PSYCH 505 – Advanced Psychological Assessment 2

Prepared by: Jessa M. Villacorta

Raven’s Progressive Matrices (RPM)

A. Nature of the Test
a.1 Brief History of the Test
 John Carlyle Raven (June 28, 1902 – August 10, 1970) was an English psychologist
known for his contributions to psychometrics. He invented the RPM which takes
under his namesake and was developed in three forms: The standard
progressive matrices (SPM), the Colored Progressive Matrices (CPM) and the
Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM).
 The RPM is a product of England originally designed to assess military recruits 1
independently of educational factors and to make sure that potential recruits
were not rejected simply because of poor education. The matrix text was most
helpful in performances in visual signaling and radio operating.
 The Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM)was first fully standardized by J.C. Raven
on 1,407 children in Ipswich, England, in 1938.
 Initially it was criticized for a.) Lacking adequate norms and b.) Weaknesses in
how the manual was organized. To respond to these, the RPM manual was
revised and expanded norms were included.
 Strengths of the Test:
 Minimizes the effects of language and culture
 Has great utility for use in selecting disadvantaged African American and
Latino/Latina children for giftedness.
 Cuts the selection bias that occurs with the Binet and Wechsler (Kaplan
and Saccuzzo, 2013).
a.2 Purpose of the Test

 RPM evaluates the following:

 A person’s ability to apprehend relationships between geometric figures
and designs.
 Formation of perceptual relations between figures.
 Reason by analogy independent of Language and formal schooling
 In the medical field, the RPM was used to evaluate the differences in ability to
reason and solve problems as seen in the different firing of neurons in the brain
using the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Gray, 2003).
a.3 Applicability

 Primarily used in educational settings to determine or estimate an individual’s

general intelligence.
 Because of the versatility of the test it too has already been administered for
groups such as young children, culturally deprived,language handicapped, and
those suffering from traumatic brain injury. It has also been used to evaluate a
candidate’s potential for success in such positions as supervisor, mid-level
manager, or equivalent technical or professional positions in an organization.
 PSYCH 505 – Advanced Psychological Assessment 2
Prepared by: Jessa M. Villacorta

 Can be used in a variety of settings, such as testing culturally diverse populations

to minimize the impact of cultural or language bias, predicting potential
educational success and a variety of research applications with children and
adults.
a.4 Description of the Test

 The matrix is a double figure analogy, thus two relationship must b kept in mind.
 Items usually involves a different theme or principle for obtaining the missing
theme
2
 Items are randomly arranged in increasing order of difficulty.
SPM (1938) CPM (1947) APM (1947)
Type and Purpose  Non-verbal test  Suitable for children  Set 2 when used
designed to : with mental delays without a time limit
a. See relations  The CPM may test “intellectual
between figures differentiate between capacity”
b. Conceive degrees of  Set 2 when used with
correlative figures intellectual a time limit (usually
completing the deficiency and maximum of 40
systems of relations impairment minutes) is a test of
presented  Can be used to “intellectual
c. Observation skills assess intellectual efficiency”
and clear-thinking deterioration and  APM provides
ability differential diagnosis a. A means of assessing
 SPM offers insight of cerebral injury all ordinal, analytical,
about someone’s  The colored matrices integral operations
capacity to observe, are designed to involved in higher
solve problems, and make them attractive thought processes.
learn. to children. b. Differentiates between
people of even
superior ability
c. Measure high-level
observation skills,
clear thinking ability,
and intellectual
capacity as a non-
verbal estimate of
abstract reasoning or
fluid intelligence.
Items  60 untimed multiple  36 items (and of  12 problems in Set 1
choice problems which 12 are new) (usually used as
grouped into five sets  Contains additional practice test for
(ABCDE) matrices between rough screening).
 Each sets consists of sets A and B.  36 problems in Set
12 matrices  Comes in a booklet 2(administered
 Comes in booklet form and board form with time limit of
form. (may be purchase 40 minutes)
separately)  Comes in booklet
form
Principles involved  Perceptual  CPM items are  Assess nonverbal
discrimination arranged to assess ability in three levels.
cognitive
 PSYCH 505 – Advanced Psychological Assessment 2
Prepared by: Jessa M. Villacorta

 Rotation and development up to  To reason and solve

permutation of a stage when a new problems
patterns person is sufficiently without relying
able to reason by extensively on
analogy and adopt previously acquired
this way of thinking knowledge.
as a consistent
method of
interference. This
stage in intellectual
maturation appears
to be one of the 3
earliest to decline as
the result of organic
dysfunction.
Target Age  Children above  5 through 11  Adults
six years old years, elderly  Generally used
 Adults persons, and also in
mentally and employment
physically settings
impaired persons. (predictive
performance)
 As a versatile test,
it can be used in
a variety of
settings, such as
testing culturaly
diverse
populations
where English
proficiency varies,
identifying
giftedness,
predicting
educational
success and a
variety of
research
applications with
high-ability
children and
adults.

