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mental test

mental test

1 3.6
A set of questions or tasks that measure memory, thinking and intelligence
  • noun
  • /ˈmɛn.təl tɛst/
  • Specialized
translation icon : prueba mental
  • It may certainly be said now, however, that mental tests have given no explanation of the great disproportion of eminence among men.

Examples

  • The organization administered a mental test to determine the participants' levels of intelligence and aptitude.

  • Prof. Jensen is the author of the definitive work on the validity of mental tests, Bias in Mental Testing (1980), and a more popular condensation of this book called Straight Talk About Mental Tests (1981).

    Blog text (23)
  • Tell me something, when was the last time you had a mental test?

  • He had never in his life had a mental test previously, being then 8 years and 4 months old.

    Academic text (1990)
  • They just differed in their scores on a paper-and-pencil mental test.

    Academic text (1997)
  • The invention of mental tests for children had established that boys and girls were equal in intelligence (Termam 1916), so opportunity in society had to be the primary reason why women did not excel.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Her article on psychological services for public schools (Hollingworth, 1933) discussed the early influences of Witmer, psychological clinics, the child study movement, compulsory education, and mental tests.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Students often take a mental test to evaluate their cognitive skills and readiness for the school year.

  • The researchers discovered that the results of a mental test could predict future job performance in various fields.

Synonyms

psychometric test
vsmental test
  • Specialized
1 5.1

A test that measures how people think, learn, or behave

is the broader standardized procedure covering memory sensitivity intelligence and aptitude

How Difficult

intelligence test
  • Specialized
3 3.2
mental test
  • Specialized
1 3.6
screening
23 3.9

Surface Forms

mental test singular
mental tests plural

Morphology

mental + test

The noun phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'mental' (relating to cognition) + 'test' (an assessment), so the meaning 'a test of mental/cognitive abilities' is directly derivable from the constituents. This compositional pattern is common in English and in many other languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

The phrase mental test comes from the idea of checking the mental, that is the 'mind', with a test, a simple 'check'. Imagine a doctor or teacher asking short questions or small puzzles to see how memory, focus and thinking work, so today a mental test means a set of tasks that measure a person's mental skills.