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AUOiVUtJaj'r-; l;,', !, rvruv,

,v

GUIDE
TO TIIB

Standard Progressive Matrices

SETS A, B, C, D and E

The Desiga and Use of the Scale-Instructions-Records and

Yd"g Key Normal Score Composition - Norms for
Childrco -aod for-Adults up ro the rf 6!-Bibliography
"ge

Prepared by J. C. RavnN, M.Sc.

I'ormerlv
Director of Psychololical Research
The Crichton Royal, D"'nfries

Printed in Great Britain

by Grieve the Pinters Ltd., Dumfries, Scotland.
Published by H. K. Lewis & Co. Ltd., London.

I. C, RAVEN

DISTRIBLJTTD II\I TfflTIIIITED $TATES BY

pl':'i-l :'1.:l-Cil;{l,r.i CC.- i}*:;'?i'iON
tt,g
757 THIRD F.VL'-UI, l.:iriv YA:ii( ICC1Z
Prepared 1936

Publisbed 1938

Reprinted with Norms for Adults r940

Revised and reprinted wilh extended Norms ... 1947

Revised and reprinted 1950

Revised and reprinted t952

Reprinted with additional Bibliography ... 1954

Revised and reprinted 1956

Reprinted I 958

Reprinted with additional Bibliography .. 1960

Reprinted with Bibliography to date t963

Reprinted l 965

Reprinted 1968

Reprinted 197 |
Reprinted t974
Reprinted t975
 I

THE DRSIGN AND USE OF THE SCALE

" . . . To sndqstetd lbc rcspeelitc natues ol
edtrction and rcprodaction-in lbeir trenchant cor;
trasl, in tbeh ttbiqaitotts co-operation and in their
gefreric intetJinaage-to do tbis arcdd appet to be
fot the pycbology of indiuidaal abilities and eaer
for tha of cognition in genetal, tbe ury beginning
ol uisdom;' (C. Snranum.)

While the Mill Hill Vocabulary &ale is designed to assess a person s aDrtlty to recall
ajquired information, Progressive Matrices (1938) was constructed on the a priori assumption
that if Spearman's principles of noegenesis were correct, it should provide a test suitable for
comparing people with respect to their immediate capacities for observation and clear think-
ing. Reported investigations show how far, and under what conditions, these two com-
plementary tests provide a practical means of assessing a person's intellectual development,
trainability or mental impairment.

The Standard Progressive Matrices,Sets A, B, C, D and E isatestof aperson's

capacity af the time of the test to apprehend meaningless figures presented for his observation,
see the relations between them, conceive the nature of the figure completing each system of
relations presented, and, by so doing, develop a systematiCmethod of reaioning.
The scale consists of 60 problems divided into five sets of L2. ln each set the ftst
problem is as neady as possible self-evident. The problems which follow become progres-
sively more difficult. The order of the tests provides the standard training in the method of
working. The five sets provide frve opportunities for grasping the method and five ptogres-
sive assessments of a person's capacity for intellectual activity. To ensure sustained-intirest
and freedom from fatigue, the figures in each problem are boldly presented, accurately
drawn and, as far as possible, pleasing to look at. The scale is intended to cover the whole
range of intellectual development from the time a child is able to grasp the idea of finding
a missing piece to complete a pattern, and to b suficiently long to assess a person's maximum
capacity to form comparisons and reason by analogy without being unduly exhausting or
unwieldy. The scores obtained by adults tend to cluster in the upper half of the scale, but
there are enough dificult problems to differentiate satisfactorily between them.
Everyone, whatever his age, is given exactly the same series of problems in the .same
order and is asked to work at his own speed, without interruption, from the beginning.to thc
cnd of the scale. As the order of the problem provides the standard training in the method
of working, &e scale can be given either as an individual, a self-administered or as ,a group
test. A person's total score provides an inder of his intellectual capacity, whatevelhis
nationality or education.* The contribution which each of the five sets makes to'the
total provides a means of assessing the consistency of the estimate and the psychological
signifcance of discrepancies in the test results.
* From pubtished correlations betweco drildreo's scorcs oo Progressive Matrices ao:d 'tcss oI
reading, spelling and elemeotary arithmetic, the scale appcars to justify this daim" although cooclusions
based oa score corrdati(xu qrn never be aaepted uncritic.aliy.
 It is often useful to describe the scale as a test of observation and clear thinking. B7
it is not a test of '.general intelligence " and it is always a mistake to describe it as such.
tlself
..ro,ir..,, of a system
3:l^p:,*91,.t11 yle.to TSlly.thi"mother" or of thought-
*:..,-* iT..to. l':g'.'::'. Mliices^",- qe sc4e-r,o
o.zv. rt lo"J"io-o.i,o *iillil. fi;;-lur;i,"_'#'r::t;tt'#?
i"rffi"*i r
?g.r
found{':-,0.83
to have a " g" saturation of
"-'.-t.'I^r"ririliiiri
O.aZ.t
tH
. Young chil&en, mentally d^efective persons and very old people are not expected to
solve more than the
Ptoll* in sets a arid B of the scalJ and ui. .^"ri.i proii.-t or Sets C
and D, where reasoning.by ana-logy is not essential. After they .- oo' torrg.r solve
thc
problems, thj,y
Tly. still-chdose the-correct answer for other reasoni. For normal-"dolts, Sets A
*9 B P-foyidg little mo-re_than training in the method of working. If an adult is allowed
only a limited time and does not coniplete the easy problems o"f Sets D and E before
sfoppigg,.the total estimate is not necesiarily valid. 'S[rhen the 193g scale was constructed,
these limitations were In--practice, as an untimed " capacity " test and even as a
20--minute * speed " orSoy"..
" eficiency " test, the results have been ^founa to be more reliable
and psychol."gfo{t: valid than one might expect from sixty problems ananged, in five
sets
ot overlapping difficulty.- It must, however, be kept in mihd that the scale"is intended to
span the.whole-range of intellectual development, rather than to differentiate
cleady be-
rween individual persons.

