The Wechsler

Intelligence Scales

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence

Scale (WAIS)

The first Wechsler intelligence scale, known as

the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale, was
developed in 1939, two years after the 1937
version of the Stanford-Binet
Developed in reaction to problems with the 1937
Stanford-Binet
SB items had been selected for use with children, &
werent really appropriate for adults
SB had lots of timed tests, which made it difficult for
older adults
SB did not consider that intellectual performance can
deteriorate as a person grew older
SB produced only 1 score

Point & Performance Scale

Concepts

point scale concept

with earlier SB tests, there were a number of
different kinds of tasks & items at different age
levels; more verbal at older ages
in Wechsler scales, all items of a particular
type are grouped together, and are presented
in order of increasing difficulty
points are assigned to each item, allowing for a
calculation of a score for each type of task, or
for each content area

Performance Scale Concept

earlier forms of SB largely dependent on verbal

ability, especially in the test for the older age
ranges
Wechsler scales include measures of
PERFORMANCE (reflecting non-verbal abilities),
as well as scales reflecting VERBAL abilities
comparison of verbal & performance scores
provides a great deal of information, for
example, in identifying children with learning
disabilities
performance scale is less affected by language
and cultural factors

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence

Scale III (WAISIII)

Most recent version of the adult intelligence scale

(there are also child & pre-school versions)
Published in 1997
developed for use with individuals aged 16
through 89
takes 60 to 90 minutes to administer
Wechsler believed in a single factor of
intelligence, but thought that it consisted of
specific, interrelated elements
to get a measure of overall intelligence, simply
aggregate the capabilities on each of the separate
elements

Subtests of WAISIII
Verbal Subtest

Major Function Measured

Vocabulary

Vocabulary level

Similarities

Abstract thinking

Arithmetic

Concentration

Digit span
Information

Immediate memory,
anxiety
Range of knowledge

Comprehension

Judgment

Letter-number
sequencing*

Freedom from
distractibility

Performance Subtest Major Function

Measured
Picture completion
Alertness to details
Digit symbol-coding

Visual-motor functioning

Block design

Nonverbal reasoning

Matrix reasoning

Inductive reasoning

Picture arrangement

Planning ability

Symbol search*

Information-processing
speed
Analysis of part-whole
relationships

Object assembly*

Scoring

each subtest produces a raw score i.e., a total

number of points and has a different maximum
total e.g., vocabulary has 33 items, scored 0, 1
or 2 for a maximum of 66 points
raw score for each subtest (total no. of points) is
converted to a scaled score with a mean of 10
and a standard deviation of 3
there are separate norms for ages 16-17; 18-19;
20-24; 25-29; 30-34; 35-44; 45-54; 55-64; 6569; 70-74; 75-79; 80-84; 85-89

Scaled score equivalents of raw scores:

20 to 24 year old norms

Verbal IQ Score

to obtain a verbal IQ score, 6 of the

7 verbal scaled scores are summed
(letter-number sequencing is not
included)
then a table formed from a
standardization sample of individuals
from all groups used to get verbal IQ
resultant IQ is a deviation IQ with a
mean of 100 and s.d. of 15

Performance IQ Score

to obtain a performance IQ score, 5 of the

7 performance scaled scores are summed
(symbol search & object assembly not
included)
then a table formed from a standardization
sample of individuals from all groups used
to get performance IQ
resultant IQ is a deviation IQ with a mean
of 100 and s.d. of 15

Full-Scale IQ Score

to obtain full-scale IQ, sum scaled

scores of 11 verbal and performance
non-optional subtests, and use table
based on standardization sample

Index Scores

in addition to grouping tests into verbal

and performance categories, can group
them into four different skill areas:

verbal comprehension [crystallized intelligence]

perceptual organization [fluid intelligence]
working memory
processing speed [how quickly mind works]

