive theory. In Irvine, S, & Kyllonen, P. (Eds.) Generating items for cognitive tests: Theory and Practice. Mahwah, NJ:Erlbaum.
• Embretson, S.E. & Gorin, J. (2001). Improving construct validity with cognitive psychology principles. Invited article for Journal of Educational Measurement.
• Embretson, S. E. & Reise, S. (2000). Item response theory for psychologists. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum Publishers.
• Embretson, S.E. (2000). Multidimensional measurement from dynamic tests: Abstract reasoning under stress. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 35, 505-543.>
• Embretson, S. E. & McCollam, K. M. (2000). A multicomponent Rasch model for covert processes. In M. Wilson & G. Engelhard (Eds.), Objective Measurement V. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
• Embretson, S.E. (1999). Generating items during testing: Psychometric issues and models. Psychometrika, 64, 407-433.
• Embretson, S. E. (1998). A cognitive design system approach to generating valid tests: Application to abstract reasoning. Psychological Methods, 3, 300-396.
• Embretson, S. E. (1997). Multicomponent latent trait models. In W. van der Linden & R. Hambleton, Handbook of modern item response theory. New York: Springer-Verlag, pp. 305-322.
• Embretson, S. E. (1996). Item response theory models and inferential bias in multiple group comparisons. Applied Psychological Measurement, 20, 201-212.
• Embretson, S. E. (1995). Working memory capacity versus general central processes in intelligence. Intelligence, 20, 169-189.
• Embretson, S. (1995). A measurement model for linking individual change to processes and knowledge: Application to mathematical learning. Journal of Educational Measurement.
• Embretson, S. E. (1991). A multidimensional latent trait model for measuring learning and change. Psychometrika, 56, 495-516.
• Embretson, S. E. (1984). A general multicomponent latent trait model for response processes. Psychometrika, 49, 175-186.
• Embretson, S. E. (1983). Construct validity: Construct representation versus nomothetic span. Psychological Bulletin, 93, 179-197.