Latest version is: Raven’s Progressive Matrices – For Talent Assessment – Standard &
Advanced (Available Online In Single Copies) Completion Time: 42 minutes for APM, 47
minutes for SPM (Timed) Program Usage: Selection, high-potential identification, high-level
technical staffing, global staffing.
To be released in 2018: Raven’s 2 Progressive Matrices: Clinical Edition, suitable for non-
verbal adults until 85 years old and children as young as four, the Raven’s provides a digital,
and easy-to-use way to assess observational skills and ability in a variety of settings.
 PSYCH 505 – Advanced Psychological Assessment 2
Prepared by: Jessa M. Villacorta

B. Administration
 Materials: paper (record form) and pencil
 Test takers are not allowed to make any identifying marks on the booklet
b.1 Individual Administration

 The test proctor opens the booklets and points to the first umage using a basic
script: “Look at this point/image. It is a pattern with something missing. Look at
the images below, which of these will fit/complete the pattern above.” (Note:
proctor ensures that pages are turned one at a time and that no page is
4
skipped)
 For young children who do not yet know how to write number, it is the proctor
who will record the responses of the child. But for children who are able to write
numbers, the form is handed to the child.
 In the record form, it is important to note the name and exact birthdate of the
child for scoring and norming purposes.
 No further assistance and prodding is given to children when they ask questions
or look towards the proctor if the answers are correct.
b.2 Self or Group Administered

 Proctor sees it that individuals are seated comfortably in a room, one seat apart
(for individuals in groups)
 Proctor distribute the pencils and record forms first before the booklets. Special
instructions have to be made that test takers are not allowed to open their
books unless told to do so by the proctor
 Proctor instructs the test-takers to answers items 1 to five as practice items,
When all are done and have familiarized themselves about how to go about
the test, the proctor then announces that the test-takers may now proceed to
the other items.
 The proctor gives no further assistance throughout the testing proper.
 The time limit will depend on what the purpose of the test is. Generally, only a
maximum of one hour is given to the test-takers. If testing for “intellectual
efficiency,” the test should be accomplished in 40 minutes only. Based on
several references, the principle behind non-timing of the test is to mimic
normal conditions of individuals, as stress may impact on the results.
C. Scoring
 For two answers recorded, the test-taker is asked to decide on a final answer
and cross out that which they do not choose
 In situations where mistakes are not observed by the proctor until after the test is
over, the response on the extreme right is considered as the final answer.
 For children who simply point to the answer, the child is asked to decide to point
to a final answer and this is what recorded by the proctor
 PSYCH 505 – Advanced Psychological Assessment 2
Prepared by: Jessa M. Villacorta

Norms can be developed based on the homogenous groups taking the test (i.e
all Grade 3 students and all 1st year students etc.)
 The raw score is converted into a percentile rank using the appropriate norms
 Qualitative evaluations commonly used:
 Low, Average, High
 Well above average, above average, average, below average, well
below average
D. Psychometric Properties
 Research has supported that it is a good measure of Spearman’s g base on the
5
studies of Colom, Flores-Mendoza and Robello in 2003.
 The RPM may be the best single measure of g availab;e as shown by the
multidimensional scaling by Marshalek, Lohman and Snow (1983).
 Spearman’s g refers to intelligent behavior generated by a single, unitary quality
within the human mind or brain; general intelligence is believed to influence
performance on all cognitive tasks.
 Shows evidence of both construct and criterion-related validity.
Using split-half method and KR20 (Apruebo, 2008)

1. Reliability
 Reliability with young children under 7 years old is .65 for the test restest.
 Test-retest reliability of .9 over the whole range of development
 Test-retest reliability for age groups: .88 (13 + years old); .93 (under 30
years old); .88 (30-39 years old); .87 (40-49 years old); .83 (50 years old
and over).
2. Validity
 Based on factor analysis, the RPM registers loading higher than .75
 Concurrent validity between Wechsler and Binet scales range
between .54 and .88 with most items clustering in the .70s to .80s.
References:
Munarriz, N., & Cervera, V. (2013). Psychological Testing in the Philippines: Practice, Directions
and Perspectives (1st ed.). Quezon City: Great Books Publishing.

Parkinson, M. (2004). How to master psychometric tests. London: Kogan Page.

Strauss, E., Sherman, E., & Spreen, O. (2006). A compendium of neuropsychological tests.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Fernández Ballesteros, R. (2003). Encyclopedia of psychological assessment. London

[England]: SAGE Publications.

RAVEN'S™ Progressive Matrices (APM and SPM). (2017). Pearsonclinical.com. Retrieved 15

September 2017, from http://www.pearsonclinical.com/talent/products/100000634/ravens-
advanced-progressive-matrices-apm-and-spm-talent-assessment.html#tab-scoring