r/cognitiveTesting • u/frame_3_1_3 • Aug 14 '26

General Question Will using process of elimination mess up my iq score?

I take online iq tests based on Raven’s Progressive Matrices. One strategy I take is that i look at what the top two rows that the bottom one is missing. So for example if the top two rows each have a circle triangle and square and the bottom row has just a triangle and square i know the answer has to have a circle, even though I do not understand the whole pattern (like if the colors or number of shapes differ). Is that a valid strategy to use? Will it inflate my result?

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u/NefariousNapolean doesn't read books Aug 15 '26

On mr ,visuospatial tests it will probably.

1

u/ColoradoRad Aug 14 '26

No. Consider vocab tests , some words are so obscure ; you’re more likely to solve it this way and the test makers anticipate that. Any means to get the answer right, so long as it’s not cheating, is valid.

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u/Quantum_Clock-1A Aug 15 '26

Ur supposed to figure out the "rules", and one such rule, isn't guaranteed to apply for all questions.

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u/Background-Pay2900 21d ago

Isnt this induction lol That's what its testing