.Fot ..9-Pqative purposes the Standard &ale is now used internationally, and no
general revision of it hai yet appeared necessary. ln 1947 a small correction was made to
the original- item 8.8, to implo'i.e its absolute 'order of difficulty .n.Jite iroblematic
range.. In the same ye_ar two-derivatives of the standard scale weie "ni
also prepared'for further
work and comparative studies. ln 1956 the problemr ..,|ttitoti"g the 1939
_t1t-.liT:"t"1
seJl.T w:re. rearranged- to give a more uniform probit distribution. The alternatiies
between
which dtoice had to be made were also rearringed to give a more uniform distribution of
common and uncommon errots-of igdgment. No"other lh"ng. has been made in the scale,
and in no case has the original ngsiti]on of the correct sotutiEn to a problem been changed.
At the same time the two L9-47 derivatives of the standard scile were revised and
learra|ged,..one lor routine us9 yith young children and for clinical work; the other as a
test of intellectual efficiency suitable for usJwith adults of average o,
intellectual capacity. -oi. than averagc
The Coloure{ Matrices, Sets A, Ab, B provides a valuable test for
-Progrgssive
Ioung ghildren and old people, for anthropological stoai.i *i for clinical work. It can
be used satisfactorilyJrq peopl-e yh9,
f9i-1rr|- ,e"ron, cannot understand or speak the
Tnglilh l-,g""ff, t"f9t {ti-AE depends upoq the"t.' i"t if..t""ify
physical'disabili't'res, have
deteriorated. Success
-- S.t ^and
apprehension of discrete figures as
spatially rellle{ "-qholes " and withs*s A ""1-"ormal'or
B adeqriately cover all the .ogrriEo. pro-
o
cesses of which children under 11 years of age are uzually capable.,r

t Professor Sir Cyril Burt-Data based on test results of t.ooo scamen placed before the \ger
Cabinet Expert C-ommitti:e on the work of psychologists aod psyiifiatrists in th; Services.
t A detailed aoalysis.aod discussion of this test is giveo in the revised Guide to using tht
C.oloured Matrices. Sas A" Ab, B.
 t
To make the, test
.rn{epeadgnt of verbal instructions, the problems are printed on
coloured backgrounds and &i scale arranged so that it can be preserrted in th'e form of
illustrations printed in a book or as boardi with movable pieces. - !7hen the latter form is
used,. a PerPn has_ simply to be shown that each of the movable pieces fits the gap in the
board but th.at only. one-completes the design. By placing a selected piece in
iosition, a
Person sees the results ol Tt judgements. This trainJ hinJ in the methbd of working and
teaches him to be careful. Solutions by trial and error can be cleady distinguisheifto-
solutions by direct_perception and inferente. By omitting the former,'th. t.rilts obtained
with Sets A, Ab, B can be compared with the-results o6tained with the Standard Scale.

leforg the capacity to form comparisons and reason by analogy has matured, or in
cases where it has become impaired, Sets A, Ab, B can be,rsid to asiis the degree to which
a Person's capacity for observation and clear thinking has developed or the levJl to which it
has deteriorated. After the c3p-agity to reason 5y analogy iras developed, Progressive
-scale
Matrices (1938)
1s
the more suitible use. _ if, or, ,rling Sets A, At, 6 these prove
be too easy, they can be immediately -to
followed
1o by Sets C, dand E oi the-Standard 3tale.
By omitting a person's score on Set Ab, liis total score on Seti A, B, C, D and E can be used
to assess his percentile grade from the published norms for this test.

Advanced Progressive Matrices, Sets I and ll, is for use with people over 11
years.of age of. averagebr more than average intellectual ability. It can be 'oseh without a
time limit in order tolssess a- person's maxinum gpacity for observation and clear thinking,
or with a time limit to assess his speed of accurate intelettual work. In the first set, there aii
L2 problems. They._are
{gsigned_to introduce a pelson to the method of working. In the
second set, there arc 4p problems. In presentation and argument, they resemble the"problems
in Sets C, D and E of the Standard ftite.
.irne validity 61 tte iotaf score does noi depend
uPon everyone attempting all the problems in the scale before stopping. Set I indicates'in a
tew mrnutes whether a person .T b.- regarded as intellectually " dull ", " average " or
" bright ". If a person appears to be of airage or more than average ability, SeiII can
?erson's intellectull " eficiency " in the
be used to make the estimate mote exact. To assess a
:.":. ol his speed
.of -accurate work, he can be asked to solve as many problems as he can
in Set II in a specified time. The time allowed can be varied to obtain a desired score
distribution.

DLAGT{OSTIC USE OF TEE PBOGBESSIVE MATBICES AT{D TEE MILL EILL

VOCABIILABY SCAI.ES
'fhere are obvious advantages in using the Progressive Matrices and the Mill Hill
-of " general intelligence ".1 The
f-ocafulary Scales together q plice of a single test
ff.atlices test can provide a valid means of asselsing a person.s present cap"acity for clear
thinking and accurate intellectual work.2 The VoJabuliry test indicates thl general infor-

l. S'.dil.s, C. 192r. 2. Raus, I, C. 1919. lguto.

