BrainTypeIQ measures five cognitive abilities defined in CHC theory through nine tasks. Gc, Gf, Gv, and Gwm each combine two tasks that capture different facets of the ability, while Gs uses Symbol Search to measure core processing speed.
How the nine tasks map to five cognitive domains
| Cognitive domain | BrainTypeIQ tasks | Primary focus |
|---|---|---|
| Gc (verbal comprehension) | Vocabulary (Antonyms) and Analogies | Vocabulary knowledge and understanding relationships between words |
| Gf (fluid reasoning) | Matrix Reasoning and Figure Weights | Rule discovery and logical or quantitative reasoning |
| Gv (visuospatial processing) | Paper Folding and Visual Puzzles | Spatial transformation and integrating parts into a whole |
| Gwm (working memory) | Computation Span and Visual Reversal | Holding information while processing it and reversing visual sequences |
| Gs (processing speed) | Symbol Search | Speed and accuracy of visual matching |
Why four domains combine two different tasks
Gc, Gf, Gv, and Gwm each combine two tasks that examine different facets of the same ability. This prevents a domain score from depending on a single task format and captures more than one aspect of the ability.
- Gc: combines vocabulary knowledge with the ability to use words to understand relationships.
- Gf: combines inductive rule discovery with logical conclusions drawn from given conditions.
- Gv: combines tracking spatial transformations with integrating parts into a whole.
- Gwm: measures simultaneous storage and processing through both a numerical task and a nonverbal visual task.
Gs uses one task to measure core processing speed
In Symbol Search, the test taker completes a continuous series of visual matches using simple tap responses, directly measuring the speed and accuracy at the core of Gs. BrainTypeIQ therefore constructs Gs from this one task.
The score reflects both the number processed correctly within the time limit and the number of errors. It measures how many matches can be completed while maintaining accuracy, not simply how quickly someone reacts.
The tasks were chosen for consistent online administration and scoring
BrainTypeIQ does not try to reproduce the subtests of an in-person assessment on a screen. It uses tasks that can assess the same broad cognitive domains while being administered and scored consistently online.
For example, a task that requires physically moving blocks cannot be recreated in the same form online. A free-response vocabulary task also requires judgment from a scorer. BrainTypeIQ instead uses Paper Folding and Visual Puzzles for visuospatial processing and a multiple-choice vocabulary format, so the same scoring rules can be applied consistently across test takers.
Structural analysis of 841 Japanese-version participants supports a general factor and a Gc grouping
An analysis of the nine task scores from 841 Japanese-version participants found that, among the models compared, the best fit came from a model with a general factor shared by all tasks and a Gc factor shared by Vocabulary and Analogies.
| Fit index | Result |
|---|---|
| CFI | .985 |
| TLI | .980 |
| RMSEA | .040 |
| SRMR | .033 |
All four fit indices were good. The component shared across all nine tasks supports combining them into overall IQ, while the component shared by Vocabulary and Analogies supports combining those two tasks as Gc.
The English version uses the same nine-task measurement design and currently uses provisional scoring while its dedicated dataset grows.
How BrainTypeIQ scores are calculated explains how the nine tasks become five domains and overall IQ. The BrainTypeIQ reliability analysis reports the score precision of overall IQ and each domain.