What is the Ravens Matrices Test?
What is Ravens Matrices Test? Raven’s matrices is a non-verbal IQ test which is used for problem-solving abilities, spatial reasoning and analogical skills. It is a 60 item test considered as non-verbal fluid intelligence estimation. There are no words in the questions asked in this test. The test has a multiple choice format and each question is composed of a sequence of geometric shapes with a missing piece in the last frame. The student giving the test is given 6 to 8 options to choose from and fill the missing piece. The patterns are presented in the form of a matrix (4×4, 3×3 or 2×2) and that’s how the Raven Progressive Matrices test gets its name. The geometric patterns help assess basic cognitive functioning. Each set of tests gets progressively tougher for the students, requiring greater cognitive ability to encode and evaluate questions of the test.
The Raven’s Matrices was developed in 1936 in the U.K. by John C. Raven to distinguish between environmental and genetic effects on intelligence. He thought that the tests in use at that time, were burdensome to administer and the results were not easy to infer. Therefore he developed the Raven’s Matrices test to make it simple for the test taker giving a clear insight into their cognitive ability.