Stctcuoa, V. l9)1, Vcnon, P. E. t942. l9t0.
Rau' l. C., asd Vnitc, A. l9)9. Futa Robent, I, A. 194).
Ittbo, F, l. S,; Rtttn, I. C.; nl Eot, C, l. C. 1942. Emmctt, V. G: t949.
Elliott, A, G. r9tr.
SorcLin, B. t9r4.
Vito6h. A- rqis-
 4

matioo he has acquired up to the present, and his command of the EngLish language.' To
this extent the latGr indicates wherC a person must begin any course of training he wishes
to pursue or work he will have to undertake; while the former indicates the rate at whicb
he may be expected to progress.4

Norms and Re-test Reliability

The Progressive Matrices and the Mill Hill Vocabulary Scales have been
standardized togJther for representative samples of British people, 6 to 65 years of age.t
The high re-test reliability of the Mill Hili Vocabulary Scale (Tabl-. Vl) reflects
the fact that feople normally reiall information without difficulty once it has been-acquired.
The lower re-lest-reliabitity of the Matrices Test (Table VI) reflects the fact that the-output
of intellectual activity tends to fluctuate more with age. In general, ftg rg-test reliability
and the intercorrelatibns between the Matrices and Vocabulary tests tend to be lowest of all
with very young children and very old people.6
Under normal conditions, after maturity is reached, scores on the Vocabulary test
tend to remain relatively constant, at least up to the age of. 61. Scores on the Matrices
test reach their maximum somewhere about the age of. 14, remain relatively constant for
about 10 years, and then begin to decline slowly, but with remarkable uniformity.T
Physical or mental illness noes not seriously affect the re-test reliability of the
Matrices or Vocabulary tests.s In the relatively few cases where it does, the cause has usually
been traced to temporary toxic effects or to Permanent brain damage.e
Senile dementia does not appear to be a normal effect of ageing, but rather a patho-
logical condition occurring more frequently as age advances. I! appears to affect a Person's
reiall of acquired information as well as his present output of intellectual activity._ to Bojh
functions would also appear to fuctuate more in cases of dementia than they do under
normal conditions.
The norms for the Progressive Matrices Scale, given in Tables III, IV and V, like the
oorms given in the Guide to Using the Mill Hill Vocabulary &ale, Lffanged so that a
person's score on each test usually falls into the same grade. lf., f.or ^re
example, a person aged
30 scores 54 or more on the Matrices test, he may be expected to obtain a score in the
neighbourhood of 76 on the Mill Hill Vocabulary scale. If, then, his Matrices score places
him in Grade I, he should also be in Grade I, or at least in Grade II, according to his
Vocabulary score{'. In the majofity of cases this holds true. W"hen it does, if each test Per-
formance is internally consistent, we can infer that both tests have operated effectively, and
that the results indicate with some aca;r.acy the person's present level of mental development
and normal rate of progress. Usually the two results also agree closely with the person's
" intelligence " assessed in other ways.ll
* It should be unnecessary to point out that ,ntr"r1i": not apply if some other vocabulary test has been

,. I. C., nd Vnkbaw, I. 1944.

Rdlcn, 7 . Sldtu, P, 1941.
Himmelueit, H. T. 1941. E. t947.
Vernon, P.
Dcnsdon,M. 1., and Frascr Robcttt, l, ,1, lgtt. Forldt, G. A., and Raocn, I. C,
1948.
4. Hardin* D, V, Lg+t. 8. Ejscncl, H. I. 194r, 1947.
Hotlitton, M. 1946, 1947. Hdhtcdd, H. 194r.
Vernon, P. 8., and Pant, I, B. 1949. Slater, P. 194J.
O'Connor, N., tnd Tizard, J, lgtl. Dcni, Ill. 19J2. l9r).
J. Fotlls, G. A., and Raun, l, C. 1948. 9. Hctberington, R. R. (not ,ct ptblitbc{I,
Rater, l. C. 1948. tO, O/m., I: E. 19rt.
6. Piskrton, P., and Kcllt, l. 19t2. tl. Lcilnc, 8,, and lrcoc, L l9t4,19tr.
Vtltotr, D, lgtt.
 5

.The prec_rse significance of. any observed discrepancy between a person's Matrices and
Vocabulary grades can only be determined by further enquiries. It can however be assumed
lhat a Vocabulary grading lower than the Matrices arisei when a person has not received,
or for some reason has not been able to acquire, the general information and command of
the English language his intellectuaL capacity warrants. On the other hand can be it
assumed that a Matrices grading lower than the Vocabulary arises when a person is sufier.
ing from fatigue, temporary intellectual impairment, has deteriorated mentally, or has fol
some reason excessively directed his available mental activity to the acquisition of verbal
knowledge.
Discrepancies in grade between the two tests should always be investigated. A dis.
crePancy of one grade may or may not be significant, particularly if. the person's score on
one testhappens, as in the elample quoted, to lie at or near the percentile point separating
two grades. A discrepancy of two or more grades always indicates the need f.ot furthel i
investigation designed to elucidate its psychological significance. The particular stg"ifr-
cance to be attached to such a discrepancy can often be assessed more accurately the if
Coloured Matrices is used as an individual test. It
is therefore discussed more-fully in
the Guide to Using the Coloared Matrices, Sets A, Ab, B.

