To date, three versions of the domino test. The first (1944) was restricted to the British Army; the second was adapted in France and the third was prepared by Ansteny in 1955 for use in Uruguay. This test, also known as D48, is a test that aims to measure G intelligence or general intelligence, this quality is related to the logical abilities of the individual. This test is also considered a psychotechnical test.
Do you want to know more about the Domino Test? Then don’t miss the following Psychology-Online article. In it you will find all the information about your interpretation, characteristics, what it measures and much more data.
The psychological domino test
It’s a graphic psychotechnical test, non-verbal and intelligence aimed at assessing a person’s ability to conceptualize and apply systematic reasoning to new problems. The test is based on finding the card that continues the series proposed in each question.
What the domino test evaluates
Measure the g factor of Spearman’s two-factor theory of intelligence, providing an estimate of intellectual ability. This factor is defined as the general mental capacity to capture stimuli from the environment, reason and solve problems in a logical and effective way.
With this test can assess a person’s ability to:
- Perceive exactly the number of points of each set of chips.
- Discover the organizing principle of each set
- Solve, by applying these principles, the number of points that must be placed on each of the halves of the blank dominoes to complete the design.
The Domino test belongs to the class of so-called “power tests”, that is, tests that aim to purely measure the ability of the subjects, as opposed to “speed tests” that are based on work speed.
Application of the domino psychotechnical test
The D48 test continues to be used in different fields, such as personnel selection and psycho-pedagogical and vocational guidance. Despite having very good psychometric qualities of reliability and validity, it must be applied to subjects aged 12 years or older for its interpretation to be correct.
It has been applied up to the age of 65, but at this age it has been possible to verify a difficulty in execution similar to that experienced in the lower “tail” of the distribution.
Although in fact it is a collective test. It can also be administered individually to people diagnosed with mental disorders, but its interpretation must be done with more qualitative than quantitative criteria.
Time and materials to apply the domino test
There is no time limit but it is estimated that 30-40 minutes are sufficient to perform the test.
The material consists of a test notebook with 48 problems, pencil, eraser, test manual, correction, answer sheets.
Psychometric qualities: reliability and validity
Reliability coefficients range between 0.85 to 0.91 with a tendency to grow with age and coincide with Ansley (0.90) and Vernon (0.86). These values have been higher than other intelligence tests that have been used and are always very close to those of Raven.
Validity was carried out with the Raven test: 0.55
The interpretation of validity presents a problem, the establishment of sufficiently objective criteria.
What does the domino test measure?
Many people believe that intellectual quotient or IQ is measured by the domino test, however, this is not the case. As we have mentioned previously, this test measures logical capabilities according to Spearman’s two-factor theory.
While it is true that the concept of intelligence varies according to the theories that emerge over the years, the domino test measures a person’s ability to correctly learn the number of points in groups of dominoes, the computer principle of those groups and the number of points that correspond to each blank half of a domino in that group to complete the pattern.
A point in favor of this test is that the way it measures intelligence prevents it from interacting with cultural factors.
Domino test layout: how to solve it
In each of the 48 tests there is a group of dominoes and a blank space, the objective in this case will be to calculate according to logic what number corresponds to the domino.
On every page of the notebook a new principle is introduced:
- Symmetry
- Altenance and simple progression
- Asymmetry
- Circular progression
- Complex progression
- Combination of previous principles
- Addiction and subtraction
The items are arranged in order of increasing difficulty, but not absolutely, since the first item corresponding to a new principle is easier than the last item belonging to the previous principle. The answers should not be recorded on the test itself, but on the answer sheet that is administered at the same time. Normally, you have 30 minutes to complete the entire test.
Answer sheet: interpretation of the domino test
One point is awarded for each correct answer and each wrong question subtracts one third of the score (0.33)
- Correct answers are not considered: position reversals and answers that omit zero (0)
- For percentiles greater than 50, the lower percentile is assigned.
- For percentiles less than 50, the upper percentile is assigned
- The standard deviation (that is, the chance of giving a random answer) is 1 in 49
- The average score in adults is 26/27
Below is a table with the scores and percentiles according to age:
source: Ibero-American psychology
Image: Ibero-American psychology
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