Psychometric tests are basically tools used for measuring the mind; the word ‘metric’ means measure and the word ‘psycho’ means mind. There are two types of psychometric test, which are usually used in tandem. These are aptitude tests, which assess your abilities, and personality questionnaires, which assess your character and personality.
In contrast to specific proficiencies, intelligence tests are standard examinations devised to measure human intelligence as distinct from attainments. There are several different types of intelligence test, for example, Cattell, Stanford — Binet and Wechsler, each having its own different scale of intelligence.
The Stanford — Binet is heavily weighted with questions involving verbal abilities and is widely used in the United States of America, and the Weschler scales consist of two separate verbal and performance sub-scales, each with its own IQ rating.
It is generally agreed by advocates of IQ testing that an individual’s IQ rating is mainly hereditary and remains constant in development to about the age of 13, after which it is shown to slow down, and beyond the age of 18 little or no improvement is found. It is further agreed that the most marked increase in a person’s IQ takes place in early childhood, and theories are continually put forward about different contributory factors, for example, it has been claimed recently, following research in Japan, that the playing of computer games by children, which involve a high degree of skill and agility of mind, have resulted in higher IQ measurement.
IQ Tests are standardised after being given to many thousands of people and an average IQ (100) established, a score above or below this norm being used to establish the subject’s actual IQ rating.
Because beyond the age of 18 little or no improvement in a person’s IQ rating is found, the method of calculating the IQ of a child is different to the method used for an adult.
When measuring the IQ of a child, the subject will attempt an IQ test which has been standardized with an average score recorded for each age group. Thus, a child aged 10 years who scored the results expected of a child of 12 would have an IQ of 120, calculated as follows:
However, adults have to be judged on an IQ test whose average score is 100 and their results graded above and below this norm according to known scores. A properly validated test would have to be given to some 20,000 people and the results correlated before it would reveal an accurate measurement of a person’s IQ.
Like most distributions found in nature, the distribution of IQ takes the form of a fairly regular bell-curve (see diagram above). On the Stanford — Binet scale, half the population fall between 90 and 110 IQ, half of them above 100 and half of them below; 25% score above 110; 11% above 120; 3% above 130 and 0.6% above 140. At the other end of the scale the same kind of proportion occurs.
The earliest known attempts to rank people in terms of intelligence date back to the Chinese Mandarin system, circa 500 B.C., when studying the works of Confucius enabled successful candidates to enter the public service. The top 1% of candidates were successful in progressing to the next stage, where they would again be run off against each other, and the procedure repeated yet again through a final layer of selection. Thus, the chosen candidates were in the top 1% of the top 1% of the top 1%.
The first attempt to measure scientifically the difference between the mental abilities of individuals was made by Sir Francis Galton in the nineteenth century, when he tried to show that the human mind could be systematically mapped into different dimensions.
The first modern intelligence test was devised in 1905 by the French psychologists Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon after they were commissioned by the French government to construct tests that would ensure no child be denied admittance to the Paris school system without formal examination. The pair developed a 30-item test, which included a wide range of different types of problems.
In 1916, the American psychologist Lewis Terman revised the Binet — Simon scale to provide comparison standards for Americans from age 3 to adulthood and the concept of the ratio of the mental age to chronological age, multiplied by 100, was added. Terman devised the term ‘intelligence quotient’ and developed the Stanford — Binet intelligence test to measure IQ after joining the faculty of Stanford University as professor of education. The Stanford — Binet test was further revised in 1937 and 1960 and remains today one of the most widely used of all intelligence tests.
In the mid-nineteenth century psychologists used information-loaded tests to assess the intelligence of their clients. Later, psychologists introduced the concept of mental speed when assessing performance. Around 1930, Furneaux demonstrated that a relationship did exist between power, meaning the absolute difficulty of a problem, and speed, meaning the time a person required to solve it. By increasing the difficulty by 30%, you double the time required to solve it, but a 60% increase will lengthen the time five-fold.
The first IQ testing on a mass scale was carried out by the US army during the First World War. Personality tests or character tests soon followed, but in the 1920s and 1930s studies began to define more closely the general concept of intelligence. What emerged was recognition of fluid and crystallised intelligence. Fluid intelligence was measured by references to spatial items, such as diagrams, drawings or pegs, and crystallised intelligence was measured through language and number.
There are many different types of intelligence tests; however, a typical IQ test might consist of three sections, each testing a different ability, usually comprising verbal reasoning, numerical ability and diagrammatic, or spatial, reasoning. In order to assess your overall general ability, the questions in the test that follows are multi-discipline and include a mix of verbal, numerical and diagrammatic questions, as well as additional questions involving logical thought processes together with a degree of lateral thinking.
