Group Embedded Figures Test Explained

Group Embedded Figures Test
Purpose:	psychological assessment pertaining to field dependence/independence

The Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) is a timed psychological assessment consisting of 18 items pertaining to field dependence and field independence.^[1] The GEFT was constructed by Herman A Witkin, Philip K. Oltman, Evelyn Raskin, and Stephen A. Karp with the goal to provide an adaptation of the Embedded Figures Test (EFT) for group testing.^[2] The EFT was developed by Witkin to assess cognitive style and analytical ability by measuring field dependence and field independence with figures suggested by Kurt Gottschaldt, a German psychologist and influencer of Gestalt psychology and theory.^[3] The GEFT measurement places an individual on a spectrum between field dependence and field independence.

The GEFT contains 18 complex figures each in which the respondent must identify a simple form. The respondent does so by tracing the simple form within the complex figure (1) with pencil (for paper-pencil administration) or (2) by clicking and dragging their mouse cursor (for online administration). The GEFT is a timed test elapsing 20-minutes and can be administered to an individual or groups of older children (age 10+), adolescents, and adults.^[4] The GEFT is protected by copyright law and is published by Mind Garden, Inc.

The GEFT was validated against the "parent" form of the test, the EFT, and the Rod-and-Frame Test (RFT) administered with the portable apparatus (PRFT).^{[5] [6]} Since Witkin, et al. published the GEFT, other researchers have generated additional data, reporting both higher^{[7] [8]} and lower^[9] normative samples.

The GEFT was validated for exclusive administration via paper and pencil until 2014, when an online version was developed by Jack Demick, a research associate at Harvard University and a clinical and developmental psychologist. Since then, a reliability and validity study of the GEFT Online was conducted and showed strong correlation between the paper-and-pencil GEFT and the GEFT Online (r=.78),^[10] which is identical to the test-retest reliability for the paper-and-pencil GEFT.^[11]

References

1. Demick, J. (2014). Group Embedded Figures Test Manual. Menlo Park, CA: Mind Garden, Inc.
2. Witkin, H. A., Oltman, P. K., Raskin, E., & Karp, S. A. (1971). A manual for the Group Embedded Figures Test. Menlo Park, CA: Mind Garden, Inc.
3. Gottschaldt, K. (1926). Uber den einfluss der erfahrung auf die wahrnehmung von figuren I: Uber den einfluss gehaufter einpragung von figuren auf ihre sichtbarheit in unfassenden konfigurationen. Psycholgishe Forschungen, 8, 261-317.
4. Web site: Group Embedded Figures Test - Product Specs. www.mindgarden.com. 4 December 2017.
5. Witkin, H. A., Dyk, R. B., Faterson, H. F., Goodenough, D. R., & Karp, S. A. (1962). Psychological differentiation: Studies in development. New York: Wiley.
6. Faterson, H. F. & Witkin, H. A. (1970). Longitudinal study of development of the body concept. Developmental Psychology, 2, 429-438.
7. Torres, R. M. & Cano, J. (1994). Learning styles of students in a college of agriculture. Journal of Agricultural Education, 35(4), 61-66.
8. Carter, H., & Loo, R. (1980). Group Embedded Figures Test: Psychometric data. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 91(3f), 1221-1229.
9. Renna, M., & Zenhausern, R. (1976). The Group Embedded Figures Test: Normative data. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 43(3f), 1176-1178.
10. Demick, J., Trent, N., Chapman, I. & Most, R. (2014). Establishing reliability and validity of the online Group Embedded Figures Test. Manuscript in preparation.
11. Kepner, M. D., & Neimark, E. D. (1984). Test-retest reliability and differential patterns of score change on the Group Embedded Figures Test. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46(6), 1405-1413.