INTRODUCTION
Test Developer: John.C.Raven
Type of Test: Measures Intellectual Efficiency
non-verbal multiple choice measures of the reasoning component of Spearman's g , which is often referred to as general intelligence.
The tests were originally developed by John C.
Raven in 1938.
In each test item, the subject is asked to identify the missing element that completes a pattern. Many patterns are presented in the form of a 4x4, 3x3, or 2x2 matrix, giving the test its name
John C. Raven, a student of the English psychologist Charles Spearman.
In 1904, Charles Spearman stated his “eclectic two-factor theory” using factor
analysis as method. John Raven constructed his test on this theoretical basis.
Versions
The Matrices are available in three different forms for participants of different ability:
o Standard Progressive Matrices:
These were the original form of the matrices, published in 1938.
Comprises of five sets (A to E) of 12 items each.
In black ink on a white background.
o Coloured Progressive Matrices:
Designed for children aged 5 through 11 years the elderly, and mentally and physically
impaired individuals.
This test contains sets A and B from the standard matrices, with a further set of 12 items inserted between the two, as set Ab.
Background :Most items coloured background to make the test visually stimulating.
o Advanced Progressive Matrices:
The advanced form of the matrices contains 48 items, presented as one set of 12 (set I), and another of 36 (set II)
Items are again presented in black ink on a
white background.
Originally drafted in 1943 for use at War Office Selection Board
In 1947 revised for general use.
Significance: non- verbal, less time consuming.
Information obtained more exact & valuable.
Why it was revised?
Problem encountered:
Proper order could not be determined.
1962 Edition:
G.A.Foulds , A.R.Forbes & H.G. Beavers: 12 problems removed of Set II. Remaining
arranged in ascending order ,score revised as 0 to 36.
2 sets of problems :
i. Set I-12 problems (short practice test)
,covers all intellectual processes covered by standard progressive matrices sets
A,B,C,D,E.
ii. Set II -36 problems (speed test), involves
assessment of all analytical and integral operations of higher thought processes & differentiate among people„s intellect.
Working period -40 mins. Gives satisfactory distribution of scores.
Uses:
Guide for selecting students or trainees wishing to pursue advanced science or technical studies.
To assess person‟s probable success he‟s
likely to achieve in a course of study.
Differentiates among people of even superior intellectual ability.
Can be used as an individual as well as group test.
Set I:
o Used to indicate in a few minutes where a person tends to come whether a person is dullest(10%) of adults, average(80%) or brightest(10%).
o 1st problem is shown: explained that upper figure is a pattern with a piece cut out of it.
Figures below are the parts missing ;only one is correct.
o Apart from this no further explanation is given
o Dull people: Difficulty in 1st five problems. Score
less than 6.
o Average people: No difficulty with 1st four
Bright people : Seldom fail to solve any ,if do any mistake is due to carelessness
Set II:
o Can be given as an untimed capacity test for those who succeeds in solving at least half questions of set I
o He is told that problems are exactly like set I
o Problems get difficult more slowly
o He is told that he must try each in turn from the
beginning to end of this book without turning back or missing any
o He is told that he can have as much time as he likes
o People usually take an hour to complete all they can do
Instructions for using scale as a
group test
Material required:
For examiner:
o One set of instructions for administration
o One stop watch
o One copy of APM-Set I booklet
o One copy APM-Set II booklet
One copy APM answer sheet
For subject:
o One copy APM-Answer sheet
o One copy APM-Set I booklet
o One copy APM-Set II booklet
Psychometric properties of apm indicated by experimental survey
Re-test reliability:
o 1947 version of APM was given to selected
group of people.
o Subjects were told it was a test of
observation and clear thinking
o Set II was given with a time limit of 40
minutes
o Appropriate group of subjects were also
given set II to rework after an interval of 6-8 weeks.
Findings:
No. tested
Ist test 2ND test Age
(yrs) r. 109 13.04 5.93 15.07 6.00 10.6 0.76 92 13.77 6.64 16.38 6.74 12.6 0.86 243 22.06 8.95 25.59 9.38 Adult students 0.91 Mean S.D Mean S.D.