Mentd Dwelopment
Mental development in childhood appears to take the form of distinct, rather rapid,
intellectual maturations, more like salmon leaps in the stream of life than the equally
arranged rungs on a ladder. Convenient as the latter hypothesis may be for the purpose oi
quantitative assessment and mathematical computation, it does not seem to coriespond to
any psychologicat reality in the life of the child. It is therefore absurd to expect thE results
to conform at all closely to this hypothesis,l2 and misleading to construct a teit or to weight
the results obtained on the basis of any a-priori assumption of this kind.

- Following upon earlier mental development, between the ages of 8 and LL years
there appears to be an almost complete transformation in a child's processes of reasoning.rt
Before it has occured a-child can_-omprehend little more than tha kind of problem p1e-
sented in Sets A and B of the standard Matrices scale. His vocabulary tends t^o be limiied,
and his education laryely depends on practical work and visual aids. Afterwards, a child
i1 a!!e not only to form comparisons and reason by analogy, but also to adopt this way of
thinking as a consistent method of reasoning. He progresses without difficulty from-the
Problems_ constituting lets A and B of the Matrices tesi to the problems constituting Sets
C, D and E. He is able to grasp the meanings of abstract words. He profts morJ from
available educational opportunities, and there is a marked steady increase in his Vocabulary
test score.
This apparently decisive stage in intellectual maturation distinguishes the intellectu-
ally immature person from the person of normal, or more than normal, intellectual ability.
lt also appears to be one of the earliest to decline in later life,ra and the one apt to be
seriously impaired as the result of organic dysfunction.rt Racial studies indicate that this
is partly a native endowment of the individual, and partly the result of environmental influ-
ences and cultural opportunities, at least to the extent that in the absence of stimulation,
12. K.it, G, 1949. 14. Raun, l, C, 19,t8.
Basfu, C,, tnd Stsnn, U. l9tl. Vinccnt, D. P. 19t2"
lr. Raus, I. C. 1912. Rotb, M., end HoPLin, B. tgrr,
Iret iht Gaidc ta P.Mt Sen A, At, B.l 11. BltcscL, M. D. 194t. 194{t. r9t2.
 3

the consistent development of logical-reasoning tends to rcmain latent, or to develop some-

what later in life.r5 It has also been found that a person's social relations afiect thi use he
makes of his opportunities, and the mental abilities he tends as a result to develop.rT

The C-oloured.Progressive Matrices, A, Ab, B, in the form of a printed book, or

-Sets
as boards and moveable pieces, is arranged for the psychological. assessment mental of
development uP. t9 the stige of intellectual maturation]tt- It is-also particularly suitable fot
assessing mental development in the presence of physical handicaps-.tr Aftir intellectual
maturation, the standard l93S scale,2o or in certain-cases, the advanied progressive Matrices,
Sets I and II, are mote appropriate.

Intellecnral Capacity and Efficiency

. + person's maximum capacity for clear thinking has been found to vary with health
an{ to improve with practice lCss than his speed of ac?urate intellectual work.' For anthro-
pological, genetic and clinical studies, an un[imed " capacity " test is therefore more useful
than a test in which.a person-is w-orkir,rg against time,_-For-vocational guidance and occupa-
tional selection, on the other hand, a " ip_eed " or " efficiency " test is soinetimes more appro-
priate.2r Fo1 the former, therefore, the'standard Scale is ihe more useful. For the l'riter,
fo1 the_guidance or selection of people wishing to pursue higher technici
and especially
courses of training, Progressive Matrices Sets I aria U are mlore discriminati-ng. It is also
-
more useful for the study of mental fatigue and its efiects upon quick, accot"tl judgment,

, Before the age of 11, a child's ability !o form comparisons and reason by analogy is
often too recent an intellectual achievement for it to be ixercised with a consiitent delree
of eftciency.22 In- all cases of this kind, the Standard Scale, used as an untimed test, is"the
more appropriate form to employ.

- toExperimental work with Progressive Matrices, Sets I and II, is still in progress.2t \7e
need determine more exactly its;etest reliability at different its iensitivity to
ages, and
fuctuations in intellectual output. \7e need to know more e*"cily the relation between
intellectual " capacity-''. and intellectual " efficieng," and the degrei to which each becomes
a consistent and reliable factor in mature intellectual work. Ife also need to determine
the value of Sets I and II as a means of diagnosing temporarily impaired intellechral
efficiency. The information obtained will lead to-revisidns of'this tist and derivatives from
it, which can be used satisfactorily alone and in batteries with other tests, for diagnostic
work, for vocational guidance or occupational selection and for the purpose of reseirch.
References to th9 Bibliography indicate the available data concerning-include
the diagnostic
use- of the Progressive Matrices
and Mill Hilt Vocabulary scales. They leports
both supporting and at variance with the hypotheses advanced to bring the existing infor-
mation togethgr into a coherent body of knowledge.2a Opinions must be modified as data
become available, and reports of published or unpublished investigations to this end will
always be welcome.
Gollrtch, t. l, t91t. 20. B. l9tt.
Osltcdasc, A,, ct Jt Rob.t.. A. Lgrr. 2t. 1946.
llhitttiatx, R. l9tt. 22,
Bclioz. l9tt. 2t.
17. f;ttct, l. C. (sot 1ct l:llitbcll.
18. i]otir. A. V., ttd Viccbat. l. B. 19t1.
Gtccs, M. V., tnd Euat, I.'C. l9tt.
19. Teacbt. V. V, 1948.
Holdes, R. H. t9tr. Autalias Cotncil lot Edrcaional R.t.ecb. 1956.
S.itb, D. I. lgtl 21. Eat* I. C. tP:6.
 I

