Test of Higher Mental Ability in Science by D. N. Sansanwal and Anuradha Joshi (English)

he Pyramid puzzle is being used for the study of problem solving, insight learning and concept formation. This instrument consists of a wooden board with three metallic pegs fixed in a triangle pattern. One of the pegs has 6 square blocks (the stack of graduated blocks) arranged in a pyramid pattern. Theses blocks are of six different sizes from largest to the smallest so as to facilitate to look like a pyramid.

  The model of this test to some extent was based upon Heibreder’s concept attainment test. The 48 pictures of the test are brought under six sets and in each set there are eight pictures which belong to eight different categories. At the bottom of each picture a four letter non-sense syllable is given as ‘response word’. The eight categories of pictures are (i) human face, (ii) animal, (iii) bird, (iv) jug, (v) number three, (vi) number six, (vii) square pattern, and (viii) circle pattern. These eight pictures are found in all six sets but with different forms in each set. This is called response set. The other set which is not having any response word at the bottom of the picture is called stimulus set. Thus, these two, the response set and the stimulus set constitute the complete test of the Concept Achievement Test. Test is satisfactorily reliable and valid. Age group 19 to 25 years.