Question- Explain verbal and non-verbal tests of measurement of intelligence. 

Or
Mention the limitations of verbal intelligence test.
Or
Briefly explain the nature and types of ‘Intelligence’.

Answer- Measurement of Intelligence

Intelligence tests are classified according to the activities prescribed in them. These are as follows :

1. Verbal Tests
2. Non-verbal Tests

As the name itself suggests, Verbal tests make use of language while the Non-verbal tests include such activities which do not necessitate the use of language. Both these types are suitable for individual as well as group tests. Consequently, Verbal and non-verbal tests are capable of further subdivision into two classes - individual and group. Thus, finally there are four types of intelligence tests :

(1) Verbal Individual Intelligence Tests
(2) Non-verbal Individual Intelligence Tests
(3) Verbal Group Intelligence Tests
(4) Non-verbal Group Intelligence Tests

Verbal Individual Intelligence Tests : The very name verbal individual intelligence tests, suggests that these are intelligence tests given to individuals, or in other words they are meant to test the intelligence of individuals. Language finds adequate use in them. Binet Simon tests and the various revision are all included in this classification.

Non-verbal Individual Intelligence Tests : It is quite apparent from the above example that in verbal tests, the child’s knowledge of language is more in demand and, therefore, the use of these tests is limited to students or literate persons. But these verbal tests cannot be used in the case of illiterate individuals as these tests involve an extensive use of language which fails as a medium to measure the individual difference between the illiterates. Consequently, illiterate individuals are tested with the help of Non-verbal Individual Intelligence tests. The name itself indicates the nature of these tests. These tests involve the least possible uses of the linguistic ability and are similarly almost unaffected by knowledge derived from books. One example of these non-verbal tests is the Performance Intelligence Tests.

It would be in keeping with the context of our discussion to understand in detail the Performance Intelligence Test as an example of the non-verbal individual intelligence test. According to Munn, “the word performance is usually applied to tests which require a minimum use of understanding and language.” Thus, these tests make use of items requiring responses and not language and these tests can be applied to children, illiterates, feebleminded individuals as well as foreigners.

Difficulties in Individual Tests : Some difficulties are felt in the operation of both the verbal and non-verbal types of individual intelligence tests. They are roughly as follows :

(1) Difficulty of Time : The individual intelligence tests take an hour usually and only one person can be tested at one time. Obviously, at this rate it would be essential to have a very big number of trained examiners and in spite of that, it would be difficult to test all the people.

(2) Need for experienced Examiners : The second obstacle, in the individual intelligence tests, is the need for experienced examiners because the correct result cannot be arrived at if the examiners are inexperienced. At the same time, the availability of such a large number of trained personnel is a near impossibility.

Not withstanding these difficulties in some circumstances, the individual intelligence tests become unavoidable. This is because the level accuracy reached by the individual intelligence tests in the assessment of a person’s intelligence, is outside the reach of the group intelligence tests.

Verbal Group Intelligence Tests : The group intelligence tests own their origin and evolution to the difficulties from which the individual tests suffer. As the name suggests these tests are designed to test the intelligence of a group and not of an individual. All the people in the group are given the same directions and have to perform the same activities. Even the score of the result of group intelligence tests is calculated by machines thus dispensing with the necessity of skilled examiners accompanied by an economy of time.

An excellent example of group intelligence tests is afforded by the Army alpha and beta tests which were evolved during the World War I in order to test the American soldiers. For example, it revealed separately, the feebleminded, men capable of becoming skilled specialists, men capable of becoming officers, men needing some training, etc.

Difficulties in Verbal Group Tests : Even after taking all the precautions, some difficulties are discernible in the verbal group intelligence tests which can be eliminated only by reverting to the  individual intelligence tests. It is due to these difficulties that the individual intelligence tests are considered more realistic than the group intelligence tests. The difficulties of the verbal group intelligence tests are fundamentally as follows :

(1) Difficulties relating to Co-operation in Tests : In these tests, it is difficult to judge whether the examinee is extending his full co-operation or not.

(2) Difficulty related to the Balance of the Subject : In these tests it is difficult to determine whether the physical and emotional balance of examinee is even or disturbed.

(3) Difficulty related to the Cease of the Subject : In the verbal group intelligence tests, it is difficult to ascertain if the examinee is feeling at ease and free or restrained.

(4) Possibility of cheating by the Subject : Another difficulty in these tests is that no one can testify whether the person has written the answer himself or copied it from his neighbour.

Inspite of the difficulties which arise in the verbal group intelligence tests, they have their own advantages due to which they are used comprehensively. As has been said before, the advantage are the same as the difficulties of the individual intelligence tests.

Non-verbal Group Intelligence Tests : As has been mentioned before, the verbal intelligence tests are meant only for the literates because of the requirement of a linguistic ability. It is for this reason that non-verbal group intelligence tests have been created, the examinee making a minimum use of language but performing, instead, many activities. One example of the non-verbal intelligence tests is Cattell’s Culture free and the N.I.I.P. tests.

In these non-verbal group intelligence tests, the examiners have to explain to the examinees even the simplest directions which are also demonstrated as far as possible. All this is done to make the least possible use of language. There are some performance tests in three group intelligence tests, in which the examinee draws some lines according to his abilities, fills in some empty spaces, draws some simple figures, or performs some simple activities. Some psychologists do not give credence to these non-verbal tests in their role of measuring intelligence of the subjects, while on the other hand some psychologists consider them to be better than verbal tests. For example, in Alexander’s opinion, “A complete performance battery will be a better measure than a complete verbal battery.”

The truth is that even if non-verbal group intelligence tests are not more important than verbal tests, they are certainly not less important than these tests. Some of their advantages are as follows :

(1) Comparison of Various Human Groups : The first obstacle in the comparison of human groups of various languages and cultures is the differences in their language. This obstacle can be overcome by the non-verbal group intelligence tests and a comparison between different human groups is rendered possible.

(2) Testing of Illiterate Soldiers : The verbal group intelligence tests are manifestly inapplicable to illiterate soldiers for the testing of their intelligence. Consequently, the abilities of illiterate soldiers are assessed by employing the non-verbal group intelligence tests and the possibilities of their learning are known.

(3) Intelligence testing in Children : The linguistic ability is very low in the case of children and consequently the verbal group intelligence tests cannot be given to them. Apparently, intelligence testing of children will have to be done by the non-verbal group intelligence tests.

(4) Advice to some Specific Classes : The above exposition on the non-verbal group intelligence tests has made it obvious that these tests have proved the most successful with some specific classes of people. Thus, the result of these tests render great assistance in advising people of this group.

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