PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “APTITUDE TEST”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Personality type and success among female naval academy midshipmen.

There are relatively few studies regarding factors that predict success among female midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA). This study examined the personality characteristics of 1,568 women admitted to USNA between 1988 and 1996 to evaluate whether personality type was predictive of success vs. attrition. Participants completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator as well as a demographic questionnaire upon admission. Indicators of performance were gathered at graduation. Results indicated that most women at USNA are extroverts. Extroverted-Sensing-Thinking-Judging types were more likely to graduate, whereas Feeling and Perceiving themes were associated with dropping out. Previous military service and higher Scholastic Aptitude Test Math scores were also predictive of success at USNA. In general, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was not a good predictor of academic or military success at USNA. Among women who graduate, Scholastic Aptitude Test (Verbal and Math) scores appear to be the best predictors of both academic and military ratings.

Achievement↗
PubMed1988

School results as predictors of medical school achievement.

In Queensland, scores in the final 2 years of secondary school scaled by an independent aptitude test are used to determine admission to tertiary education. The validity of this procedure for medical school enrollment has been investigated. Data were from four cohorts which entered the medical school to commence the course in each of the years 1975-1978, a total of 943 students. In addition to the school subject scores, overall order of merit scores and results of an independent aptitude test used to scale these scores were included with the predictors. Criteria were derived from the grades obtained in the 33 medical school subjects over the 6-year course, or from a broad pass/fail classification. We demonstrate that the school science subjects were of moderate value for prediction of preclinical achievement, but that school English was the most important predictor of performance in the clinical years, which is perhaps an indication of the value of communication skills.

Achievement↗
PubMed1993

Mechanical inventiveness: a three-phase study.

This paper focuses on mechanical inventiveness, the conception and development of new devices which require use of mechanical principles. In Phase 1 of the three-phase investigation, we studied 34 inventors who received between three and 82 agricultural and industrial patents. These inventors formed the original criterion group of mechanical inventors. Phase 2 of the investigation was the development of an inventiveness measure. From the criterion group of adult mechanical inventors, the Iowa Inventiveness Inventory (III) was developed to measure attitudes and characteristics of inventors. Subjects for Phase 3 of the study were 90 young inventors (40 males, 50 females), students (grades five to eight) who won local and regional invention contests and reached the state convention of Invent Iowa. In Phase 3, Invent Iowa state finalists in grades five to eight (n = 90) were administered the III and the Mechanical Reasoning test of the Differential Aptitude Tests. Characteristics of the young inventors, as delineated by these assessments, are provided.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Visual spatial perception in adolescents and their parents: the X-linked recessive hypothesis.

If high ability in visual spatial perception is determined by an X-linked recessive major gene, then the following pattern of correlations is expected across the four groups of parents and children, this is, the mother-son, father-daughter, mother-daughter, and father-son groups: rMS=rFD greater than rMD greater than rFS=0. In a sample of 129 adolescents and their parents, the Spatial Relations Test of the Differential Aptitude Test and the Identical Blocks Test showed the pattern of correlations expected under the above hypothesis, but the Water Level Test did not. The present results provide but limited support for the X-linked recessive hypothesis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Sex differences in mathematical ability: fact or artifact?

A substantial sex difference in mathematical reasoning ability (score on the mathematics test of the Scholastic Aptitude Test) in favor of boys was found in a study of 9927 intellectually gifted junior high school students. Our data contradict the hypothesis that differential course-taking accounts for observed sex differences in mathematical ability, but support the hypothesis that these differences are somewhat increased by environmental influences.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

U.S. Air Force pilot selection and training methods.

BACKGROUND: U.S. Air Force (USAF) pilot selection and training procedures have changed substantially in the last several years. Pilot selection procedures were augmented with the introduction of computer-based testing to assess pilot aptitude. Training procedures have changed in an effort to modernize the training fleet and provide better, more specialized training earlier in the training process. RESULTS: Despite several studies showing the utility of USAF pilot aptitude tests for predicting training performance, results of a recent policy capturing study suggest that this information is often ignored by pilot candidate selection boards. The two largest sources of USAF pilot trainees relied heavily on measures of officership when making selection decisions. Cumulative research findings suggest that USAF pilot selection decisions could be improved by making better use of currently available personnel attribute data. Further improvements could be expected from the addition of a structured selection interview and measures of personality.

Humans↗
PubMed1976

Psychological testing and the detection of drug abusers.

Empirical studies using psychological tests for the detection and early identification of drug abusers are summarized. Although the emphasis is on personality testing, intelligence and special aptitude tests are included. The author concludes that psychological testing has not been successful in differentiating drug abusers from other sampled groups. The ARCI and MMPI personality tests show potential, but their validity remains to be fully demonstrated. Factors for their lack of success include subjects with different "response sets" and in specific institutionalized settings. Recommendations for additional research in noninstitutional environments are discussed.

