What are psychometric tests and what types are there?

A review of the different types of psycho-technical tests, with their characteristics and areas of application.

Nowadays it is not uncommon to hear that we have to pass a psycho-technical test, for example during a personnel selection process in a company. And it is not the only time that we will have to take it during our life, being something more frequent and common than it may seem. But, what is a psycho-technical test and what does it seek to achieve? Is there more than one type of psycho-technical test or are they all the same? In this article we are going to make a brief commentary on these questions.

What are psychological tests?

Psychotechnical tests are understood as a type of objective tests designed to evaluate objectively (without the subjectivity of an evaluator in obtaining results) the intellectual abilities of one or more persons. They are highly structured tests, of voluntary response, controlled by the subject and in which the controlled by the subject and in which the objective of the test is not masked (being relatively easy to imagine what is being measured). The answers given by the subject under analysis will be treated as sincere and true, although these are performance tests that would not benefit from attempts to vary the answers.

Most of these tests are maximal performance tests, i.e., that The majority of these tests are maximal performance tests, i.e., they assess the maximum potential shown by a subject with respect to a particular skill or characteristic within a given time limit. a particular skill or characteristic within a given time limit. They usually assess the general intelligence and aptitudes of the subject under examination, and this assessment may have very different objectives depending on the case. In general, the aim is to check the adequacy of a person's abilities to the needs and elements required to access certain permits or positions, or simply to assess whether there is any alteration or difficulty in the adaptive functioning of the person.

It is usual to pass them together with a personality test in order to evaluate not only the cognitive abilities but also the way of being and the habitual pattern of thought and behavior of the person being analyzed. Subsequently, after the analysis of the information obtained by both types of test, some kind of decision can be made. It should be kept in mind, however, that the tests themselves do not provide information beyond a score. do not provide information beyond a score, which must be interpreted in order to be able to make a decision. and analyzed on the basis of the information available on the subject and the comparison with different scales or criteria.

Types of psycho-technical tests

There are different types of psycho-technical testsThey are not all oriented to obtain information on the same aspects nor are they carried out with the same objectives. In this sense, some of the main groups into which we can classify them are the following.

1. Attention and concentration tests

These tests These tests evaluate the ability to remain attentive to a stimulus, to maintain fixed attention to the to the appearance of a specific element or to notice changes in the appearance of disturbances. Monotonous tasks in which it is easy to become bored and distracted or in which it is difficult to detect a stimulus different from the rest are generally used.

Reasoning test

Organizing information, drawing conclusions and seeking solutions quickly is essential for many jobs is fundamental for many jobs and facilitates the general adaptation to the events we face on a daily basis. There are many ways to assess reasoning, some of them being problem solving, planning alternative courses of action in hypothetical situations or deciding between two options and justifying why. It is also frequent to have to look for relationships between different stimuli and to solve matrices. Spatial, verbal, numerical or mechanical reasoning may be included, in addition to abstract reasoning.

3. Spatial aptitude test

Distinguishing shapes and being able to navigate correctly in space is an aptitude that helps us to orient ourselves and understand what is happening around us. In many jobs or when driving, it is essential to have a certain level of this aptitude. Different visuospatial tests are often used, such as deciding what an object we see from another perspective will look like or keeping a point within a specific range.such as deciding what an object seen from another perspective will look like or keeping a point within a specific range.

4. Verbal aptitude test

Communicating efficiently, knowing how to understand and express what we think and what other people think at high speed, is essential in dealing with other people. Vocabulary, vocabulary, lexis, reading and writing speed, grammar and spelling are some of the aspects tested in this test. are some of the aspects examined in this type of test.

5. Numeracy test

Doing calculations is very useful in many jobs or in our daily life. Numerical aptitude is usually tested on the basis of mathematical problems.The use of the rule of threes or the direct calculation (generally they are not excessively complicated unless you are applying for a position that requires great competence in this sector, but the number of correct and wrong answers in a specific period of time is measured).

6. Linked to executive functions

Working memory, decision-making capacity, response inhibition, planning and problem solving... all these capacities can be analyzed through different tests. Generally are generally used in neuropsychological and clinical evaluation, although some can be adapted toalthough some can be adapted for other uses.

Areas in which they are applied

If most of us know what a psychotechnical test is, it is because at some point in our lives we have been given one. In fact, nowadays they are very frequent in different contexts in which it is required to know the mental aptitudes of a specific person for a specific purpose. Among the different possible contexts, some of the most frequent ones are the following.

1. Work environment

This is probably the area where we most frequently find ourselves in the need to pass one of these tests. The companies usually have a series of requirements about the skills that their employees must have, so that through the test we can find out if we have the right skills for the job.The company usually has a series of requirements about the skills that their employees must have, so that through the passing of these tests they can obtain a score in skills such as writing speed, verbal comprehension, lexis, numerical ability, problem-solving ability or visuospatial abilities among many others. That is why they are part of most personnel selection processes (although the interview is usually more important).

2. Educational field

Psycho-technical tests are also often used in education and training, as a way to observe students' abilities. They can be used to adjust the level and content to the learner's capabilities, to see their level of development or whether improvements have been made in the course of an educational program or even to establish selection criteria for acceptance into certain universities or centers.

3. Clinical practice

Another area in which psychometric tests are used is in clinical practice, to assess the abilities and aptitudes of patients. This is very useful for assessing, for example, the existence of alterations in patients with dementia or other disorders. in patients with dementia or other alterations that can generate variations in mental abilities, or simply to assess the mental abilities of the patient.or simply to assess the current capabilities of the patient.

4. Driving license

Driving a vehicle involves a great responsibility. We are in command of a powerful and heavy machine that is going into circulation and that must be handled with great caution and skill to avoid causing or suffering accidents. That is why an evaluation of the future driver's skills is required before granting him/her a permit, to observe his/her attention and concentration skills, visuoperceptive and visuospatial ability and reaction capacity.

5. Weapons license

Although much less frequent than the two previous ones, some people need to carry a firearm. This is the case of policemen, security guards and hunters.. But a gun should not be given to just anyone, since they imply a great responsibility and a great danger for others if they are not used correctly. For this purpose, different psychometric tests are usually used, among other tests, in order to decide whether or not the requirements to have a firearms license are met.

Bibliographical references:

• Cohen, R.J. & Swerdlik, M.E. (2002). Psychological testing and assessment. McGraw-Hill: Madrid.