Infants cannot speak nor are they able to take a normal intelligence test. However, their level of intelligence might need to be determined at such a young age. There are specialized intelligence tests designed to test the intelligence of infants. These intelligence tests focus on the reasoning, learning, and understanding capabilities of infants. The most commonly used intelligence tests for infants include the Bayley intelligence test, the Mullen intelligence test, the Cattell Infant intelligence test, the Fagan intelligence test and the Gesell Developmental intelligence test. Some of these intelligence tests have been in use ever since 1925 and are still being used today. Each test has its own approach to intelligence testing by focusing on different areas of an infant’s intelligence. Each intelligence test is explained in details below.
The Bayley intelligence test is used to test the intelligence of infants up to three years old. It focuses on development in motor skills and cognitive abilities as well as reception and expression. This test works through the use of toys and engaging activities. The parents of the child also need to fill in a questionnaire which will reveal the child’s social and emotional behaviors. The questions on this questionnaire are then compared to the group of infants in the same age group to determine the intelligence of the infant.
The Mullen intelligence test is administered to infants up to 8 months and is focused on motor skills, reception, expression, and visual reception. It works by giving the child various visual, language, and physical tasks which is then scored to determine his intelligence.
The Cattell infant intelligence test was designed in 1950 and was used and is still being used for babies from three months to thirty months. This test focuses on motor skill development.
The Fagan intelligence test is used to determine an infant’s intelligence by focusing on how much time he spends exploring new things. It also focuses on how much time the child takes to look for familiar things. A simple example of administering this test is to give a series of photographs to infants to look at. Some photographs were only given once while some were given repetitive times. The time that the child spends looking for the familiar photographs helps to determine his intelligence.
Finally, the Gessell Developmental intelligence test that is used to measure motor skills, language, and social and adaptive abilities of infants. Initially this test was not meant to test intelligence. It was used to determine neurological impairments in children but later on it became a standard to testing intelligence in children.
Determining the level of your infant’s intelligence has many positive effects. If you get the opportunity to have your child’s intelligence tested from infancy, it will give you a better chance of making the right decisions that will benefit your child. The above tests allow you to measure intelligence in infancy but there are also tests that can be used when the child is older to obtain a better measurement of his intelligence.