Psychologists create free intelligence test for tablets and smartphones
Psychologists with UC Irvine and UC Riverside have developed a new test designed to measure intelligence. Unlike some existing tests, which often require payment and take a large block of time to finish, the new test is free and can be completed in only ten minutes. The test is designed to work on tablets and smartphones.
According to the University of California, Riverside, undergraduate students are typically administered the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) standardized test, which is designed to measure an individual's reasoning ability. That test requires between 40 – 60 minutes to complete and must be paid for, however.
Psychologists with two California universities have developed a shorter, free alternative called the University of California Matrix Reasoning Task (UCMRT); it is designed to gauge abstract problem solving skills. Unlike other tests, the UCMRT can be taken using a smartphone or tablet.
UCMRT was tested on 713 undergrads and found to be a "reliable and valid" way to determine someone's fluid intelligence and non-verbal problem solving ability. Three different versions of the test were created, enabling an individual to take it three times.
UCR psychology professor Aaron R. Seitz explained:
UCMRT predicts standardized test scores better than Raven's APM. Intelligence tests are big-money operations. Companies that create the tests often levy a hefty charge for their use, an impediment to doing research. Our test, available for free, levels the playing field for a vast number of researchers interested in using it. We are already working to make UCMRT better than it already is. Technology has changed over the decades that APM has been around, and people's expectations have changed accordingly. It's important to have tests that reflect these changes and respond in a timely manner to them.