- Mechanical, Spatial and Electrical reasoning tests measure fluid reasoning (Gf) and the ability to generate, store, retrieve, and transform visual images. This ability is known as Visual processing (Gv).
- These abilities are typically measured by tasks (viz., figural or geometric stimuli) that require the perception and transformation of visual shapes, forms, or images and/or tasks that require maintaining spatial orientation with
regard to objects that may change or move through space. - Tests of Visual processing (Gv) measure the ability to apprehend a spatial form, object, or scene and match it with another spatial object, form, or scene with the requirement to rotate it (one or more times) in two or three dimensions. They require the ability to mentally imagine, manipulate or transform objects or visual patterns and to “see” (predict) how they would appear under altered conditions (e.g., parts are moved or rearranged).
- They also require understanding of spatial relations and the ability to rapidly perceive and manipulate (mental rotation, transformations, reflection, etc.) visual patterns or, to maintain orientation with respect to objects in space. They require candidates to identify an object when viewed from different angles or positions.
- Mechanical, Spatial and Electrical reasoning tests are widely used in pre-employment testing regimes within trades, manufacturing and industry. They are an extremely useful type of psychometric test that measures this type of cognitive ability.
