Final answer:
The first intelligence test used in the U.S. military was the Army Alpha Test, designed for literate recruits, while the Army Beta Test was for those who were illiterate or not fluent in English. These tests were developed during WWI with contributions from psychologists and have evolved into modern intelligence assessments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Army Alpha and Beta Tests
The first group intelligence test used in the United States military service was the Army Alpha Test, designed to measure the mental abilities of literate recruits. For recruits who were not fluent in English or were illiterate, the Army Beta Test was used as a non-verbal form of testing. These tests originated during World War I, a period when the work of psychologists expanded to the military efforts under the leadership of Robert Yerkes, then-president of the American Psychological Association (APA). The Army Beta test was particularly important as it was administered to illiterate and non-English-speaking draftees, showcasing the need for inclusive testing methods in diverse populations.
Intelligence tests like the Army Alpha and Beta were part of a broader development in the field, which included the pioneering work of Alfred Binet and later, David Wechsler. Wechsler created the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale, which incorporated both verbal and nonverbal skills in assessing intelligence and later evolved into well-known tests like the WAIS-IV and WISC-V.