An Analysis of the Matrix (Progressive Matrices) Test Results on 700 Neurotic (Military) Subjects, and a Comparison with the Shipley Vocabulary Test

1. 1. Seven hundred Progressive Matrices records from neurotic military patients were compared with controls. It was found that the neurotics as a group had significantly lower scores. Subjects at higher intellectual levels seem to take written tests better than the low-grade subjects, who often need to be re-tested individually. 2. 2. When the records were divided into “straight” and “uneven,” the latter preponderated. The control group showed an even higher percentage of “uneven” records, so that mere unevenness between the five sets is no criterion of neurosis. There was no significant difference in percentage of uneven records between different score levels in either control or neurotic groups, nor did the two groups differ significantly in amount of reversals. The neurotics showed a tendency to reversals of scores earlier in the test, partly because of their lower scores. In both groups there were significantly more reversals between sets C and D. 3. 3. An analysis of the time factor in the neurotic group, who were tested without time-limits, showed a very low positive correlation between time and score, with no significant differences between “straight” and “uneven” records, but with a slight tendency for time and score to vary directly in the latter, there being more variation in Grade I scores. The Median Time over the whole group was 43 minutes, with a P.E. of 27 minutes. Since times do not alter significantly with increasing scores time-per-item decreases as score-level rises, i.e., quickness and ability are positively correlated. Time and age showed a very low positive correlation, with a slight tendency in the “uneven” group for times to increase with age and for scores over 30 to show more variation. 4. 4. The neurotic group showed a lower median age and wider range than the control group. The correlation between age and score is almost nil . The percentage of “uneven” records does not differ significantly from chance (equal) expectations at different ages in either the control or the neurotic groups, though the former shows a sigificant difference between two age groups, i.e. 21–25 and 26–30, the latter ages giving lower scores. There is a very slight tendency in the neurotic group for scores to decline with age, from 20 to 45. 5. 5. Attitudes of neurotic subjects to the test are on the whole good, only 5 per cent. of a sample (2,500) of records showing really negative attitudes. These are analysed into various categories. There is no significant difference in age or times taken among this “complaining” group, but the low scorers show poorer attitudes towards the test. The need for good testing conditions is emphasized. 6. 6. The current method of assessing unreliability of scores on the Matrix Test is mentioned, with further suggestions incorporating a comparison of individual records, with an over-all order of difficulty of the 60 items on the test and an index of efficiency by the use of a time-score index. A combination of methods gives the best assessments. 7. 7. 2,790 Matrix (control) records were analysed for frequency of wrong choices. It is shown that these follow the progression of the test, i.e. broadly from perceptual to conceptual. There is a tendency for a particular wrong approach to persist amongst low-scorers through several items. Types of errors in each of the five sets are mentioned. 8. 8. A comparison is made between 650 Shipley and Matrix records showing a normal curve of grade-displacements between the tests. The majority of these displacements are of one grade only. 9. 9. The use of a vocabulary score in estimating mental deterioration is mentioned, and the danger of making facile inferences from discrepancy scores (vocabulary scores minus scores on other tests) is emphasized. There is a need for information about the performance of subjects over as wide an age range as possible on the more reputable tests now in use.