..
discussed
T:inhtltory _o! mgntal testing, and the uses and limitations of mental tests are briefly
Part III of " Human Nature, ib Development, ".i
Variations and Assessment
For information concerning the psychological theory bn which the Progressrve Matrices
and the Mill Hilt Vocabulary -scales aie based, users are advised to read this book.
The book also discusses the consistency, re-test reliability and psychological validity of
mentd tests in relation to dre ways in which the tests are presCnted, their sensitivity to
fluchrations in the mental functions assessed, and their resulitlng practical usefulness' for
assessing individual differences in, and variations of, mental *liuty in health and illness.
Such questions are not discussed in the Guides to using either the Progressive Matrices
or the Mill Hill Vocabulary Scales. They provide only the standard procedures for adminis"
tering and marking the tests.

Ao adequately designed and standardized mental test could not be the work of one
person,-and I would like to record my indebtedness to Professor Aveling who, until his death,
ditg.9 my 1tudie1, to Professor Spearman with whom I had the pleasure of working, and
to Professor Burt for his correspondence and publications. Perhaps-even more I am indebted
to Professor Pentose, in whose Unit at the Royal Eastern Counties Institution I was first able
to give the whole of my time to psychological research, md to Dr. p. K. McCowan,
Physician Superintendent of The Crichton Royal, who has made it possible for the work to
continue and develop. Mos! of all, I am indebted to my colleagues and the many people
whose co-operation has made the work so far successful.

J. C. RAVEN.
Drrmfries,
|une, 1956.

r " Human N"qrg its Dwelopment, Variatioos and Assessments " (f9t2), J. C Raven (H. K
kwis & Co., Ltd., Ioodon).
 E

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING PROGRESSIVE MATRICES

Sets A, B, C, D and E

IEE IITDIVIDUAI, IEST

Particulars of the
Person to be tested are filled in on the record form. The person
giving the test oPcfls theiook at the first iltustratioi,
i.r,
uppel figure).. It is a pattetn with bit t"l.r, oot.
" Look at this (point-
:g-1: 1!e "rra_r"ys:
Each of these bits belon, (hc
Ponts to each in tum) is the right shape to,fit the tp"..l"t tley do .l-plete the
pattern." He explainj why nu-l.rs r,2 and are
3 wrorrl 1nd why "ol "ri 6 is nearly
number
right. He then i"vs, " Point to s. p,.J. *ii.r, t"qiiJ'figr,t."
If the person does noi
f,TiJift;'fr1i'S:.1..*ii"u.' il;pi;;;ir"" l"iri th? ,,uto,. or thi pionr.,' to u.

r-r,out,Ihe
lett
person giving the test explains.thaton
and. says : " All-you have to io is to point
every page there is a pattern with pan
each ti-E to the bit ,,it
one to complete the pattein."- At he turns to illustrati i.t
is the right
on l.z, he says :- ': ThA are simplc
1 th. beginnirlg --9,ryt. harder yoo.g_o o,l ;.;;, to the way the easy ones
8o' you will find the-later ones":leis dihcult. iiyoo
lult p.ii"l "i*o,io'
to the piece which completes the
pattern' Now carrv on at your own pace. se. h6*.
much time as vou
m'""/;;; .-
get right. you can have ar
like. Th.r. i, no'r,.J to hurry. g.'.lr.frr. i..mi,nb., .".r,
one bit is quit! right." ti-. onty

:- rr, , The person slving the -test records the number of the piece pointed to in each test
:1ru{'?1*,1#:r:'#i:Ti'r.::fi
order. Apart from th!1 ',ffJi"i"",:,314i:;r'11i-*i,1Tfi
he"gives no alsistance in the method ;? "i#
;;;ktil ;; il standard
order in'itticl' the probfens ?;. ;r;;;; prouia.r-it-"*.rr"r, training.

lEE SELF-ADUINISIEBED OB GBOUP TEST

Marerials
A set of test books is..required. These can be used repeatedly. Each person requires
a record form and oencil. Illustrations of the record i"r*
original size, can be'used for demonstr"tio" p*[r.r. 3i.".il
i"a l.ri ali art"*" twice the
keys facilitate rapid marking $

Accommodation
The test can be,Siven to a group
9f *y
size accordr:g to accornmodation. Approxi.
mately one hour must be allowed iot .r.h grotlp tested. pe?soos to be tested are seated
comfortably at tables with toom for booki and r..ord ior-r and sutrciently apart to
tff;iff!'i,%:.'lpervisors r.r*.* p."ile bithout
can pass easlv
5i:ffiUt[H: pe"o" does the test
uy nnr.ir,-r,. ,r,oJa t. seated .;",f*"f; T'rutr1*"t1",#.iij

t steocil merkiag kcF .rc dbiorblc from H. K. Lewis & cr., Ltd., 136 Gower strect, Ioodoa, v.cr.
 9