VALIDITY (children 12-13 yrs)
Scores F E D C B A Grammer school
48-45 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 44-41 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 36-33 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 32-29 _ _ _ _ _ 2 3 28-25 _ 1 _ _ 1 10 18 24-21 _ 4 1 1 2 17 34 20-17 _ 11 15 15 18 21 31 16-13 8 12 11 7 10 9 15 12-9 10 7 13 10 5 5 9 8-5 13 4 2 3 3 _ 1 4-1 9 1 _ _ 1 _ _ 0 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ No. 40 40 42 36 40 64 111 mean 8.2 14.9 14.5 14.6 15.6 20 24 S.D 4.1 5.1 3.8 4.2 4.7 4.8 4.9
Item analysis of APM
SET II
In 1947,Series of the test was given with a forty-minute time limit.
An item analysis was carried out for;
To check the behaviour individuals. To determine how the remaining
problems varied in order of difficulty.
To examine the erroneous figure
Samples of upto 25 test protocol were
drawn at every total test score between 0 and 48.
For each total score between 21 and
41,inclusive,it was possible to a sample of this size.
One hundred and ten people obtained scores of less than 21.
outside this range score were as follows:
Scores < 21 N Scores >41 N 20 19 42 18 19 12 43 6 18 12 44 3 17 11 45 2 16 8 46 0 15 11 47 1 48 0
It is important to know as much as
possible about the behavior of the test at the extermes.
The detailed item analysis was extend to cover all available score groups
Method of Analysis
An item analysis in which consists of
simply correlating performance on each item with total score on the scale as a whole fails to show how, for example, people of different levels of ability cope with this test.
It also tells us nothing about the
distribution of choices amongst the eight available figures from which selection has to b made.
In view of this, It was agreed that the method of item analysis to be used in this study should conform to that used for earlier analysis of the matrices scale.
Each group of subjects obtaining a given score should be treated as a
representative sample of persons of that level of “Matrices Ability”.
The behavior of each item should be examined at each such score level.
The information made it possible to determine at any given scores:
a) The number of people who chose the correct figure
to solve each problem.
b) The frequency with which each of the other seven
erroneous figure was chosen.
c) The frequency with which any given problem was
not attempted.
d) Changes in the frequency with which any given
problem was solved as the total score on the scale increased.
e) Any significant changes in the type of erroneous
Common Errors
The APM is designed to be essentially a test of clear accurate thinking.
If under the stress of time, the main objective of comparing the errors that from the time any given item becomes psychologically problematic.
There should be no misleading type of erroneous figure.
Four types of error could be identified;
1. Incomplete solutions.
2. Arbitrary lines of reasoning. 3. Over-determined choices. 4. Repetitions.
1. Incomplete solution :
These were errors due to people failing to grasp all the variables determining the
nature of the correct figure required to complete a test item.
An example of this scene is in problem 13,
in which people choose figure 6 instead of figure 2 .
This type of an error is referred to in Table APM VI as an Incomplete correlate.
2. Arbitrary lines of reasoning:
Here the figure chosen suggests that the person has used a principal of reasoning qualitatively different from that demanded by the problem.
An example of this scene is in problem 16 in which people chose figure 1 instead of figure 4.
This type of errors will be referred as wrong principle.
3. Over-determined choices:
These were errors involving failure to discriminate irrelevant qualities in the figure chosen. and to
choose a figure which combined as many as
possible of the individual characters shown in the matrix to be completed.
An example of this scene in problem 7 in which people chose figure 2 instead of figure 6.
It may be regarded as a form of over-inclusive
thinking ,but as people who are not schizophrenic make errors of this type they will be described as
4. Repetitions:
These are errors made by people who simply selected a figure identical with one of three figures in the matrix
immediately adjacent to the space to be filled.
An example of this is seen in problem 6
in which people chose figure 7 instead of figure 1.
The types of erroneous choices varied as the total scores on the test increased.
In order to compare the errors made at successive levels of intellectual ability, the revised scale as a whole was divided into three equal parts.
For problems1-12,a comparative study of erroneous choices was made at the score level 7-9.
For problem 13-24, it was made at the 17-19 score level.
For problem 25-36,it was made at the 27-29 score level.
