IQ Tests types

Nowadays, we have a lot of different IQ tests. Some of them, which was crucial for psychometrics development were mentioned in article IQ Test history. But let's take a deeper look.

Depending on the type of tasks, tests are divided into: verbal (for example, measures, word classification test) and non-verbal (for example, Raven's matrices). In addition, intelligence tests are divided into: individual (for example, Wechsler sacles) and group (for example, the Alpha army test). In addition, sometimes intelligence tests are distinguished for specific group of people (for children or people with disabilities).

If we will go through all test, we will see that classical IQ tests are large in amount of tasks and take a lot of time. Yes, it is right. Stanford-Binet, Wechsler tests are long, but they show very specific intelligence analysis of test performer. Also, all cognitive disabilities are detected by this large tests.

But, if you have already passed our test, you noticed that it lasts 20 minutes, which is not too long. First step in developing quick (brief) IQ tests where made by John Raven, who created his test in 1936 with 60 questions. Later on, this test was revised and there were founded a method how to make it shorter. A bit later, Raymond Cattell made his own test based on his theory, which is smaller than classical tests. Another jump were made in the 1990s by Alan Kaufman, who made his test and even called it "brief".

Not a long ago, psycometricians created IQ tests for children. One of them is revised version of Wechsler test called "Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children".