Error patterns on the Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices Test

Although many psychometric tests, like the Raven’s Progressive Matrices test, are commonly evaluated according to total score, additional variables can lend insight into the underlying cognitive processes of the test takers. We examine conceptual errors on the Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM) test. We present a new, complete classification of error types on the SPM using a two-kind coding scheme. We also present a new method for analyzing group errors patterns on these kinds of tests. We present two examples of this analysis using our SPM error classification. The first looks at the errors made by an artificial intelligence model of Raven’s problem solving. The second example looks at the errors made by children and adults who are typically developing or have been diagnosed with autism. We close by discussing implications of this error classification and analysis method for the interpretation of SPM scores, towards a better understanding of the diversity of cognitive processes involved in Raven’s problem solving.