心理测验是通过分析参加者在一份特定的测验中所选择的答案，从而解释及/或分析参加者的心理、性格、喜好或个人观点等的研究方法。测验内的问题可以是选择题、填充题，甚至是画图等。

大多数心理测验只会显示据作答者所答而得出的结果，而没有心理学学术推理过程或临床统计数据。专业的心理测验会有符合资格的心理学家为参加者详细解释参加者所选择不同答案的原因，从而帮助参加者更能了解本身的心理素质。

Psychological testing refers to the administration of psychological tests. A psychological test is "an objective and standardized measure of a sample of behavior" (p. 4). The term sample of behavior refers to an individual's performance on tasks that have usually been prescribed beforehand. The samples of behavior that make up a paper-and-pencil test, the most common type of test, are a series of items. Performance on these items produce a test score. A score on a well-constructed test is believed to reflect a psychological construct such as achievement in a school subject, cognitive ability, aptitude, emotional functioning, personality, etc. Differences in test scores are thought to reflect individual differences in the construct the test is supposed to measure. The technical term for the science behind psychological testing is psychometrics.