BHATIA BATTERY TEST

Chandra Mohan Bhatia, popularly known as C.M. Bhatia, was born in 1914. He
went to Edinburgh and got his PhD degree in psychology. During this period, he
developed the Bhatia’s battery of performance test of intelligence and
standardised it on illiterate and literate children of rural and urban India in 1955.

Separate norms were provided for literate and illiterate children for calculating
their IQ. A research done by P.K. Mona under the supervision of Bhatia
indicated that literate children have significantly higher IQ in comparison of
illiterate children, clearly indicating that intelligence lies dormant in illiterate
and surfaces up when developmental facilities like education are provided.

The total time taken to complete this test is one hour and the maximum score a
participant can score is 95. The standardization of 5 subtest was done for over 4
years in villages and cities and in places of cross-cultural settings.

At first the norms for the test have only been obtained for the boys of age 11
and 16. The norms for the test have been only obtained for the boys of the age
11 and 16. Later in time the norms for girls have also been obtained. The test
has been standardized on the sample of 1154 children.

 Split half reliability: 0.55

 Validity: 0.77

Correlation with other intelligence tests: 0.67- 0.82

According to AP intelligence is “the ability to derive information, learn from

experience, adapt to the environment, understand, and correctly utilise thought
and reason”. Intelligence refers to intellectual functioning. Intelligence
quotients, or IQ test, compare your performance with other people your age who
take the same test.

How to calculate IQ?

IQ= Mental age/Chronological age x 100

The tests included in Bhatia’s battery of performance tests of intelligence are:

1. Kohs Block Design Test

2. Alexander Pass A Long Test
3. Pattern Drawing Test
4. Immediate Memory Test for Digits
5. Picture Construction Test


THE KOHS BLOCK TEST

The Kohs Block test, also known as the Kohs Block Design Test, is a

performance test designed to be an IQ test. The participant must use the 16
coloured cubes to replicate the patterns displayed on a series of test cards. The
test was developed in 1920 by psychologist Samuel C. Kohs. Kohs described
the 1920s version of the test as a series of 17 cards which increase in
complexity as the test progressed. Test takers replicated the designs with
painted blocks (each side was a single colour, or two colours divided by a
diagonal line). The initial scores were based on completion time and number of
moves. The test was given to both children and adults. Since this is a
performance test, both literate and illiterate people can attempt this test.
Because the instructions are easy to give and easy to understand, the test was
designed so it could be given in mime , therefore making it especially valuable
for testing those with language or hearing handicaps, or individuals speaking a
different language than the administrator of the test.

PASS ALONG TEST

Pass along Test is used to measure concrete ability. There are four tests (some
incomplete) included in it, each originally consisting of 4 wooden trays and
approximately 14 wooden blocks, painted in red or blue, with 8 design cards.
The Pass along Test measures intelligence. The subject is given a design card.
They must make the image using the blocks. Each test has a time limit. The
time taken to complete each card is scored to work out IQ. It was published by
the Councils and Educational Press Limited.

PATTERN DRAWING TEST

This test has been developed by Dr. Bhatia himself. In this there are eight cards
on each of which there is a particular form. Every card has a pattern, and the
subject is required to draw these patterns in one go without lifting pencil. The
maximum time given for the first 4 cards is 2 minutes and for the rest of the
cards is 3 minutes. The subject may make as many attempts on the paper as they
like within the time limit. As the subject attempts the test from the 1 st to the 8th
card the difficulty also increases.

IMMEDIATE MEMORY TEST

In this test, some digits are recited, which are immediately repeated by the
subject. This activity throws some light on the immediate memory of the
subject. This test has 2 parts: digit span forward and digit span back word. The
test taker is required to repeat the numbers the examiner says fill stop the
number of digit is increased on every trial. The test is continued till the subject
repeat it successfully in the same order. This is called digit span forward. In the
backward recall the numbers are repeated in the backward position, from the
last to the first. This recall is also continued till the subject successfully repeat
the sequence.

PICTURE CONSTRUCTION TEST

This is the 5th and the last Test of the battery. This is a comparatively easy test
for the age group 11 to 16 years will stop this test consist of 5 graded subtests.
test requires the subject to construct a picture that is given in parts. The parts are
to be meaningfully combined to construct a picture. The time limit is 2 minutes
each for subtest 1 to 3 and 3 minutes each for subtest 4 and 5.

ADVANTAGES

1. It can be helpful for the study of pre-school children, who have not begun
reading and writing these are only suitable tests.
2. These are useful for clinical purposes, for testing neurotics and mentally
deficient.
3. These are useful for adults over 30, who have lost interest in numbers and
words.
4. Performance tests are culture-free. That is why verbal test prepared in
U.K. will not suit Indian children.

5. It is a way to identify individuals who are “gifted.” Intelligence testing is

an effective way to identify individuals who have an above-average
intellectual ability. These tests make it possible to identify this concern
early, initiate faster learning process, and offer a professional experience.

6. It helps us to understand how the brain works. When intelligence testing

provides results from hundreds of different approaches that involve
thousands of participants from around the world, then we can gain new
insights into how the brain works.

DISADVANTAGES
1. Some test items do not have connection with life situations. Some call for
speed rather the solution of problems. Slight differences in speed affect
the scores. Enough of emphasis is not given to item difficulty.

2. Most of these tests do not require above- average thinking, so these are
not suitable for higher levels.

3. Most of these tests need to be administered individually, in small a group,

which entails expense. 

4. It can lead to the use of labels. People who are given the label of being
“gifted and talented” can develop an unrealistic self-concept about who
they are and what they can do. It may even lead them to a place where
they feel superior to the average human, causing them to look down on
others or make less effort to complete work.

5. It can lead to the development of stereotypes. When the results of

intelligence testing come in, people can believe what the results suggest
because they “took” the test. This can lead them to believe that they are
“smart” or “stupid” based on just one number.

6. It is information which is used inconsistently. Another significant

disadvantage of intelligence testing is that the information and results are
used inconsistently throughout society.