Procedure
Pencils and record forms are distributed. The people to be tested are asked to 6ll in
particulars about themselves on the record form. Sfhen this has been done the test books
are given out. They are asked not to open the books until everyone is ready.
The person in charge says: " Open your books to the 6rst page. It is like
this." He opens a book or demonstration enlargement for the group to see. " At the top
it says Set A and you have a column A here, on your scoring form. This is A-1. You
see what it is. The upper part is a pattern with a bit missing. Each of these bits below (he
points to each in turn) ls the right shape to fit the space, but they do not all complete the
pattern. Number 1 (he points to the bit and then to the pattern) is quite the wrong Pattern.
Numbers 2 ar,ld 3 ari wiong-they fit the space, but they are not the right Pattern. \What
about number 6? It is the right pattern (he illustrates that the pattern is the same as the
pattern above) but it does not go ill over. Put your frnger on the one that is quite right."
The person in charge notices if this is done correctly. If necessary he gives further explana-
tion ind then says I " Yes, number 4 is the right one. So the answer to A.1 is 4-write 4
here, against number 1 in Column A on your scoring form. Do not turn over yet."
The person in charge waits for everyone to finish and continues: " On every page in
your book there is a pattern with a bit missing You have to decide each time which of the
bits below is the righf one to complete the pattern above. \7hen you have found the rigtrt
bit you write the number of it down on your scoring form against the number of the
pattern. They are simple at the beginning an get harder as you go on. There is no catch.
lf you pay attention to the way the easy ones go you will find the later ones less difrcult.
Try eacb in ttrn, lrom tbe beginning rigbt to tbe end of the book. Work at your own Pace.
Do not miss any out. Do not turn back. See how many you can get right. You can have as
much time as you like. Turn over and do the next one."
V'hen suficient time has been allowed for everyone to write down the answer to A.2,
the person in charge says : " The right one of course is number J. See that you- have written
the figure 5 againsl number 2 in C.olumn A on your form. Go on like that by yourselves
until you get to the end of the book."

Supervision
Mistakes occur in filling up the record form. Supervisors should see that each
person has entered correctly oo his Torm his own solutions to the first 6ve problems. Once
p.mon has grasped the nature of the initial problems, supervisors give no further assistance
"irthe method'of reasoning but see that each person tecords his own choices correctly.
People frequently omit a problem. Fifteen minutes after the cornmencement of &e
test, supervisors set thai each perion is still recording his choices against the correct numbers
on his record form.
After about half an hour people are asked to indicate when they have 6nished. Vhcn
they do, supervisors see that the-record form has been filled- up correctly and that every
ptobl.^ hai been attempted. As people fnish they are asked to give io their books and go
but, or to proceed to the next test if there is one.
For purposes of timing, the test is taken- !9 Egi" _when-the.Person in charge says:
" Turn ovei and do the next one (A.2) yoursclf." The time of ending the test is noted as
scoring forms are handcd in.
 l0

RECORDS AND MARIilNG

Srhen the series is given as an individual test, the person recording results enters
on
the form the number-- of each piece pointed to. If a person points Io rrror.
than one
piece, tbe piece he finally points to counti right or wrong. 'If a peison
given the group rest
enters mose than one number against any item in the scale, he
must belold to cross out all
blt the right one. If the mistaki is not observed until afte; the test is over, the number on
the extreme right only is considered, whether the other numbers are right o,
,rorrg.

The standard record form is arranged so that it can be quickly and accurately marked
by superimposing a stencil marking key.

A Person's score on the scale is the total number of problems he solves correctly when
hc is allowed to work quietly through the series from the beginning to the end.

B-y subtracting a score on each of the five sets the score normally
-from Person's
expected on each set for the same total score on the scale, the consistency of his work can
be assessed' The score to be expected is given in TABLES I or II.The difierence between
the score a Perso! obtains on each set and that normally expected for his total score
can be
shown numerically as follows:-

" Discrepancies: O, +2, +L."

-1, -2,
If a person's score on one of the sets deviates by morc than 2, his total score on the scalc
ganno! be accepted at its face value as a consistent estimate of his general capacity for intel,
lectual activity. For general Purposes the total score appears to le relatively valid erren
when discrepancies of more than 2 points occur in the briak-up.

In a proportion of cases a person selects a right figure by chance. Vhen a

-certain
Person is allowed to complete the whole of the scale, the numbei of chance selections will
be propo*ional to the number of problems in which he fails. People who obtain low scores
have a proportionately greater number of successes by pure chance. To this extent low total
rcores are always less consistent and reliable than high scores

The most satisfactory method of interpreting the significancc of a person's total scorc
is to consider it in terms of the frequency with which a similar score iJ found to occur
amongst people of his owo age. This method shows at once bis intellectual capacity relative
to other people of his own age and the frequency with which one should expect to find people
of srmilar capacity. It has the advantage tbat no a piori assumption is made tlat-in
childhood tbe development of intellectual capacity is nsessarily uniform, or that rt
it is necessarily distributed syrnmetricatly tbroughout thc gcneral population.
:"*tO
 lt
For practical purposes it convenient to take certain fixed percentages of the popu-
_is-
lation and to grouP people as their scores fall between them. In ihis *"iit is possible to
dassify a person according to the score he obtains as:-

GRADE r or "intellectaally saperior ", i his score lies at or above the gjth percentile
for people of his age.
II " def'nit,e\ abooe the ateruge in intellectul capacity ", if his score lies at or
above the 75th percentile;

II+, if. his score lies at or above the 90th percentile.

I
m " int-ellectzally aaerage ", if his score lies between the 25th and z)th per-
centiles;

III+, if. his score is greater than the median or JOth percentiie for his age;

Ill-, if. his score is less than the median.

IV " defnit-ely be!.ow m)erdge in intellectaal capadty ", if his score lies at or
below the 25th percentile;
lV
-, if his score lies at or below the 10th percentile.
V " intellectul\ defectiae ", if his score lies at or be low the 5th percentilc
for his age-group.