Humans↗
PubMed2004

[The effect of low frequency noise on human mental performance].

There is a growing body of data showing that low frequency noise (LFN) defined as broadband noise with dominant content of low frequencies (10-250 Hz) differs in its nature from other noises at comparable levels. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of LFN on human mental performance. Subjects were 193 male paid volunteers. They performed standardized tests: the Signal Detection Test (test I), the Stroop Color-Word Test (test II), and two sub-tests of the General Aptitude Test Battery, i.e. the Math Reasoning Test (test III) and the Comparing of Names Test (test IV). Three different acoustic conditions were used in the experiment the background laboratory noise of about 30 dB(A), LFN and the broadband noise at comparable db(A) levels of 50 dB. The study subjects were assigned randomly to varied experimental conditions. After the test session, the subjects completed a questionnaire aimed at rating the subjective annoyance of exposure conditions during the tasks, and assessing individual sensitivity to noise in general and LFN in particular. The main effects of exposure and/or noise sensitivity on the tests' results or their interaction were found in three of the four tests performed (tests I, II and IV). The tendency towards weaker results in low frequency noise compared to other conditions was observed in persons classified in test II as more sensitive to LFN (higher value of reading interference). The significant effect of both exposure and sensitivity to noise on annoyance rating during test performance was also noted. The annoyance of LFN and reference noise was rated higher than that of background noise. LFN at 50 dB(A) could be perceived as annoying and adversely affecting mental performance (concentration and visual perception), particularly in persons sensitive to LFN.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Predictors of MCAT scores for black Americans.

If minority students likely to score low on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) can be identified in advance, they can be advised to take existing preparatory programs, or programs can be developed to meet their needs. Correlation coefficients for a number of available independent variables with MCAT scores were determined for a population of premedical students at Xavier University of Louisiana. American College Testing (ACT) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores were found to have similar ability to predict MCAT scores, with a correlation coefficient of 0.64 between ACT composite and MCAT total scores. Correlations of sophomore year grade point average (GPA) with MCAT scores were only slightly weaker. Use of subtest scores for the ACT and SAT, grades in science courses, and Nelson-Denny Reading Test scores did not improve prediction to any real extent, either when used alone or in multiple linear regression analysis. In contrast to some previous studies, predictions for black men were as good as those for black women. Use of only ACT composite and sophomore year GPA together gave correlations only slightly weaker than predictions using a full range of variables; data from ACT composite and sophomore year GPA can be used for calculating predictive equations on many available micro-computers. These procedures may not be applicable to minority students at majority institutions.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1990

Correlations among ambiguous figures, curiosity, and spatial ability.

For 29 college students (6 men, 23 women) who passively viewed in each of 6 blocks both the Schroeder stair and the Necker cube for 3 min. apiece with one 3-min. rest between viewings, their frequency of reversals, sex, GPA, scores on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Information subtest, the two-dimensional Test 8, and the three-dimensional Test 9 of the Multiple Aptitude Test, measuring spatial ability, and three curiosity measures--the Which-to-Discuss Test, the Maze test, and the Ontario Test of Intrinsic Motivation--were not significantly correlated by Pearson's method with the number of ambiguous figure reversals.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Measurement of intelligence: misplaced trust and the lure of prophecy.

A careful look at studies of "intelligence" and "aptitude" tests belies the contention that these tests measure heritable attributes. Rather, they are achievement tests that measure learned abilities. When stripped of the aura of "intelligence" and "aptitude" and compared with other indexes of accomplishment, they are poor predictors of future performance. Furthermore, when promulgated as measures of cognitive potential, they are socially harmful, particularly to disadvantaged children.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

An epidemiologic study of NCLEX.

This study of NCLEX performance was designed to identify the best risk indices for students who do not pass the test, to pinpoint the earliest time in their academic careers that their risk can substantially be known, and to estimate the effectiveness of a formal review course. Results show that 62% of the variance in NCLEX scores can be predicted with a combination of variables that includes four nursing school course grades, the test scores of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, and National League for Nursing test scores. Whether a student took an NCLEX review course was not a significant predictor of performance. A method of deriving risk estimate from these values is also shown.

Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate↗
PubMed2004

Visuospatial abilities in cerebellar disorders.

