Psychometric Advent of Advanced Progressive Matrices – Smart Version (Apm-Sv) For Use in Nigeria (Published)
The Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) test is a leading global non-verbal measure of mental ability, helping to identify individuals with advanced observation and clear thinking skills who can handle rigorous study programmes as well as the complexity and ambiguity of the modern workplace. APM scale is largely employed by researchers and practitioners in the field of psychometrics, education, medicine and the social sciences. A sample of 3100 participants in Nigeria was randomly drawn to answer nine research questions. Triangulation research design, adopting item response theory (IRT) guided the study. The study developed an abridged form of the APM dubbed Advanced Progressive Matrices-Smart Version (APM-SV). Results revealed that all 15 items of the APM-SV test yield favourable statistics under 3-Parameter Logistic IRT Model with regards to item discrimination, difficulty and guessing. Item Response Function showed preponderance of APM-SV’s reliability of 0.92. The APM-SV showed perfect fit, is bias-free and very suitable for use in Nigeria. APM-SV scale strongly and positively correlated well with other measures of fluid ability such as the APM scale itself, CFIT, Digit Span scale, and Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test (BMCT).
Keywords: 3-Parameter Logistic Model, Advanced Progressive Matrices, Item Response Theory, Nigeria, Test Bias, X-Calibre
Item Response Theory Validation of Advanced Progressive Matrices in Nigeria (Published)
Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) is a leading global non-verbal mental ability test for identification of individuals with clear thinking skills who can handle rigorous study programmes and cope with complexity and ambiguity of the contemporary workplace. The test is popularly used in America, Europe and Asia but has never been validated for use in Nigeria. A validation sample of 2100 in Nigeria was randomly drawn for this study. Triangulation research design, adopting Item Response Theory (IRT), guided this validation of APM. Results revealed that all items of the test yield favourable statistics under 3-Parameter Logistic IRT Model with regards to discrimination, difficulty and guessing. Item Response Function showed preponderance of APM’s reliability (0.948) and construct cum concurrent validity (0.701) with Culture Fair Intelligence Test (CFIT). X-Calibre analysis confirmed suitable difficulty indexes (-2.595 to 2.133 b parameter) of APM. The APM is bias-free and very suitable for use in Nigeria.
Keywords: 3-Parameter Logistic Model, Advanced Progressive Matrices, CFIT, Item Response Theory, Nigeria, Test Bias, X-Calibre
