Psychometric Test

Psychometric tests are a standard and scientific method used to measure individuals’ mental capabilities and behavioural style. Psychometric tests are designed to measure candidates’ suitability for a role based on the required personality characteristics and aptitude (or cognitive abilities).

Psychometric tests focus on certain aspects of your knowledge, such as verbal and numerical reasoning, personality traits, and other abilities assessment, such as stamina.

The process of testing candidates is a bimodal process. In order to increase the validity of the psychometric testing process, Psych Press endeavours to assess candidates using both cognitive tests and personality assessments. It has been found that implementing both forms of testing subsequently complements and increases the validity of the assessment process. Detailed below are the main areas of concentration for both cognitive aptitude and personality assessments.

Cognitive / aptitudes psychometric tests

Cognitive abilities (i.e. numerical reasoning and spatial reasoning etc.) are important characteristics to the successful application of skills in many occupations. Psychometric testing can provide key insights into a candidate’s ability to communicate, make decisions and calculate cause and effect in certain occupational scenarios.

Tests are drawn from six main cognitive aptitude types including; Abstract/Conceptual, Verbal, Numerical, Mechanical, Spatial and Emotional reasoning.

Abstract / conceptual reasoning assessments are psychometric tests which focus primarily on a candidate’s level of fluid intelligence. As such these tests measure a candidate’s ability to promptly and accurately learn complex information to aid in problem solving processes. Abstract reasoning tests are culture-fair as questions are presented in diagrammatical form which reduces its emphasis on verbal ability.

Verbal reasoning aptitude testsfocus on the candidate’s ability to effectively pay attention to and communicate business related concepts in a verbal form. These tests pay particular attention to candidate’s effective use of written ideas and information to construct accurate conclusions.

Numerical reasoning aptitude tests establish a candidate’s ability to perform accurate arithmetic to understand and present conclusions regarding numerical data. Central themes emphasised is the analysis of numerical data through the interpretation of graphs and basic calculations.

Mechanical reasoning tests identify a candidate’s ability to perceive and understand the kinetic role of visual objects. These motion and effect tasks are indicative of the techniques used in everyday performance of realistic problem solving tasks. This test takes a diagrammatical form and requires candidates to understand the subsequent effects of the configuration of certain elements.

Spatial reasoning tests focus on a candidate’s ability to perceive, construct and deconstruct visual objects within differing contexts. For example, spatial reasoning tests assess whether candidates are able to mentally flip, rotate and/or fit together objects

Emotional Intelligence reasoning tests target a candidates ability to handle emotional components (e.g. self and others emotional disclosure) in roles such as customer service, human resources, sales roles and team work.
Aptitude Test

An aptitude is a component of a competency to do a certain kind of work at a certain level, which can also be considered “talent”. Aptitudes may be physical or mental. Aptitude is not developed knowledge, understanding, learned or acquired abilities (skills) or attitude. The innate nature of aptitude is in contrast to achievement, which represents knowledge or ability that is gained through learning.

Tests that assess learned skills or knowledge are frequently called achievement tests. However, certain tests can assess both types of constructs. An example that leans both ways is the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), which is given to recruits entering the armed forces of the United States. Another is the SAT, which is designed as a test of aptitude for college in the United States, but has achievement elements. For example, it tests mathematical reasoning, which depends both on innate mathematical ability and education received in mathematics.

Aptitude tests can typically be grouped according to the type of cognitive ability they measure:

1. Fluid intelligence: the ability to think and reason abstractly, effectively solve problems and think strategically. It’s more commonly known as ‘street smarts’ or the ability to ‘quickly think on your feet’. An example of what employers can learn from your fluid intelligence is your suitability for the role for which you are applying

2.Crystallised intelligence: the ability to learn from past experiences and to apply this learning to work-related situations. Work situations that require crystallised intelligence include producing and analysing written reports, comprehending work instructions, using numbers as a tool to make effective decisions, etc.

Intelligence quotient (I.Q. TEST)

An intelligence quotient, or IQ, is a score derived from one of several standardized tests designed to assess human intelligence.The abbreviation “IQ” was coined by the psychologist William Stern. When current IQ tests are developed, the median raw score of the norming sample is defined as IQ 100 and scores each standard deviation (SD) up or down are defined as 15 IQ points greater or less, although this was not always so historical. By this definition, approximately two-thirds of the population scores between IQ 85 and IQ 115, and about 5 percent of the population scores above 125.