While it is accepted that IQ is hereditary and remains constant throughout life and, therefore, it is not possible to improve your actual IQ, one weakness of this type of testing is that it is possible to improve your performance on IQ tests by practising the many different types of question, and learning to recognise the recurring themes.
In subsequent chapters of this book, readers will have ample opportunity to test themselves in different areas of brain activity and to identify their strengths and weakness in specific areas of intelligence.
It must be emphasised that a person who is good at IQ tests is not necessarily capable of excelling at academic tests, regardless of how logical and quick-witted he=she is. Often motivation and dedication are more important than a high measured IQ rating. To score highly on an academic test requires the ability to concentrate on a single subject, obtain an understanding of it, and revise solidly in order to memorise facts prior to an examination. Often it is difficult for someone with a high IQ to do this because of an overactive and enquiring mind, which cannot direct itself on one subject for very long and forever wishes to diversify. Such a person would have to apply a high level of self-discipline in order to succeed at academic tests but, if able to apply this self-discipline, would be likely to obtain a high pass mark.
Because the test that follows has been newly compiled for this book, it has not been standardised, so an actual IQ assessment cannot be given. Nevertheless, a guide to assessing your performance is provided in the Answers section.
A time limit of 90 minutes is allowed for completing all 40 questions. The correct answers are given at the end of the test, and you should award yourself one point for each completely correct answer. You should not exceed the time limit, otherwise your score will be invalidated.
Where preferred, the use of a calculator is permitted on numerical questions, except where indicated.
Test 1.1 IQ test
1. The white dot moves two places anti-clockwise at each stage and the black dot moves one place clockwise at each stage. After how many stages will they be together in the same corner?
2.
3. Put the following words into alphabetical order:arthropod, artificer, art
eriole, artichoke, arthritis, articular, artillery, arthritic
4. Which two words are most opposite in meaning?imaginary, realistic, illegible, impracticable, radical, embellished
5. What numbers should replace the question marks?
6. Which group of letters is the odd one out?
7. Identify two words (one from each set of brackets) that form a connection (analogy) when paired with the words in capitals.RESTRAIN (suppress, deny, conceal)
WITHHOLD (curb, reserve, conceal)
8.
Which figure should replace the question mark?
9. Spell out a 12-letter word by moving from letter to adjacent letter, horizontally and vertically (but not diagonally). You must find the starting point and provide the missing letters.
10. What numbers should replace the question marks?100, 95, ?, 79, 68, ?, 40, 23
11. Associate is to colleague as accomplice is to:consort, friend, accessory, comrade, follower
12. Which is the odd one out?famous, illustrious, acclaimed, fabulous, noteworthy
13. What number should replace the question mark?
14. Which is the odd one out?
15. GAINED VOTE is an anagram of which two words that are similar in meaning?
16. What number should replace the question mark?
17. Which word in brackets is most opposite in meaning to the word in capitals?MITIGATE (augment, palliate, appreciate, trust, destroy)
18.
Which shape below is identical to the shape above?
19. Which two words are closest in meaning?educated, clear, literal, enervated, wordy, verbatim
20. What number should replace the question mark?
21.
is to
as
is to
22. What letter is three to the right of the letter immediately to the left of the letter which is four to the left of the letter G?A B C D E F G H
23. Which word in brackets is closest in meaning to the word in capitals?HABITUATED (constant, accustomed, colonized, commonplace, energetic)
24.
Which is the missing tile?
25. When full, a barrel of water contains 85 litres. How many litres remain after 40% has been used? (the use of a calculator is not permitted in this question).
26. DECISIVE LARK is an anagram of which two words that are opposite in meaning?
27.
is to
as
is to
28. What number should replace the question mark?0, 19, 38, 57, ?, 95
29.
What comes next?
30. What number should replace the question mark?
31. Switch A turns lights 1 and 2 on=off or off=on. Switch B turns lights 2 and 4 on=off or off=on. Switch C turns lights 1 and 3 on=off or off=on.
Switches A, C and B are thrown in turn, with the result that Figure 1 turns into Figure 2. Which of the switches A, B or C must, therefore, be faulty?Fig. 1
Fig. 2
32. Which is the odd one out?
33. What number should replace the question mark?
34.
Which is the missing tile?
35. Start at one of the four corner letters and spiral clockwise round the perimeter, finishing at the centre letter to spell out a nine-letter word. You must provide the missing letters.
