Standard intelligence tests measure what is called "general" intelligence. These tests offer multiple types of questions concerning vocabulary, historical knowledge, mathematics, problem-solving skills, language skills, comprehension and pattern recognition. Most of these tests are used either by colleges as entrance exams or corporations for recruiting or internal reviews. The following tests are all considered standard intelligence tests: the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, the General Aptitude Test Battery, the Miller Analogies Test, the Stanford-Binet IQ test, the Sternberg Triarchic Abilities Test, the Wonderlic Test and the Primary Test of Nonverbal Intelligence.
Measuring intelligence in children requires an entirely different approach than measuring it in adults. Depending on the age of the child the expectations of intelligence (reasoning, concrete skills) are fluid. The following tests offer a range of questions that can be applied for children from the age of 2 to 20 years and 11 months: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Leiter International Performance Scale, the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children and the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test.
These intelligence tests should not be confused with the SAT (Stanford Achievement Tests) that are given as a part of public school requirements.
One of the major criticisms of intelligence testing is the built-in bias in the questions themselves. The fact that African Americans tend to score an average of 15 to18 points lower than Caucasians on the Stanford-Binet IQ test is the evidence presented. This particular test has been singled out although many intelligence tests have the same flaws. The tests are geared toward middle- to upper-class white Americans and the language and situations addressed in the questions could easily be foreign to children living in poverty. The Cattell Culture Fair Intelligence test was developed to address these inherent biases. Instead of using context-based questions, it used crystal and fluid intelligence benchmarks including pattern recognition and completion questions.
Intelligence tests have been used by the U.S. military to evaluate incoming recruits since World War I. The five branches of military all use the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) test to determine which jobs the new recruit is qualified for. After taking the ASVAB different internal tests are given for specialties in the various branch services including the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test, Test of Basic Aviation Skills (TBAS), Navy's Aviation Selection Test Battery (ASTB) and the Alternate Flight Aptitude Selection Test (AFAST). The military also uses a GCT/ARI (General Classification Test/Arithmetic) test to further identify strengths and weaknesses in individual personnel.