BACKGROUND: Cerebellar involvement in spatial data management has been suggested on experimental and clinical grounds. OBJECTIVE: To attempt a specific analysis of visuospatial abilities in a group of subjects with focal or atrophic cerebellar damage. METHODS: Visuospatial performance was tested using the spatial subtests of the WAIS, the Benton line orientation test, and two tests of mental rotation of objects-the Minnesota paper form board test (MIN) and the differential aptitude test (DAT). RESULTS: In the Benton line orientation test, a test of sensory analysis and elementary perception, no deficits were present in subjects with cerebellar damage. In MIN, which analyses the capacity to process bidimensional complex figures mentally, and in the DAT, which is based on mental folding and manipulation of tridimensional stimuli, subjects with cerebellar damage were impaired. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that lesions of the cerebellar circuits affect visuospatial ability. The ability to rotate objects mentally is a possible functional substrate of the observed deficits. A comparison between visuospatial performance of subjects with focal right and left cerebellar lesions shows side differences in the characteristics of the visuospatial syndrome. Thus cerebellar influences on spatial cognition appear to act on multiple cognitive modules.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Wire-bending test as a predictor of preclinical performance by dental students.

Traditional Dental Aptitude Test and academic grade point average have been shown to be poor predictors of clinical performance by dental students. To refine predictors of psychomotor skills, a wire-bending test was given to 105 freshmen at the beginning of their dental education. Grades from seven restorative preclinical courses in their freshman and sophomore years were compared to scores on wire bending and the three traditional predictors: GPA, academic aptitude, and perceptual aptitude scores. Wire-bending scores correlated significantly with six out of seven preclinical restorative courses. The predictive power for preclinical performance was doubled when wire bending was added to traditional predictors in stepwise multiple regression analysis. Wire-bending scores identified students of low performance. These preliminary results suggest that the wire-bending test shows some potential as a screening test for identifying students who may hae psychomotor difficulties, early in their dental education.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

[Evaluation of the new admission procedures for medical education at the Karolinska Institute: selection based on tests and interviews is best].

To develop an admission procedure permitting selection of highly motivated medical students with personality characteristics appropriate for a future as practising physicians, from 1992 and onwards the Karolinska Institute based admission on a written test and two interviews (PIL group, n = 135), on upper secondary school grade point average (on a 5-point scale; GPA group, n = 161), on Scholastic Aptitude Test results (SAT group, n = 80), or other criteria (mainly foreign grades), the groups being compared at evaluation of the procedures in 1996. The PIL group scored highest in all respects, including clinical suitability, motivation, relations with classmates, and realistic expectations as to their future work as physicians, and none of them left medical school. Academic results were similar in the GPA group, though the two groups differed in secondary school GPAs (PIL group 4.0, GPA group 4.8(5.0). The evaluation suggested that admission via written test and interviews is a good alternative to conventional admission based on GPA or SAT.

Aptitude Tests↗
PubMed1993

Psychological profiles of the mathematically talented: some sex differences and evidence supporting their biological basis.

For over 20 years, above-level testing with the College Board Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) has been used to assess the abilities of well over 1,000,000 highly able 12-13-year-olds (students in the top 3% in intellectual ability). In this population, the predictive validity of the mathematical part of the SAT, SAT-M, for academic and vocational criteria has been demonstrated over 10-year gaps. Here, we document aspects of the psychological and achievement profiles of these highly able students, paying particular attention to sex differences. Males score higher on SAT-M (i.e., mathematical reasoning ability) than females; this difference is accompanied by differences between the sexes in spatial-mechanical reasoning abilities and in a number of lifestyle and vocational preferences. Collectively, these attributes appear to play a key role in structuring male-female disparities in pursuing advanced educational credentials and careers in the physical sciences. After profiling a number of the behavioural characteristics of the highly able, we examine some underlying biological correlates of these phenotypic manifestations. These include hormonal influences, medical and bodily conditions and enhanced right hemispheric activation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Interaction of cannabidiol and alcohol in humans.

Six male and four female healthy volunteers were given oral placebo (glucose capsule and orange juice), cannabidiol (CBD 200 mg capsule and orange juice), alcohol (1 g/kg in orange juice and glucose capsule), and CBD (200 mg capsule) plus alcohol (1 g/kg in orange juice) in a double-blind, crossover, randomized design. Treatments were spaced one week apart. Parameters measured were a finger tap test (motor performance), cancellation and differential aptitude tests (psychomotor performance), a 1-min time production task, subjective effects (66 item adjective-pair semantic differential), and breathalyzer estimations of blood alcohol levels. Compared to placebo, alcohol and alcohol plus CBD, but not CBD alone, produced significant impairments of motor and psychomotor performances, overestimations of time production and subjective responses indicating an accurate self-perception of their intoxication and deficits. The combination of alcohol plus CBD resulted in significantly lower blood alcohol levels compared to alcohol given alone, however, there were few differences observed between the pharmacological effects of the two alcohol conditions. Thus, the inactivity of CBD, a major marijuana constituent, on motor and mental performance and effects also extends to its interaction with alcohol.

Adult↗