Description of Test
This test consists of a series of incomplete patterns ("matrices"); in each case, the twin was asked to identify the missing part of the pattern. The twin did this by clicking on one of 6 or 8 possible missing parts. The patterns and missing parts are shown in full in a table below.
The test is divided into 5 sub-tests or sections, labelled A, B, C, D and E. Each sub-test consists of 12 items, numbered 1-12. Hence there are 60 items in total: A1-A12, B1-B12, C1-C12, D1-D12 and E1-E12. A twin may have been presented with fewer than 60 items, because of the branching and discontinue rules (described below). The sub-tests are presented in sequence (A then B then C then D then E). Branching and discontinue rules apply independently within each sub-test, as described below.
Test Rules
- Scoring
For each question, the correct response is given a score of 1, and any of the 5 or 7 incorrect responses is given a score of 0. The maximum total score for the test is 60. - Branching and Discontinue rules
The 5 sub-tests are presented in sequence: A then B then C then D then E. The following rules apply independently within each of the 5 sub-tests.- Start with items 1, 2 and 3 in the sub-test.
- If items 1-3 are all incorrect, discontinue the sub-test (skip items 4-12), and start the next sub-test.
- If at least one item is correct and at least one item is incorrect from items 1-3, proceed with the rest of the sub-test (items 4-12).
- If items 1-3 are all correct, proceed to items 9, 10, 11 and 12
of the sub-test. Then:
- If items 9-12 are all correct, give credit for items 4-8 of the sub-test (as though they had been answered correctly, gaining a score of 1 for each item).
- If one of items 9-12 is answered incorrectly, immediately go back and attempt items 4-8 of the sub-test. Then continue to attempt any of items 10-12 not already done.
- Timeout rule
A nominal timeout of 5 minutes (300 seconds) applies to each item of this test. After 5 minutes with no response, the twin is automatically taken back to the menu/activity screen. However, the timed out item is not forfeited: on resuming the test, the same item is presented again to the twin. Hence there are no timed out items in the data for this test.
Item Variables
The item variables relating to the Raven's test, as listed in the table below, were generated automatically by programs on the web server during the course of the test. Note that the dataset only includes data for completed tests. If a twin started the test but left it unfinished, then the data for the test were not used.
In most cases the values of these variables have been left unaltered, although some have been recoded during data cleaning as follows. See the web data cleaning page for further details.
- For items skipped due to the discontinue rule, the item response variable is recoded from missing to -2, and the item score is recoded from missing to 0.
- For items skipped and credited due to upward branching, the item response variable is recoded from missing to -3 (the item score is already recorded as 1 on the web server).
- For items that crashed or malfunctioned in any way, the item response variable is recoded from missing to -4, and the item score is recoded from missing to 0.
- For twins identified as random responders in this test, the status flag is recoded from 2 to 4, the data flag is recoded from 1 to 0, and all item variables are recoded to missing (test data deleted)
The test start and end dates and times, and item answer and download times, and item orders, have not been retained in the dataset.
| Variables | Explanation | Values |
|---|---|---|
| jrstat1/2 | Test status: outcome of test | 0=not started, 1=started but not finished, 2=successfully completed, 4=random responses |
| jrdata1/2 | Data flag: is test data present in the dataset? | 0=no, 1=yes |
| jrstdt1/2 | Start date of the test [not in dataset] | Date values |
| jrsttm1/2 | Start time of the test [not in dataset] | Time values |
| jrendd1/2 | End date of the test [not in dataset] | Date values |
| jrendt1/2 | End time of the test [not in dataset] | Time values |
| jrsess1/2 | Number of sessions (at the computer) used by the twin to complete the test. | Integer values of 1 or above |
| jrtime1/2 | Time taken to complete the test, in seconds | Integer values (number of seconds) |
| jrXYYa1/2 (where X is the subtest letter a/b/c/d/e and yy is the item number within the subtest, 01-12) |
Item response (picture number selected, as tabulated below) | 1-6 for sections A and B, 1-8 for sections C, D and E. Also -2=discontinued, -3=credited due to upward branching, -4=item crashed. |
| jrXYYs1/2 (where X is the subtest letter a/b/c/d/e and yy is the item number within the subtest, 01-12) |
Item score (see table of items below for details) | 0=incorrect, 1=correct |
| jrXYYat1/2 (where X is the subtest letter a/b/c/d/e and yy is the item number within the subtest, 01-12) |
Answer time: length of time (in seconds) taken by the twin to respond to this item [not in dataset] | Integer values (number of seconds) |
| jrXYYdt1/2 (where X is the subtest letter a/b/c/d/e and yy is the item number within the subtest, 01-12) |
Download time: length of time (in seconds) between the end of the previous item and the start of this item; time needed to download files for this item [not in dataset] | Integer values (number of seconds) |
| jrXYYo1/2 (where X is the subtest letter a/b/c/d/e and yy is the item number within the subtest, 01-12) |
Order or sequence of this item in the test; dependent on the branching path taken by the twin through this test [not in dataset] | Integer values of 1 or above |
Test Items
The numbering of the items, shown in the table below, equates to the numbering used in the item variables. Note that this is not the same as the order in which items were presented to twins in the test (see branching rules above).
| item | correct response | picture |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | 4 |  |
| A2 | 5 |  |
| A3 | 1 |  |
| A4 | 2 |  |
| A5 | 6 |  |
| A6 | 3 |  |
| A7 | 6 |  |
| A8 | 2 |  |
| A9 | 1 |  |
| A10 | 3 |  |
| A11 | 4 |  |
| A12 | 5 |  |
| B1 | 2 |  |
| B2 | 6 |  |
| B3 | 1 |  |
| B4 | 2 |  |
| B5 | 1 |  |
| B6 | 3 |  |
| B7 | 5 |  |
| B8 | 6 |  |
| B9 | 4 |  |
| B10 | 3 |  |
| B11 | 4 |  |
| B12 | 5 |  |
| C1 | 8 |  |
| C2 | 2 |  |
| C3 | 3 |  |
| C4 | 8 |  |
| C5 | 7 |  |
| C6 | 4 |  |
| C7 | 5 |  |
| C8 | 1 |  |
| C9 | 7 |  |
| C10 | 6 |  |
| C11 | 1 |  |
| C12 | 2 |  |
| D1 | 3 |  |
| D2 | 4 |  |
| D3 | 3 |  |
| D4 | 7 |  |
| D5 | 8 |  |
| D6 | 6 |  |
| D7 | 5 |  |
| D8 | 4 |  |
| D9 | 1 |  |
| D10 | 2 |  |
| D11 | 5 |  |
| D12 | 6 |  |
| E1 | 7 |  |
| E2 | 6 |  |
| E3 | 8 |  |
| E4 | 2 |  |
| E5 | 1 |  |
| E6 | 5 |  |
| E7 | 1 |  |
| E8 | 6 |  |
| E9 | 3 |  |
| E10 | 2 |  |
| E11 | 4 |  |
| E12 | 5 |  |