Differences between testing intelligence and testing for knowledge
Testing intelligence usually focuses on a person’s ability to reason, problem-solve, think abstractly, and adapt to new situations. Intelligence tests don’t necessarily rely on what someone has already learned in school but rather on their cognitive capacity. For example, tasks may include recognizing patterns, solving puzzles, or manipulating shapes in space.

By contrast, testing for knowledge measures what a person has already learned or memorized. Knowledge tests are often content-specific (like math, history, or language exams) and rely on the curriculum taught.

One well-known example is the Raven’s Progressive Matrices. It presents a series of visual patterns with one piece missing, and the test-taker must choose the correct piece from multiple options to complete the pattern.

Strengths:

Minimizes reliance on language, so it’s more suitable for cross-cultural contexts than many traditional IQ tests.

Effectively measures abstract reasoning and problem-solving ability.

Weaknesses:

Still not fully free from cultural bias; people familiar with certain types of puzzles may perform better.

It only measures one aspect of intelligence (fluid reasoning) and ignores others, such as verbal comprehension, creativity, or social intelligence.