36. What number should replace the question mark?10, 21, 33, 46, 60, 75, ?
37.
When the above is folded to form a cube, which is the only one of the following that can be produced?
38. Joe has one and a half times as many as Mo, and Mo has one and a half times as many as Flo. Altogether they have 76. How many has each?
39. Which one of the following sentences is correct?• The Gardener’s Association debated whether to hold it’s bi-annual flower show at the beginning of April and September, or at the end of April and September each year.
• The Gardeners’ Association debated whether to hold its biennial flower show at the beginning of April and September, or at the end of April and September each year.
• The Gardeners’ Association debated whether to hold it’s bi-annual flower show at the beginning of April and September, or at the end of April and September each year.
• The Gardeners’ Association debated whether to hold its bi-annual flower show at the beginning of April and September, or at the end of April and September each year.
• The Gardener’s Association debated whether to hold its biennial flower show at the beginning of April and September, or at the end of April and September each year.
• The Gardeners’ Association debated whether to hold it’s bi-annual flower show at the beginning of April and September, or at the end of April and September each year.
• The Gardener’s Association debated whether to hold it’s biennial flower show at the beginning of April and September, or at the end of April and September each year.
40. What number should replace the question mark?
2
Specific aptitude tests
In the somewhat complex area of psychometric testing, the terminology and procedures involved are sometimes misunderstood or misinterpreted.
The word ‘aptitude’ is often misused to mean ability or achievement, and in the context of psychometric testing aptitude may be regarded as just another way of referring to specific ability. There is, however, a subtle technical difference between the three words ‘achievement’, ‘ability’ and ‘aptitude’, which can be distinguished as follows:Achievement — what you have accomplished in the past.
Ability — what you are able to demonstrate in the present.
Aptitude — how quickly or easily you will be able to learn in the future.
Psychometric tests can be broadly divided into two main categories:1. Tests of maximum performance, such as ability or aptitude.
2. Tests of typical performance, such as personality or interest.
An ability test is designed to measure maximum performance and potential in a number of areas. These abilities can be measured separately, or combined to give an assessment of overall general ability. Often tests are constructed so that they relate to a specific job or skill and assess things such as perceptual speed or mechanical reasoning.
Examples of ability tests are; general intelligence tests (IQ tests), knowledge-based attainment tests and aptitude tests, which test the ability to use knowledge.
Ability is a very general term which can be applied to many different types of specific ability. There are, in fact, over 50 different human abilities, although these fall within the following four main categories:1. Cognitive reasoning — verbal, numerical, abstract, perceptual, spatial, mechanical. A very broad and general definition of the word ‘cognition’ is: knowing, perceiving and thinking. It is studied by psychologists because it reveals the extent of a person’s ability to think.
2. Psychomotor — eye and hand coordination.
3. Sensory — hearing, touch, sense, smell, sight.
4. Physical — stamina and strength.
There are nine different types of aptitude, which may be summarised as follows:1. General learning — learn and understand, reason and make judgements, e.g. how well we achieve at school.
2. Verbal aptitude — general lexical skills; understanding words and using them effectively.
3. Numerical aptitude — general mathematical skills; working with numbers quickly and accurately.
4. Spatial aptitude — understanding geometric forms; the understanding and identification of patterns and their meaning, e.g. understanding how to construct a flat-pack piece of furniture from a set of instructions.
5. Form perception — studying and perceiving details in objects and=or graphic material. Making visual comparisons between shapes, e.g. inspecting an object under a microscope in a laboratory; quality inspection of goods in a factory.
6. Clerical perception — reading, analysing and obtaining details from written data or tabulated material, e.g. proo
f reading, analysing reports.
7. Motor coordination — eye and hand coordination. Making rapid movement response quickly and accurately, e.g. actually being able to assemble the flat pack piece of furniture once you have understood how it should be done; being able to operate a keyboard quickly and accurately; sporting skills.
8. Finger dexterity — manipulating small objects quickly and accurately, e.g. playing a piano, sewing.
9. Manual dexterity — the skill of being able to work with your hands, e.g. painting and decorating, building things, operating machinery.
In the case of most aptitude tests there is usually a set time limit which must be strictly adhered to in order for the test to be valid, and there is usually an average score which has been standardised in comparison with a group of people who have taken the same test.
When taken under these conditions there may be up to five levels of test performance expressed in percentage terms in comparison with the average score established:1. Top 10% of population — extremely high degree of aptitude.
2. Top one-third (excluding top 10%) — high degree of aptitude.
The Complete Book of Intelligence Tests Page 2