Army Beta

The Army Beta1917 is the non-verbal complement of the Army Alpha—a group-administered test that was developed by Robert Yerkes and six other committee members to evaluate some 1.5 million military recruits in the United States during World War I. It was used for the purpose of evaluating illiterate, unschooled and foreign speaking army recruits. It has been recognized as an archetype of future cognitive ability tests. The time to administer the test was 50 to 60 minutes and was generally administered to 100–200 men in a group; the test was discontinued after World War I.

The Army Beta is divided into 7 tests. Army recruits are asked to complete each test as quickly as they possibly can. The materials needed for this test are a blackboard frame, blackboard chart and cardboard pieces.

This test assessed the ability of army recruits to trace the path of a maze. In order to administer this, the administrator has a demonstrator trace a maze in front of the recruits slowly with a crayon. While doing so, the demonstrator would at one point purposefully make a mistake and wait until the administrator corrected him. After the administrator did so, the demonstrator would trace the rest of the maze and indicate that it must be done quickly. After this, the administrator would order the army recruits to take the maze test in their books by pointing to the subjects, then the books and telling them to "hurry up". While they are taking the test, the demonstrator would attempt to rush the army recruits and after 2 minutes, tell them to stop.

This test assessed the ability of cube analysis. In order to administer this, the administrator would point to a three-cube model on the blackboard and have the army recruits count how many there were. He would then do the same with a 12-cube model. After demonstrating how the test works, he would then have the army recruits turn the next page in their books and begin. The test had 17 items ascending difficulty: 1) 2-cube model, 2) 4-cube model, 3) 6-cube model, 4) 8-cube model, 5) 12-cube model, 6) 27-cube model, 7) 15-cube model, 8) 15-cube model, 9) 18-cube model, 10) 19-cube model, 11) 40-cube model, 12) 10-cube model, 13) 22-cube model, 14) 13-cube model, 15) 20-cube model, 16) 50-cube model. After 2 minutes and 30 seconds, the test was over and the administrator would tell them to stop.

This test assessed the ability of pattern analysis using an X-O series. In order to administer this, the administrator would first point to the blank rectangles at the end, then draw an O. The demonstrator would then draw the rest of the pattern in. The administrator and the demonstrator would do the same with another pattern using an X. The administrator would then have the army recruits do the same with the problems in their books. After 1 minute and 45 seconds, the test was over and the administrator would tell them to stop.

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