WAIS: Test of Intelligence

Introduction

 Individual intelligence testing is one of the major achievements of psychology since the
founding of the discipline.
 Since Alfred Binet first used a standardized test to identify learning-impaired children in
the early 1900s, it has become one of the primary tools for identifying children with mental
retardation and learning disabilities.
 Researchers have developed new, more sophisticated ways of creating, administering and
interpreting tests. And they have produced new theories and tests that broaden the concept
of intelligence beyond its traditional boundaries.
Introduction

 DAVID WECHSLER (1896-1981) who pioneered the field of cognitive psychology, was
one of the most renowned psychologists of the 20th century.
 In 1932, Wechsler began his long career as chief psychologist at the Bellevue Psychiatric
Hospital in New York.
 Although Wechsler engaged in a variety of research projects, his major focus continued to
be intelligence.
 Wechsler described intelligence as “the global capacity of a person to act purposefully, to
think rationally, and to deal effectively with his environment (Wechsler, 1944).”
Introduction

 In 1939, Wechsler published The Measurement of Adult Intelligence.

 Wechsler developed - the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale
 The Wechsler-Bellevue II was published in 1946
 The WISC (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) .
 The WAIS (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale) was published in 1955
 The WAIS-R (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale) was published in 1981
 The WAIS-III(Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale) was published in 1997
 The WAIS (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale) was published in 1955
 The WAIS –IV (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale) was published in 2008
 The WMS (Wechsler Memory Scale)
 The WPPSI (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence)
Introduction

 Used with people who are 16–90 years

 For people younger than 16, the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of
Intelligence (WPPSI, 2½–7 years, 7 months) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for
Children (WISC, 6–16 years) are used.
 Intelligence tests are used to assess the level of cognitive functioning in individuals with
psychiatric illness or brain injury.
 Rehabilitation psychologists and neuropsychologists use neuropsychological
tests (including WAIS-IV) to assess how the individual's brain is functioning after it has
been injured. Specific subtests can provide insight into specific cognitive functions; for
example, the digit span subtest could be used to look for attentional difficulties.
 The Wechsler tests can also be used to identify intellectual giftedness.
 Test Structure

Perceptual Reasoning Scale

Verbal Comprehension Scale
Core Subtests
Core Subtests
Block Design; Matrix Reasoning Visual Puzzles
Similarities; Vocabulary; Information
Supplemental Subtests
Supplemental Subtests Comprehension
Picture Completion; Figure Weights (16-69) only

Full Scale IQ

Working Memory Scale Processing Speed Scale

Core Subtests Core Subtests
Digit Span; Arithmetic Symbol Search; Coding
Supplemental Subtests Supplemental Subtests
Letter-Number Sequencing (16-69 only) Cancellation (16-69 only)
 Subtests of WAIS

 Similarities- Describe how two words or concepts are similar (Abstract verbal reasoning;
semantic knowledge). [Starts with item 1 and Discontinued after 4 consecutive errors]
 Vocabulary - Name objects in pictures or define words presented to them (Semantic
knowledge; verbal comprehension and expression). [Starts with item 4 and credit of first 4
items is given if item 4-8 are passed, Discontinued after 5 consecutive errors]
 Information- General knowledge questions (Degree of general information acquired from
culture).[Starts with item 5 and credit of first 4 items is given if both item 5 & 6 are
passed, Discontinued after 5 consecutive errors]
 Comprehension- Questions about social situations or common concepts (Ability to
express abstract social conventions, rules and expressions). [Starts with item 1,
Discontinued after 4 consecutive errors]
  Arithmetic- Orally administered arithmetic word problems (Quantitative
Subtests of reasoning, concentration, mental manipulation). [Starts with item 3 and credit
WAIS of first 2 items is given if either of item 1 or 2 are passed, Discontinued after 4
consecutive errors]
 Digit Span - Listen to sequences of numbers orally and to repeat them as heard,
in reverse order, and in ascending order (Working memory, attention, encoding,
auditory processing).
 Block Design - Put together red-and-white blocks in a pattern according to a
displayed model. This is timed, and some of the more difficult puzzles award
bonuses for speed (Visual spatial processing and problem solving; visual motor
construction). [Starts with item 1 and Discontinued after 3 consecutive errors]
 Picture Arrangement -
Subtests of WAIS

 Picture Completion- Select the missing

part of a picture (Ability to quickly
perceive visual details). [Starts with item
1 and Discontinued after 5 consecutive
errors].
 Letter-Number Sequencing - Recall a
series of numbers in increasing order
and letters in alphabetical order
(Working memory, attention, mental
control)
 Matrix Reasoning- View an array of
pictures with one missing square, and
select the picture that fits the array from
five options (Nonverbal abstract problem
solving, inductive reasoning)
 Subtests of WAIS

 Symbol Search - View rows of symbols and target symbols, and mark whether or not the
target symbols appear in each row (Processing speed)
 Coding - Transcribe a digit-symbol code using a key. The task is time-limited (Processing
speed, associative memory, grapho-motor speed)
Administration

 WAIS administrators must receive proper training and be aware of all test guidelines.
 Testing requires approximately 90 minutes.
 The test administrator needs to follow standard procedures and guidelines mentioned in the
manual
Scoring & Interpretation

 All sub-tests of WAIS are scored on a point basis

 Raw scores on each test are converted to standard scores with a mean of 10 and a standard
deviation of 3.
 Scores in the Verbal battery are summed and converted to a Verbal IQ score; the same is
done for the Performance scale scores which yield the Performance IQ score.
 The Verbal and Performance IQ scores are summed and converted to obtain the Full Scale
(overall) IQ score.
 The appropriate verbal, performance and full scale IQ score are then added and converted
to standard scores, with mean of 100 and standard deviation of 15, which are designated as
“Deviation IQs”.
Scores
 FSIQ
 Based on 10 core subtests

 Index Scores: Primary interpretation level

 VCI & PRI: 3 core subtests each
 WMI & PSI: 2 core subtests each

 GAI = VCI + PRI

 Optional Index score