APTITUDE TEST

examination that attempts to determine and measure those characteristics of a person that are regarded as indices of his capability to acquire, through future training, some specific set of responses (intellectual, motor, and so on). The tests assume that people differ in their special abilities and that these differences are related in a predictable manner to their later achievements. General, or multiple, aptitude tests are similar to intelligence tests in that they measure a broad spectrum of abilities (e.g., verbal comprehension, general reasoning, numerical operations, perceptual speed, mechanical knowledge). They yield a profile of scores rather than a single IQ and are widely used in educational and vocational counseling. Aptitude tests have also been developed to measure professional potential and capabilities (e.g., legal, medical) and special abilities (e.g., clerical, mechanical).