The,necessary percentile_191e1,!or the individual and group tests between the -aqes
of 6 and 6J arc showg in TABI-ES III, IV and V.
The indivlduai test appears to introdiice
emotional factors *!t:h less operative when a person is allowed to wirk quietly at his
-are
own speed.. The self-administered or g.roup test aipears to provide a more reiable'sample
of a person s gItP.{ of intelldctual activity during thi test. Piople over 30 years of iuo
^g,
be graded I, II, III or IV, but there is at presEnt insuftcient data to disiinguish bit'ween
people who are Grade IV and those who ale Grade IV-
or Grade V.

The consistency o{ an estimate, the total score obtained, the time required and thc
grade reached are conveniently summarized as follows:-

Discrepancies ...... 0, +L, *2, .''.-1.

Time -2,
38 minutes.
-....

For reasons already given, the Standard Progressive Matrices Scale does not difierentiate
very cle-arly betweeq y-oung children, or between adults of superior intellectual capacity. It
cannot be given satisfactorily with a time-limit and takes up to 4> minutes to complete. These
to. be th9 chief criticisms of the scale. Neither shortening the test, making it longer,
lPe.e3r
Soidi"g ig making it continuous, nor re-aranging the proble-i overcomes the6, witliout
limiting the usefulness of the scale as a whole. By using the appropriate derivative of the
1938 scale it is however possible to overcome each of tliese limiiations separately.
 t2

KEY
To 1956 Revised Order of Problems

,/ Set-
ABCDE --\-
1 42837
-
2 56246
3 113t8
4 22872
5 6t781
6 3346'
7 65t51
8 76146
9 t47L'
10 33622
11 441t4
L2 5r26t
 t3

NORMAL SCORE @MPOSITION

TABIJ I.-THE INDIVIDUAL TEST

Totd Scan
l0 I5 2' 30 ,5 40 45 to t5

6 8 9 10 l0 10 10 11 t2 t2
) 4 6 7 8 8 9 10 ll tl
Expected rcor€ on cqb rt I 2 t 4 6 7 8 10 t0 11
I 1 2 5 4 7 9 9 10 l1
0 0 0 I 2 t 4 5 7to

TABIJ II.-THE SEI^F-ADMINISTERED or GROUP TEST

Total BCDB
rt 8 4 2 1 0 ,o 107 6 t 2 15 L21099'
15 8 4 , I 0 107 7 5 2 46 t2101095
t7 , 'L 108
8 5 I 0 32 7 t 2 47 12101096
t8 8 t t 2 0 3t 11 8 7 t 2 48 t2111096
19 8 6 3 2 0 34 11 8 7 6 2 19 L21110106
20 8 6 3 a t5 11 8 7 7 2 t0 L21110107
2l 8 6 4 2 I 36 11 8 8 7 2 tt L21111107
22 9 6 4 2 1 37 l1 9 8 7 2 t2 L211r1108
2' 9 7 4 2 1 38 11 9 8 8 2 t, L2ll11118
24 9 7 4 ) 1 t9 11 9 8 8 t 51 t2L211118
25 10 7 4 3 I N 11 10 8 8 t 5' t2L211119
26 10 7 5 ) I 4t 11 10 9 8 , 56 L2t2t2ll9
27 10 7 5 4 I 42 11 l0 9 9 t t7 12 t2 t2 11 10
28 10 7 6 4 I 4' L2 10 9 9 3 t8 12 L2 t2 L2 l0
29 10 7 5 t I 44 12 10 9 9 4 59 12 L2 t2 t2 ll
 l4

NORMS

TABI.E III.-INDIVIDUAI. TEST

lP'orking percentile points calculated from the natural scores of. 73j Colchester children.

Percenrile Cbronologicd Age in Yeat

Pointt 6 6* 7 7, 8 s* 9 9t, t0 10* lt 11* t2 t2* tj r\
95 19 22 25 28 33 )7 39 40 42 44 47 50 52 53 54
90 L7 20 22 24 28 tt )5 36 r8 4t 4 48 49 49 '4
ro ro
7' L5 t7 19 21 2t 26 29 3! 3' 38 42 43 45 46 46
60 13 14 16 t7 19 2t x2 21 "
29 31 35 97 38 40 41
2t
IO
5
: : : : : :: :: '6
:i :: :: :: :, i ::
rt t4 16 18 t9 20 21
:2
22
"to
 l5

TABTE IV.-THE SELF-ADMTNISTERED or cRoup TEST (CHIDREN)

lTorking percentile points calculated from the natural scores of, t,4o7 children.

Pqcentile Cbronological Age in Yeas

Pointt 10 rot
8t e* 11 11* t2 L2* L' 13* t1
95 38 39 4T 43 45 48 50 51 51 52 52 53 5'
90 31 36 38 4t 4t 4' 47 49 49 t0 t0 51 t2
75 24 29 32 34 ,7 39 4L 4t 45 46 47 48 48
60 18 2t 24 zo 30 Oa) 35 o, 39 41 #! a&
25 14 L6 l8 2A 23 26 29 12 34 t5 t7 t8
lo t, 13 r5 t6 18 aa 25 27 28 28
5 t, t4 15 16 L7 19 2t 23

TABLE V.-THE SELF-ADMINISTERED or cRoup rEsr (ADULTS)

$(orking percentile points calculated *f*lf;T*al scores of i,6, Militiarnen ard.2,Lg?

