Army Alpha

The Army Alpha was an intelligence test developed during World War I to evaluate soldiers' cognitive abilities quickly and efficiently. It assessed skills like vocabulary, comprehension, and reasoning to determine a recruit’s mental capabilities. The goal was to help assign soldiers to roles suited to their abilities and identify those needing additional training. The test consisted of written questions and tasks, and its development marked one of the first large-scale efforts to standardize psychological testing for practical purposes. It contributed significantly to the field of psychological assessment and personnel selection during and after the war.