Structure of the Scale

FSIQ
FSIQ

VIQ
VIQ

VCI
VCI
Vocabulary
Similarities
Information
Comprehension

PIQ
PIQ

WMI
WMI
Digit Span
Arithmetic
LetterNumber
Sequencing

POI
POI

PSI
PSI

Block Design
Matrix Reasoning
Picture Completion
Picture Arrangement

Digit Symbol
Coding
Symbol Search
8

Plotting Subtest Scores (IQ)

15

Reliability
Full Scale
Verbal IQ
Performance IQ

Split-Half
.98

Test-Retest
.95

.97
.94

.94
.88

For full-scale IQ, standard error of measurement

is quite small, around 2 to 2.5 IQ points
This means that an examinees true score will fall
within 5 points either side of the obtained score
95% of the time

Reliability of Subtests

Reliabilities for the subtests vary a

great deal, and are lower than
reliabilities of the full-scale, verbal,
performance IQs, and the four
indexes
They range from low .70s to low .
80s, with some in the .60s

Validity of the WAIS

WAISIII correlates highly (mid 90s) with earlier

versions of the WAIS
Correlation with SBIV is .88
Correlates significantly with grades in high school,
university
IQ and occupational attainment are also significantly
correlated
Predictions deriving from theory are borne out; fluid
intelligence supposedly declines more rapidly in old
age than crystallized intelligence
Supported by finding that verbal subtests show minimal
decrement with age, while performance subtests drop
markedly

Conry & Plant (1965)

Interpreting the WAIS

Verbal-Performance IQ Comparisons
Neurological impairment may be indicated
when one of the scales falls in the low average
or lower range, and the other in the average or
higher range
Emotional trauma may be indicated if the
client has a low verbal or performance IQ that
does not seem to match their past level of
functioning
Language-related learning difficulty may
be indicated by an low verbal IQ and average
or high performance IQ

Case Study: Stephen Gould

High Stakes?
Atkins vs. the State of
Virginia

The Wechsler Intelligence

Scale for Children (WISC)

First published in 1949

Revised in 1974, 1991
Current version is WISC-IV,
published in 2003

WISC-IV

Measures intelligence from ages 6

through 16
Contains 15 subtests
Abandons VIQ-PIQ
Instead produces four major indices:

Verbal comprehension
Perceptual reasoning
Processing speed
Working memory

Wechsler (1958)
[The grouping of subtests into Verbal and
Performance areas]does not imply that these
are the only abilities involved in the testsThe
subtests are different measures of intelligence,
not measures of different kinds of intelligence,
and the dichotomy of Verbal and Performance
areas is only one of several ways in which the
tests could be grouped.
In: The measurement and appraisal of adult intelligence. (pg 64)

The structure of the WISC-IV

The WISC-IV has four specific cognitive domains (Indexes) which
together contribute to the Full Scale IQ
FULL Scale IQ
Verbal
Comprehension

Perceptual
Reasoning

Working
Memory

Processing
Speed

Text, format, graphics and data Copyright Dr John Worthington all rights reserved 2004
www.jweducation.com

The structure of the WISC-IV

Each of the four Index scores is derived from a number of subtest scores.
There are five supplemental subtests which can be substituted for a specified
number of core subtests if needed.
WISC-IV Full Scale IQ

Verbal Comprehension
Index

SI

VC

CO

Perceptual Reasoning
Index

BD

PCn

MR

Working Memory
Index

DS

LN

Text, format, graphics and data Copyright Dr John Worthington all rights reserved 2004
www.jweducation.com

Processing Speed
Index

CD

SS

Verbal Comprehension Subtests

SIMILARITIES (SI)
Individuals are presented with two words that represent common objects
or concepts and asked to say how they are similar.
VOCABULARY (VC)
Younger individuals are shown pictures and asked to name them. Then
individuals are asked to give definitions for words presented orally and
visually.
COMPREHENSION (CO)
Individuals are asked to respond to questions requiring an understanding
of social situations, reflecting common sense, social judgment, behaviour
and conventional standards.
INFORMATION (IN) (Supplemental subtest)
Individuals answer questions that address a broad range of general
knowledge topics.
WORD REASONING (WR) (Supplemental subtest)
Individuals are asked to identify the common concept
described in a series of clues.

