Army General Classification Test
Encyclopedia
The Army General Classification Test (AGCT) has a long history that runs parallel with research and means for attempting the assessment of intelligence
or other abilities.
World War I
and World War II
created the need for this type of testing and provided a large body of test subjects. The early emphasis (World War I
) was on determining the level of literacy
(Alpha test) amongst a heterogeneous group. Illiterates were given another test (Army Beta); some enrollees were interviewed. Subsequent testing targeted aptitude
in order to better fill roles
, such as those provided by officers who obtained commissions from other than the United States military academies
, or to meet the need for increasingly complicated skills that came along with technological progress, especially after World War II
.
As with other measurement attempts, the AGCT ran into controversy during the era of the Vietnam War
. Yet, the requirement did not abate, leading to improvements in the application and use of the standard testing methodology.
The modern variant of this test is the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
(ASVAB) that was first administered in 1960.
Many high IQ societies
, such as Mensa
, can map their entrance requirements to early AGCT scores. The AGCT was of interest to researchers due to the broad nature of the testee domain (1.75 million men took the original test).
Intelligence
Intelligence has been defined in different ways, including the abilities for abstract thought, understanding, communication, reasoning, learning, planning, emotional intelligence and problem solving....
or other abilities.
World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
created the need for this type of testing and provided a large body of test subjects. The early emphasis (World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
) was on determining the level of literacy
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
(Alpha test) amongst a heterogeneous group. Illiterates were given another test (Army Beta); some enrollees were interviewed. Subsequent testing targeted aptitude
Aptitude
An aptitude is an innate component of a competency to do a certain kind of work at a certain level. Aptitudes may be physical or mental...
in order to better fill roles
Role-based assessment
Modern psychological testing can be traced back to 1908 with the introduction of the first successful intelligence test, the Binet-Simon Scale. From the Binet-Simon came the revised version, the Stanford-Binet, which was used in the development of the Army Alpha and Army Beta tests used by the...
, such as those provided by officers who obtained commissions from other than the United States military academies
United States military academies
The United States Service academies, also known as the United States Military Academies, are federal academies for the undergraduate education and training of commissioned officers for the United States armed forces.There are five U.S...
, or to meet the need for increasingly complicated skills that came along with technological progress, especially after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
As with other measurement attempts, the AGCT ran into controversy during the era of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Yet, the requirement did not abate, leading to improvements in the application and use of the standard testing methodology.
The modern variant of this test is the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery is a multiple choice test, administered by the United States Military Entrance Processing Command, used to determine qualification for enlistment in the United States armed forces...
(ASVAB) that was first administered in 1960.
Many high IQ societies
High IQ society
A high IQ society is an organization that limits its membership to people who are within a certain high percentile of Intelligence quotient test results. The oldest, largest and best-known such society is Mensa International, which was founded by Roland Berrill and Dr. Lancelot Ware in 1946...
, such as Mensa
Mensa International
Mensa is the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test...
, can map their entrance requirements to early AGCT scores. The AGCT was of interest to researchers due to the broad nature of the testee domain (1.75 million men took the original test).