IQ scores are used for educational placement, assessment of intellectual disability, and evaluating job applicants. In research contexts they have studied as predictors of job performance, and income. They are also used to study distributions of psychometric intelligence in populations and the correlations between it and other variables. Raw scores on IQ tests for many populations have been rising at an average rate that scales to three IQ points per decade since the early 20th century, a phenomenon called the Flynn effect (When a new version of an IQ test is normed, the standard scoring is set so performance at the population median results in a score of IQ 100. The phenomenon of rising raw score performance means if test-takers are scored by a constant standard scoring rule, IQ test scores have been rising at an average rate of around three IQ points per decade. This phenomenon was named the Flynn effect). Investigation of different patterns of increases in subtest scores can also inform current research on human intelligence.The many different kinds of IQ tests include a wide variety of item content. Some test items are visual, while many are verbal. Test items vary from being based on abstract-reasoning problems to concentrating on arithmetic, vocabulary, or general knowledge.

DBDA (DAVID’S BATTERY OF DIFFERENTIAL ABILITIES)

David’s Battery of Differential Abilities (DBDA) tests, these include the following areas: verbal ability, numerical ability, spatial ability, closure ability, reasoning ability and lastly, mechanical ability. The verbal ability tests measures the level of comprehension to words and ideas both on oral and written language. The numerical ability tests gauges the proficiency in manipulating and playing with numbers and related operations.The spatial ability test is concerned with the skills in perception of spatial patterns with accuracy and is very important in careers such as architecture, interior design, and engineering, to name a few. Closure ability tests are concerned with measuring the ability to fill in the gaps or missing parts of a whole, which is based on the Gestalt psychology. Reasoning ability tests and mechanical ability tests measure logic and understanding of the many basic mechanical principles respectively.

RAVEN’S TEST

The Raven’s Test was designed to minimize the biases that language difference can create to measure your intelligence. It urges the children to show their intelligence with attention to details, remembrance, and spatial interpretation. Raven’s progressive matrices are closer to the functioning scales on a WISC-III or other standardized intelligence tests.

Raven’s Matrices

Raven’s Matrices or Raven’s Progressive Matrices are multiple choice questions of abstract understandings primarily devised by Dr John C. Raven in 1938. Most of the items are presented in the shape of matrices of 3×3 or 2×2. The matrices structure has caused the instrument to be named as Raven’s matrices. You are asked to recognize the missing segment in each test item and complete a larger pattern presented there. The Raven’s Progressive Matrices and Vocabulary tests asess your ability to think clearly and to make sense of complexities. They also test your ability to store and reproduce information, known as reproductive ability.

Forms of Raven’s Matrices

The Ravens test has three main forms and one extended form of the matrices.

1- Raven’s Standard Matrices

Standard Raven’s Matrices are the original form of the matrices. They were used in 1938 for the first time. It is comprised of five sets and each set has 12 items. You need to have a greater level of cognitive ability to solve the questions correctly. You are not only required to understand the information but also analyze critically. All items are presented in written form in black ink on a white background.

2- Raven’s Colour Matrices

Colour Raven’s Matrices are designed for children and the elderly people with learning handicaps. The Raven’s test consists of sets A and B from the standard matrices and a further set of 12 items is inserted between the two sets, as set Ab. Most of the items are presented on a coloured background to make the test more conspicuous for the participants. But the last few items in set B are kept black on white background

3- Raven’s AdvancedMatrices

The Raven’s advanced matrices consist of two sets and 48 items. The first set contains 12 items while the other contains 36. Items are presented in black on white background. In this way they become increasingly difficult when progress is made through each set. These items are difficult for adults and adolescents who are of above average intelligence.

4- Extended form of the Matrices

In 1998 parallel forms of the standard and coloured progressive matrices were introduced. The extended forms were included in the parallel tests which were constructed in a way that average solution to each question was identical for the both the versions. Along with these an extended form of the matrices was also published to test young men and adults.