What is the term for the tendency of a test to yield inaccurate scores due to certain characteristics of the test taker?

The tendency of a test to yield inaccurate scores due to specific characteristics of the test taker is referred to as test bias. This concept encompasses various factors, such as cultural, socioeconomic, or linguistic differences that may affect a test taker's performance. When a test is biased, it may not fairly measure what it aims to assess for all individuals, leading to skewed outcomes and potentially misrepresenting a test taker’s true abilities or knowledge.

Test bias is critical to understand in educational psychology because it highlights the importance of designing assessments that are fair and equitable for all students. This ensures that the scores reflect the individual's actual abilities rather than being influenced by extraneous factors related to their background or personal characteristics. By recognizing and addressing test bias, educators and psychologists can work towards more valid and reliable assessments.

The other options pertain to different concepts in educational measurement. The standard error of estimate relates to the accuracy of predicted scores based on regression analysis. Split-half reliability measures the consistency of a test by comparing scores from two halves. A confidence interval provides a range that is likely to contain the true value of a measurement, rather than being tied specifically to the characteristics of the test taker.