VERBAL AND PERFORMANCE TESTS

VERBAL AND PERFORMANCE TESTS

INTRODUCTION

Man’s superiority over other species is generally explained in terms of intelligence. It is true that he has unfolded many mysteries of nature, but what helped him to discover these mysteries remains the biggest mystery, that is human intelligence. Different psychologist have variously defined intelligence. But the commonest features is mot definitions are that intelligence is the ability to learn. The  ability to carry on the higher process of thought, especially abstract thinking and the ability to adapt to new situations. According to Binet, “Intelligence as the ability of an individual to direct his behavior towards a goal”

We can observe the intelligence of an individual only

to the extent that it is manifested by him in one or more intelligence test. Many such test have been devised by psychologists for the measurement of intelligence. In reference to these, however, the term assessment is preferred because, intelligence being only a concept or an abstraction rather than a substance, it cannot be measured in physical units like a length of cloth or temperature of the body.

MEASUREMENT OF INTELLIGENCE.

Intelligence can be measured by using intelligence tests. They are standardized tools having acceptable reliability and validity.

The intelligence test are classified into two different ways.

1.      Classification based on the method of tsting.

(a)    Individual tests.

- Only one individual is tested at a time.

b)     Group tests

- a group of individuals is tested at the same time

2.     Classification based on the medium of testing

(a)        Verbal tests

-            they make use of language

(b)       Non- verbal tests

-            they make use of some activity or performance

CLASSIFICATION BASED ON THE MEDIUM

OF TESTING

(a)    Verbal tests : (Language Test)

In these the subjects make use of language in which the instructions are given in words, written, oral or both. The individuals being tested are required to use language, verbal or written, for their responses. The test concept is loaded with verbal material which many include varieties of the items. It include

Vacabulary tests :-

In these the subject is required to give the meanings of words or phrases.

For example, what is the difference between bear, wear and bare?

v       Memory tests

These are designed to test the subjects immediate and longterm memory, and include recall and recognition type of items. He may be called upon to tell the full names of teacher, who tech him different subjects his phone number, the number of his vehicle, the dates of birth of his sibling and so on.

v       Comprehension tests:

By means of these, the subject is tested for the ability to grasp, understand and react to a given situation.

For example,

Why are the nights longer and the shorter in winter?

v       Information tests

The subject is tested on his knowledge about the things around him by means of these tests.

For example,

Where is the Taj Mahal situated?

v       Reasoning tests :

In these tests the subject is asked to provide answers which demonstrate his ability to reason – logically, analytically, synthetically, inductivey or deductively as outlined below.

Complete the series : 1, 2, 4, 7, 11 , 16, 22, 29, ?, ?, ?.

Association tests :

Through these test items the subject is tested for his ability to point out the similarities or dissimilarities between two or more concepts or objects.

For example,

In what ways are animals & plants alike.

The verbal test is also called paper pencil test. Strictly speaking a verbal test is one in which the instruction & item are reproduced usually through the written language before the examinee. It automatically means then, that for a verbal test the examinee must be literate because he will have to use a pencil and a paper for answering the items. Such test is called paper and pencil test of intelligence of laymen.  All verbal test by their nature are group test. The Army alpha test and Army General Classification test are examples of verbal test.

(b)  Performance Test:

The complete non-verbal or non-language test of intelligence for testing one individual at a time come under this category. In these test the content & responses are in the form of performance and language is not used and include items which require responses in terms of motor activities Generally the activities, on which the performance of an individual is tested are of the following types: Block building or cube construction.

The subject is asked to make a structure or design by means of blocks or cubes  supplied to him.

For example

Kohs block design test, Alexanders pass along test. To fit blocks in boles.

Test material of this type provides numerous blocks and a board on which there are holes which correspond to these blocks. The subject has to fit the blocks in their corresponding holes on the board.

For example,

Segvin form board test and Goddard form board test

Tracing a maze

The tst material consist  of a series of mazes of increasing difficulty, each printed on a seperatte sheet. The subject is require to trace with a pencil. The path from entrance to exit.

For example

Porteus maze test

These tests highlight one or the other type of performance.

A group of performance test organized into a scale or a battery is used in preference to just one or two test in order to obtain a comprehensive idea of a persons mental ability. In this test language is used only to impart instruction and items are manipulative in nature. The examinee is required to answer by manipulating the give test materials. No written languages is needed to answer the items. Thus performance test is not a paper, pencil test. All the performance test by their nature are individual test.

Merits of Verbal test

(i)                Administration and scoring is easy

(ii)             Less time consuming

(iii)           Less expensive

(iv)           Preparation and standardization of the test is very easy

Demerits of verbal test

(i)                Proficiency of language may influence test score.

(ii)             To make verbal test knowledge of the language of the test necessary.

(iii)           Individuals with sensory handicapped and very young children cann’t be tested.

Merits of performance test

(i)              Performance test are most useful with person handicapped by language disabilities such as deaf, dumb illiterates etc.

(ii)            Person who don’t understand the language

(iii)         The result of these tests are less affected by schooling than are the results of verbal tests.

Demerits of performance test.

(i)              They are coselly, unwidely and thus their use is limited to the laboratory.

(ii)            Standardization of performance test are difficult.

(iii)         They are more suscepectable to practice effects and change success are more frequent than in the case with verbal tests.

CONCLUSION

To sum up, intelligence is the global capacity of an individual to act purposefully to think rationally and to deal effectively with his environement.