Raven Progressive Matrices - Overview
The Raven Progressive Matrices were constructed by John C. Raven in the mid-1930s and have since been further developed by him and by co-authors. All versions consist of graphic patterns with a missing part. The matching part must be selected from a larger number of options by logical combination. The tests thus measure the ability for visual problem solving, an important component of fluid intelligence in the sense of Cattell. An essential aim in constructing the tests was also to cover the entire range of cognitive development from childhood to old age, regardless of education, nationality, or health status.
In the original versions, the Raven Progressive Matrices are paper-and-pencil tests. There are three versions of differing difficulty and differing length:
Most data are available for the Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM). They cover a relatively large measurement range and are the most frequently used in the clinical field with adults. It is not easy to get comprehensive information about the SPM. Over the years, many different editions have appeared with different publishers, and there are also several independent norming studies. Further details can be found in the documentation on the SPM.
The Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM) were developed from the SPM and are suitable for use with children between four and eleven years of age and with persons whose intellectual abilities can be assumed to be poorly developed or declining. In the series of Raven matrix tests, the CPM is the form with the lowest level of difficulty; however, it does not differentiate better than the SPM in the low intelligence range. Further details in the documentation on the CPM.
The Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) were developed from the SPM with the aim of achieving better differentiation among high-performing persons. They have the highest level of difficulty in the series of matrix tests. However, various studies show that the APM do not differentiate better than the SPM in the high intelligence range (further details in the documentation on the APM). An advantage of the APM over the SPM, however, lies in test economy, since the testing time is somewhat shorter for the APM.