Mental tests
Mental tests have been part of our lives for well over a century. We have become accutomed to their use in schools, industry and mental health settings. Yet a century ago the idea that something as subjective as the "mind" could be measured and expressed in numbers was revolutionary. When the first practical test was introduced in this country around 1900 it crreated a sensation.
Prior to 1900 there were some false starts to devellop tests of ability. Scientists reasoned that intelligence requires accurate response to sensations and rapid bodily reactions. It was believed that by measuring the ability to perceive small differences in weights and to respond rapidly were good places to start. Instruments were constructed and statistical procedures developed to analyze these...more