Text, format, graphics and data Copyright Dr John Worthington all rights reserved 2004
www.jweducation.com

Word Reasoning (supplemental)

Verbal Comprehension Index

Lets play a guessing game. Tell me what Im thinking of.

Lets test the ceiling item

This has never been seen or done before
and it can make our lives better and easier
and it is a product of the mind.
1 point: discovery, invention, innovation,
technology, imagination, creativity,
dream

Perceptual Reasoning Subtests

BLOCK DESIGN (BD)

Individuals use up to nine red and white blocks to re-create a
model or a picture of a design within a specific time limit.
PICTURE CONCEPTS (PCn)
The individual is presented with two or three rows of pictures and
chooses one picture from each row with common characteristics.
MATRIX REASONING (MR)
Individuals look at an incomplete matrix (made up of pictures or
designs)
and selects the missing item from five options.
PICTURE COMPLETION (PCm) (Supplemental subtest)
Individuals have to point to or name an important part missing
from a picture within a specific time.

Text, format, graphics and data Copyright Dr John Worthington all rights reserved 2004
www.jweducation.com

Picture Concepts (core)

Perceptual Reasoning Index

Pick one here..

that goes with

one here..

Sample items only: Why do they go together?

Matrix Reasoning

Working Memory Subtests

DIGIT SPAN (DS)

Digit Span requires the individual to do two distinct tasks;
the first is to repeat orally presented numbers in the same
order. Then the individual is asked to repeat orally
presented numbers in reverse order.
LETTER-NUMBERING SEQUENCING (LN)
Individuals are read a sequence of numbers and letters and
are asked to recall the numbers in ascending order and the
letters in alphabetical order.
ARITHMETIC (AR) (Supplemental subtest)
Individuals solve a series of orally presented arithmetic
problems within a specific time limit.

Text, format, graphics and data Copyright Dr John Worthington all rights reserved 2004
www.jweducation.com

Letter-Number Sequencing
Tell me the numbers first, in order, starting with
the lowest number. Then tell me the letters in
alphabetical order.

Credit is given if produced in order

(i.e., correct sequence), even if letters are listed first.

Processing Speed Subtests

CODING (CD)
Individuals copy symbols that are paired with simple
geometric shapes or numbers within a specific time limit.
SYMBOL SEARCH (SS)
Individuals scan a search group (of abstract symbols) and
indicate if a target symbol/s matches any of the symbols in
the search group within a specific time limit.
CANCELLATION (CA) (Supplemental subtest)
Individuals scan both a random and structured arrangement of
pictures and marks target pictures within a specific time limit.

Text, format, graphics and data Copyright Dr John Worthington all rights reserved 2004
www.jweducation.com

Cancellation (supplemental)
Processing Speed Index
When I say go, draw a line through each animal. Work as
quickly as you can w/out making any mistakes. Tell me
when you are finished.

Random vs Structured

Qualitative Descriptions
(same)
Score
130 and above
120129
110119
90109
8089
7079
69 and below

Classification
Very Superior
Superior
High Average
Average
Low Average
Borderline
Extremely Low

Reliability of WISC-IV

Validity of WISC-IV

Correlates .89 with WISC-III

Good at identifying:
Children who are intellectually gifted
Children with mild or moderate mental
retardation
Children with reading, written
expression & math disorders
Children with learning disabilities &
ADHD

Wechsler Preschool & Primary

Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI)

Downward extension of WAIS &

WISC, originally for children from 4
to 6 years of age
First published in 1967
Latest version is WPPSI-III (2003),
for children from 2 years 6 months
to 7 years 3 months
Similar to WISC-IV, though much
simpler

Psychometric Properties of WPPSI

Reliabilities:
For composite scales: .89 to .96
subtests: .83 to .95

Validity:
Correlations with other tests of
intelligence for this age group range
from low (.49 with K-ABC) to moderate
(.74 to .90 with McCarthy, SB & other
scales)