Monday 27 October 2008

Psychometric Tests

In preparation for applying for jobs I got a book out of the library on psychometric tests - describing the purpose and style of the different types of test used by employers when they recruit staff.

In general I would say that I am not a 'visual person'. Whilst I may notice the animals and plants around me more than most people I am generally quite unaware of my surroundings. I can rarely remember the type of cars my family own, let alone their license plate numbers. I never know what eye colour people have (though I do try to look people in the eye when I talk to them) etc.

Of the type of questions that come up in IQ type tests the ones I struggle with the most are usually visual. This is an example from my book. Please can somebody help me understand how to do these...

Neither Ian (a visual person) nor Mum (very good at puzzles in general) can do it either. I've put the answer in a comment to this blog and would greatly appreciate it if someone could explain how to get it. Thank you!

5 comments:

Helen said...

C is to 2

Scriptor Senex said...

No. Try as I might I cannot get this! And I used to be good at these! I'm glad I don't face any nowadays...

Jill said...

are you sure it isn't a trick question

Pedal Pusher said...

as C is to 5, surely.
(As a former Mensan, who completed quite a few IQ tests about 20 years ago)
Look at the colours, and the shapes, and see how they transcribe.
Of course, there are lots of questions about the validity of IQ tests, and it is proven (and well established in the literature) that practicing increases ones score by a small amount. Certainly enough to move those just below the Mensa entry mark to just above. I used to know a man who was such a case - he failed the Mensa test, then practiced a LOT, and then retook the test, and passed.
The value of IQ tests on children is also a subject of some debate (the results are usually just scaled up linearly). Proponents of IQ tests, such as Eyesenck (hope I spelled it right), also had some pretty "controversial" views about race and inheritance.

Alex said...

I agree that it's important to think carefully about what the underlying reason is for a website, the dogs example fits the bill perfectly :)
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