Raven Progressive Matrices Avoidable Errors as a Measure of Psychopathological Ideational Influences upon Reasoning Ability

Abstract

The Raven Progressive Matrices protocols of 88 narcotic addicts, divided into four MMPI profile pattern groups, were scored for avoidable errors. Ss having psychotic-like profiles (428′ and 987′) made significantly more avoidable reasoning errors than Ss with sociopathic patterns (42′ and 49′). These data were interpreted as evidence of the sensitivity of avoidable error measures to disturbances in consistency and accuracy of comparative and analogical reasoning performance. It was suggested that avoidable error indices might be used to (a) judge the effects of pathological ideation upon complex reasoning, (b) estimate potential level of intellectual functioning in clinical populations, and (c) serve as a criterion for treatment efficacies.