Raven Test: Assesses Intelligence with Progressive Matrices

The Raven test, also known as Raven's Progressive Matrices test, is a widely used tool for measuring analogical reasoning, perception and abstraction ability.

It consists of 60 multiple-choice questions, whose answers make it possible to analyze and assess the "g" factor of intelligence proposed by Spearman, which refers to the general mental and cognitive processes that allow us to respond satisfactorily to everyday problems. It is used to measure intelligence quotient and can be applied to children and adults.

Administering the Raven test

The test is usually administered in educational centers and also in personnel selection tests. More recently, it is common for it to also be part of the psychometric tests in the selection processes for different professions. The test provides a non-verbal estimate of fluid intelligence.

The test consists of 60 multiple-choice questions, ranked in order of difficulty. But there are also variations: Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices (for children), as well as Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (for people with higher intelligence).

How it works

The psychological assessment is carried out through a set of figures that are presented to the subject in order to resolve various situations.

It focuses on building reasoning through the analysis of different figures that represent different messages. It is important to understand that in this case the work is done with sheets of progressive matrices that represent different types of messages that the subject must decipher, and this is where their intelligence quotient level is assessed.

Use of the Raven test

These tests were designed mainly for research purposes. Because of their linguistic independence and their ease of use and interpretation, they quickly found wide practical application.

Standard Progressive Matrices

The standard progressive form is the original form of the matrices. It was published in 1938. The test has five sets (from A to E) of 12 items each, with the items within a single set becoming increasingly complex and requiring increasing cognitive ability to analyze and solve problems.

An example of the use of this test is the fact that applicants to the British armed forces from 1942 onward took a twenty-minute version of the standard Raven matrices, and future officers also took a specially adapted version.

Nowadays, psychologists also use the different Raven matrix tests to diagnose learning problems or high intellectual potential.

Recent research concludes that people with autism generally score higher on Raven's Matrix tests than on intelligence quotient tests such as the WAIS and WISC.

Characteristics of the Raven test

The Raven test has some important characteristics:

• The test can be administered collectively or individually.

• They are presented in sets of groups of matrices of increasing complexity relative to the previous ones.

• Designed and developed to analyze the degree of thinking and its capacity.

• Assesses abstraction and perception ability.

• Analyzes the subject's actions in solving everyday problems.

• Widely used in educational centers and companies in selection, recruitment and personnel selection processes.

• Its duration is 60 minutes.

The reliability of the test is approximately between 0.87 and 0.81, in accordance with the Kuder-Richardson formulas and the Terman-Merrill criteria.

This is a test that is carried out to determine the degree to which the subject is able to immediately solve problems and situations that arise in reality, in order to analyze and rate their quick response to challenges.

It is important to point out that the designer of the test, John Raven, expressly stated that this test should not be used solely to measure intelligence. Rather, other sources of information should be considered so that the test has more solid and accurate results.

Benefits

Among the benefits of the Raven test are:

• Applicable to adults as well as children, and to people with a disability or communication problems.

• It is not expensive.

• It is fun and interesting.

An important quality of the test is how quickly it provides information.

Important considerations

The following considerations help us better understand how this test works:

• This is a non-verbal test, which is solved intellectually without having to produce an oral analysis.

• The test is a psychological assessment that uses a set of incomplete, abstract geometric figures for the analysis. This leads the subject to create an answer based on what is presented to them, so as to measure their intelligence quotient level.

The Raven test is a widely used and efficient instrument for measuring analogical reasoning, perception, abstraction ability and intelligence quotient. It is inexpensive to administer, it can be interesting and fun, and it can also be administered to people with a disability and to people who have trouble communicating adequately.