Intelligence_Report_-_Personality

Test of Auditory Processing, Visual-Spatial Thinking and Short Term Memory of the Cattell-Horn-Carroll Model of Psychometric Abilities Lachie Calder Outline: This test is designed to measure 3 specific psychometric abilities of the Cattell-Horn-Carroll model. An individual upon taking the test is given 5 questions increasing in difficulty for each of the three different abilities being tested (Auditory Processing, Visual-Spatial Thinking and Short Term Memory). The Auditory Processing test consists of 5 sets of tunes where an individual is required to state the whether a certain note in that tune is higher in pitch than the other notes. For example, a tune of 4 notes is played to the subject. These notes will vary in pitch and the correct answer is the note with the highest pitch. The Visual-Spatial Thinking test consists of 5 images which resemble no real life object, person or location. The subject must replicate the image, drawing it with a pencil without looking at the image as a reference. The Short Term Memory test consists of 5 sets of memory game type questions. The subject is shown a specific number of random solid objects and then has to leave the room/cover their eyes and the test administrator will not only rearrange the position of the objects but also take 1-2 of the objects away. The subject must then state what objects are missing. These tests are based on the Cattell-Horn-Carroll Model of Psychometric abilities where the abilities consist of the following. Auditory Processing Ability to think using auditory information Ability to identify, analyse, comprehend, combine and work out the difference between sounds. Ability to store and recall sound patterns (eg. Pitch, tones, rhythms, voices) Visual-Spatial Thinking Ability to think using visual images. Ability to perceive, analyse and generate visual shapes and patterns. Ability to store and recall visual information and representations. Short Term Memory Ability to attend to, store and recall information which we are aware of in the immediate situation (eg. Events that occurred in the last minute or so). The Test Items: The tests are designed for anyone who is normally capable of sight and hearing and has no existing mental disabilities. Individuals of any age can take this test provided they are able to understand completely what each item is requiring of them. Auditory Processing: 5 sets of tunes with notes varying in pitch. Identify note with highest pitch. Visual-Spatial Thinking: 5 images and 5 blank boxes where each image must be redrawn. Short Term Memory: 5 questions relating to the omission of 1 or 2 objects from a group placed on a table. Cultural-Fairness of Test Items: The Auditory Processing test is the most fair of the three tests because it only requires the individual to have listened to any form of music or heard someone speak. The test could also theoretically be administered in any language and only requires the subject to right down a number for an answer. However, this test is flawed as someone who has studied music and has been educated to identify each note should do better on this test than someone who hasn’t so there is an element of bias associated with one’s previous experiences. The Visual-Spatial Thinking test was designed with the element of language almost completely removed. Apart from the instructions of the test, all abilities required are associated with someone’s Visual-Spatial Thinking and any motor coordination associated with that. As the images do not rely on someone being good at drawing, it is also a fair test in that regard. However, the images may consist of shapes which a person from a certain cultural background may identify as a real life object and thus make it easier to remember. For example, if in the image there is a vertical line with two shorter horizontal lines at the top, one might remember that part of the image as a telephone pole and thus make it easier to recall. With any test involving visual images, someone’s past experiences and cultural background will always influence the way that person perceives the image. The Short-Term Memory test is the best test that doesn't require language or any previous knowledge. Although the objects in the test might be more familiar to some than others, the objects can be changed to suit each person’s cultural background if they are unable to identify a certain object. The aim is to provide the subject with items as mundane and ordinary as possible. Validity of the test: The content especially fits with the definition of each psychometric ability or at least one aspect of it but due to the limitations of the assignment, more comprehensive tests were not able to be completed. All three tests also seem to adequately measure what they are supposed to measure as the definitions of the psychometric ability were kept in mind during the tests’ conception. However, as limited research has been conducted into how the results actually project into measuring intelligence, the results of the three tests are questionable and unknown. Therefore because of this reason the tests fail in criterion-related validity. All three tests and their results shouldn’t differ if they are taken again as the images, tunes and objects will be different each time the person takes the test. Ethical Standards to be Followed in Administering the Tests The test must be chosen, administered and interpreted appropriately and accurately by the psychologist. The test-taker must be fully informed about the nature and purpose of the testing procedures to be used (including limitations), and be fully informed of the results of the assessment. The psychologist must support the proper use of intelligence tests in the community by not allowing them to be misused by people who are unauthorised or unqualified to use these tests.