What is a defining characteristic of intelligence tests?

• A. They measure temperament
• B. They predict physical health
• C. They measure memory only
• D. They assess mental aptitudes and compare them with those of others

Answer: (D)

Intelligence tests are designed to gauge broad mental abilities—the kinds of cognitive skills used to learn, reason, solve problems, and adapt to new situations. They also provide a way to compare a person’s performance with that of a normative group, using standardized scores so you can see where someone stands relative to peers. This combination of measuring cognitive aptitudes and offering norm-referenced comparisons is what defines how these tests work.

Temperament or personality is not what intelligence tests target; they’re not designed to predict physical health, and they aren’t limited to memory alone. They assess a range of cognitive skills—verbal ability, logical reasoning, processing speed, working memory, and more—then place your results in the context of how others perform on the same tasks.