Computerized Testing: The Hidden Figures Test

The adaptation of paper-and-pencil tests to computers may be confounded by differences between the medium of paper-and-pencil and computers. The purpose of this study was to adapt the Hidden Figures Test for use on PLATO and determine the alternate-form reliability of the computerized version as compared to the paper-and-pencil version. The HFT is one of the most commonly used tests to measure the cognitive style known as field independence-field dependence. The results showed that the test could be adapted with some modifications and that a significant relationship was found between scores on the two versions of the test, though the total amount of variance explained between the tests was low. The results suggest that the computerized version may be measuring computer anxiety, perception of computer generated figures, and previous experience with a keyboard, as well as the construct under study.