New norm tables for special groups on the General Aptitude Test Battery

The purpose of this study was to develop new norm tables for special groups on the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATE). The subjects were drawn from a population of Employment Service applicants who had been administered the GATE at the Texas Employment Commission Houston Opportunity Center, between June 1, 1968, and October 11, 1968. The variables used in this study were (1) biographical data, and (2) test scores. The sample group of 1,193 subjects was divided into the following groups: white, Mexican American, and Negro. Thirty-five percent of the subjects were in the white group, eight percent were in the Mexican American group, and fifty-seven percent were in the Negro group. Forty-four percent of the subjects were males, and fifty-six percent were females. The mean age of the sample was 24.9 years, and the mean education was 11.3 years. The standard score means of the sample did not correspond to the GATE norms except on Aptitudes P, Q, K, F, and M. The standard score means on all nine aptitudes corresponded to the GATE norms for the males, but the standard score means for the females corresponded to the GATE norms only on Aptitudes Q, K, and M. The standard score means for the white group on all nine aptitudes corresponded to the GATE norms. The means on Aptitudes P, Q, and F corresponded to the GATE norms for the Mexican American group, and the means on Aptitudes Q, K, and M corresponded to the GATE norms for the Negro group. The percentile equivalents of the standard scores did not correspond to the GATE norms for the total sample, or for any of the groups. It was concluded that 1. The GATE standard score means seem appropriate for use with groups which have characteristics similar to the General Working Population Norm group; i.e., in this study, the white group. 2. The GATE percentile norms do not seem appropriate for use with groups which have characteristics similar to the applicant population at the Texas Employment Commission Houston Opportunity Center. 3. The GATE norms do not seem appropriate for use with Mexican American and Negro groups. 4. The GATE norms appear to be equally valid for males and females, unless they are members of a minority group. 5. Minority group membership should be considered as a variable in establishing test norms. 6. Employment Service counselors and other individuals who use the GATE should determine and consider the minority group membership of a counselee before interpreting the test results.