Tests in this area, often given in school settings, test the knowledge acquired in subject areas such as math, science and English. Others test the aptitude for acquiring knowledge in particular fields.
In this test category, what is commonly known as I.Q., or intelligence quotient, is measured. What a person has learned is not what's measured. Rather, it is the capacity of a person to absorb information from his surrounding world that is measured and well as his ability to assimilate it and apply it to improve the quality of his life.
Neuropsychological tests attempt to measure brain impairment from strokes, brain injuries or organic problems, such as dementia. Tests in this group also evaluate children with learning disabilities or developmental issues. Other tests measure progress after rehabilitation for a neurological injury.
These tests attempt to match a person's interests with those of people in established careers. For example, an occupational test will help identify if the test-taker's interests match those of a nurse, a mathematician or a research scientist. The results of an occupational test can help a person decide on their academic goals or career path.
Personality tests are used to measure a range of personality issues, including anxiety, depression and personality disorders. They can also be used to evaluate job candidates. Perhaps the best known of these tests are the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, with questions requiring simple yes/no answers, and the Rorschach. The Rorschach, known as the "inkblot test," presents a series of abstract inkblot-like images to the test-taker, who describes what the inkblots look like to her and how she feels about the images.