A Timeline of Psychological Testing

these philosophers, Rene Descartes, proposes

2200 B.C.E. Proficiency testing begins in

China. The Emperor evaluates public officials

the mind-body question.

every third year.

abilities and human talents. Although proven

astrology in order to interact with the gods

unfounded by experimentation, phrenology

and predict the future. Greeks later redefine

proposed that human qualities are localized in

astrology to predict and describe personality.

concentrations of brain fiber that press

500 B.C.E. Pythagoras begins practicing

outward on the skull.

study of heredity and genius which pioneered

Humorology to the field of medicine for the

a statistical technique that Karl Pearson would

treatment of physical and mental illness.

later call correlation.

400 B.C.E. Plato suggests people should

Wundt founds the first experimental

abilities.

psychology laboratory.

175 B.C.E. Claudius Galenus designs

Wundts structuralism relies heavily on a tool

experiments to show that it is the brain and

of assessment called introspection whereby

the not the heart that is the seat of intellect.

subjects try to describe their conscious

500 A.D. With the start of the Middle

experience of a stimulus.

McKeen Cattell helped launch the beginning of

testing is temporarily halted.

mental testing. Cattell eventually

1200 A.D. Interest in individual

founds Psychological Corporation, a company

differences emerges as people begin to

with the goal of useful applications of

question whether those in league with satan

psychology.

goes on to influence approaches to

the notion of the human immortal soul should

understanding personality for the next 50

be replaced by the notion of a human

years.

1550 A.D. The Renaissance witnesses a

1905 A.D. Alfred Binet and Theodore

Simon publish a 30-item scale of intelligence

rebirth in philosophy and an appreciation for

designed to help classify schoolchildren in

science.

Paris schools. The development of the Binet-

1698 A.D. Juan Huarte publishes The

Simon Intelligence Scale is largely recognized

Tyral of Wits, the first book to propose a

discipline of assessment.

1900 A.D. Sigmund Freud

publishes The Interpretation of Dreams which

1265 A.D. Thomas Acquinas asserts that

capacity to think and reason.

1895 A.D. American psychologist James

superstition and the history of psychological

witchery and sorcery were common.

1879 A.D. In Leipzig, Germany, Wilhelm

find employment that is consistent with their

did so voluntarily or involuntarily. Trials for

1869 A.D. Sir Francis Galton publishes a

400 B.C.E. Hippocrates introduces

Ages, science takes a backseat to faith and

founded to further the study of human

1800 B.C.E. Babylonians develop

physiognomy to evaluate personality.

1823 A.D. The Journal of Phrenology is

1770 A.D. The cause of philosophy and

sciences advances with the writings of French,
German, and English philosophers. One of

as launching a new era in measurement.

1908 A.D. Frank Parsons opens the

Vocational Bureau of Boston begins offering
career guidance to young adults.

1914 A.D. World War I brings about a

was designed to measure adult intelligence.

boom in psychological testing as thousands of

Today, multiple versions of these tests are in

American recruits are screened for intellectual

publication and are the most popular

and emotional functioning.

instruments used to measure the intelligence

1919 A.D. Robert Woodworth publishes

the Personal Data Sheet to help identify Army

of children and adults.

recruits susceptible to shell shock.

1921 A.D. Swiss psychiatrist Hermann

Personality Inventory was published.

Wechsler Intelligence Tests for children was

monograph, Psychodiagnostics, which would

published.

Inkblot Test.

1926 A.D. The Scholastic Aptitude Test

Edition is released for public use.

1955 A.D. The first version of the

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Tests was

first time.

published.

1927 A.D. Carl Spearman publishes a

1962 A.D. Katherine Briggs and Isabel

two-factor theory of intelligence in which he

Briggs Meyers publish the Meyers Briggs Type

postulates the existence of a general

Indicator (MBTI).

components of that general ability.

1962 A.D. Warren T. Norman publishes

his first article over the Big Five Personality

1938 A.D. Mental tests have reached the

status of big business. According to the 1938

1949 A.D. The 16PF Questionnaire, 1st

(SAT) is developed and administered for the

intellectual ability factor and specific

1949 A.D. The first version to the

Rorschach publishes his famous

lead to the development of the Rorschach

1943 A.D. Minnesota Multiphasic

Factors.

1970 A.D. John L. Holland publishes the

Mental Measurements Yearbook, at least

first version of the Self Directed Search (SDS)

4,000 psychological tests are in print.

for consumer use. The inventory was intended

1939 A.D. David Wechsler introduces the

Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale which

to help individuals identify careers that are

congruent with their personalities.