Percentilc Cbonological Age in Year

Pointt
30 tt 40 45 t0 5)

I5 5' 55 54 53 52 ,0 48 46 u42
90 t4 54 53 51 49 47 45 43 4t ,9
7t 49 49 47 45 43 4t 39 t7 a5 3t
60 &u 42 4A 38 35 33 30 27 24
25 t7 37 34 30 27 24 2L 18 lt 13
l0 28 28 2J
5 23 2' 19

In Tabl6 II[, n/ ard V, tbe medtan soore at each age le slrown tn hearry type.
l'igures ln itolics have been lnterpolated for moottr worktng.
.larly
- One person l! 20-may be orpected-to obtain a score at or auove the gSth percentite potnt. Simt.
one Pe-rEon tl 20 may le.expected to obtain a score &t or below tlre Strr'peicentitipoint. -One
p9rson_ tT 10,may be expected- to ollain a acore at or above tJre 90th percenuld point, a.nd one in 10
g-t o!_!$ow the_.lOtJr pelcentile point. One person ln 4 may be expect6d to obtairi a-i-6ore at or above
tlle ?5th percentile point, and one in 4 at or-below the 25tL Tlrd score obtalned fV one peison ln
every two may be expected to fall between the 25th and ?dtJr percentile pohts.
Too fSY dgll. Peoplo
.be accurately 80 have, as yet, been t€sted lor tb 6t! and lOtD pcrccoulc polntr to
detnmlned.-ow
 TABLE VI.
Retest reliability and intercorrelation of the Progressive lvlatrices and the Mill Hill
Vocabulary Scales, at different ages.

Conelalion
Agc unge Mahices Tesl Vocabalary Test betuem P.M
(yas) Mean Scotc Retest reliabilil Mean Scare Retest reliability and M.H.V.
JCOteJ

Ittt 4t 0.88 l 34 0.87 0.r7 'l

Under 3o 48 oe3 |
4L O.g7 0.60
|
P.E. <
30-39 37 oaa I f f,< 11 0.91 o.rl I 0.06
40-49 3' 0.87 I 31 0.98 o.4r I

J0 and over 29 0.s3 ,l 31 0.90 o.44 )

TABLE VII.
Relationship befween Percentile Grade and Terman Merrill Intelligence Quotient for a
clinic group of 301 children given each test individually.

Ptogtessioe Ma*ices ( 1938 ) Tesman Metrill I.Q.

Gde
Uader Under 89 to Over Over
Pqcentile Grc*p 7t 89 111 111 r27
avet 25 and under 75 ...... ....-
-.- UI
6t 6 t7 29
2l and under * IV
3I 20 19 14 56

95 and over I 2t 20 86 1t t0* L)2

7J aod over II 98 to 48

t and usdcr v 2Ae 1r 56

Totals 37 t5 t2a 4 4r 301

t Ol the tndlvldusls wttb Teman Mertlll Intelltguoe Quottent tlrro clasges lower tha^n thelr Matrices
Gradg I had rpecfflc dcfosts tn readfn$ speech or educatlorl
. Ol the lndlvtdua.Ls wlth Terrran Merrlll Intelligcoco Quotfent two cla^ws hlgher than thelr Matrlcsc
G!"de 8 were eaciltabl€. tetk{Uve, go<ial fatlures or lacHng in self-control
 RESEARCH A,ND DEVELOPMENT WORK
WITH PROGRESSIVE MATRTCES AND THE MILL HILL VOCABULARY SCALES

Dr. John H. Court, School of Social Sciences, Flinders University, Bedford park, South Aus.
tralia, is engaged in :
l. Compiling extended, up-to-date, and annotated bibliographies of research providing basic data
on the tests.

2. Acting as a liason officer between researchers.

3' Initiating a prograrnme of further research and development work with the tests and co-ordin-
ating the activities of the researchers involved.

It would greatly assist Dr. court if investigators would let him have
-
l. Reports on work compleM, preferably with abstracts.
2. Outlines of work in progress, so that he can more easily put research workers in touch witb
others working in the same area.
3. Unpublished data which mighl Sg useful when compiling further normative data giving the
results obtained from different groups of people in different countries or contribute to further
developments in the tests themselves.
4. Details of further research and development work which their own research has shown to be
necessary.

A second edition of the mimeographd, Researchers' Bibliography for the Matrices and Mill
Hill Vocabulary has already been produced. This brings together some 400 references with brief
abstracts or summaries which indicate the areas of investigation and many of the findings. It is
available from Dr. Court at cost.

Record forms suitable for machine scoring are now available from H. K. Lewis & Company
Limited. A processing service is available from Document Reading Services Ltd., 55 Newman
Street, London, WIP 3PG. If desired the records may be scored and the results either printed out
or written onto magnetic tape. Alternatively a magnetic tape containing the raw data may be obtained
to feed into the user's own analysis. One of the mlin advantages of doing this
.might be that it
would permit an analysis to be made of types of wrong answer.
 G)
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G)
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o

Also by

J. C. RAVEN

PSYCHOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES APPROPRIATE TO

SOCIAL AND CLINICAL PROBLEMS
208 pp. Demy 8vo. 15 illustrations. f,1.50 net.

In this book the author describes the practical problems of interviewing children and
adults and the uses which can be madc of mental tests. Individuality and personality are dis-
cussed in terms of the range of a person's attention, his intentional behaviour, his appreciation
of value and the orderliness of his thinking. The book rcpresents the position Mr Raven has
reached from his long experience in comparing individual differences of thought and action.

Further particulars obtainable from the Pubtishers

H. K. LEWIS & CO. LTD.

Medical and Scientific Publishers
136 Gower Street, London WCIE 6B5.

v/. G. -75-5.00c