Measurement of

Intelligence
• A variety of tests are available for the assessment of
intelligence. The tests may be chosen according to the specific
purpose for which the test is to be used. The tests may be
used independently or in combination with other tests i.e., as
part of a battery of tests.
The Binet Sale
French psychologist Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon,
in 1905 in France, developed the first formal measure
of intelligence. The purpose of their scale was to assist
the education ministry and department in identifying
“dull” students in the Paris school system, so that they
could be provided remedial assistance or training.
• The idea was that children can perform different types of tasks
at each age level. With growing age the tasks that a child can
perform become more difficult and complex in nature. If a
child can perform the tasks that children of his age can
perform then he is an intelligent child; if he cannot perform
the way his age mates do, then he possesses below average
intelligence; the one who can perform tasks that children
older than him can perform then he has above average
intelligence.
The Development of Binet and Simon
Scale
• First of all a number of tasks were developed. Then groups of
students who were categorized or labeled as ‘dull’ or ‘bright’
by their teachers were selected. The tasks were presented to
them. The tasks that could be completed by the ‘bright’
students were retained; the rest were discarded. The idea was
to retain tasks that could be completed by the bright students,
as these were considered to be indicative of the child’s
intelligence.
The 1905 Scale:
• The original, 1905, scale comprised 30 items arranged
according to increasing order of difficulty. The norms were
obtained from a sample of only 50 children who were
reported to be ‘normal’ considering their average school
performance. Though normative and validity related
information for this scale was not sufficient, this scale was a
major milestone in the history of psychological measurement.
The 1908 Scale
• The 1908 scale was similar to the 1905 scale in that it was an
age scale that retained the principle of age differentiation. The
concept of mental age was introduced in this revision. The
performance of a test taker was compared with the average
performance of other persons of the same chronological age.
• The standardization sample for this revision included 203
individuals
The 1916 Revision: The Stanford- Binet
Intelligence Scale:
• The American psychologist, Lewis Terman gave the first
Stanford revision of the scale in 1916, known as Stanford-
Binet Intelligence Scale. The revision was standardized on
American sample and was meant for age 3 years to 14 years
plus average and superior adults. The standardization sample
was increased in size, though containing only white- native
Californian children. This fact was a reason for criticism against
the scale.
The 1937 Revision
• The next revision took place in 1937. It was the result of a
project that began in 1926. Terman and Merrill, Terman’s
colleague at Stanford, worked on this revision. The 1937
revision contained new tasks meant for preschool level and for
adult level. It comprised two equivalent forms, ‘L’ and ‘M’ (the
initials of the first names of the authors). The test was
appreciated for its validity and reliability. The standardization
sample was much larger in size than the previous samples. It
consisted of 3184 individuals, selected from 11 U.S. states.
However, it was criticized for lack of representativeness
because the subjects were all whites and more from urban
than rural areas.
The Concept of Mental Age
• Children taking the Binet- Simon test were assigned a score
that corresponded to the age group they belonged to.
• This score indicated their “mental age”. Mental age referred to
the average age of children who secured the same score.
Mental age can be understood as the typical intelligence level
found for people at a given chronological age.
• Mental age of a person can be different from his or her
chronological age i.e., it can be above or below that.
• It could reflect whether or not a child was performing at a
level at which his age mates were
The Concept of Intelligence Quotient or IQ
• As a result of problems with depending merely on mental age,
a solution was devised in terms of intelligent quotient, a
concept whereby the chronological age of the person is also
given due consideration. It is an indicator of intelligence that
takes into consideration a person’s mental as well as
chronological age. The formula for IQ is:
IQ score= MA/ CA x 100
• This formula is basically a ratio of a person’s mental and
chronological age. It is multiplied with 100 for eliminating
decimal points. Using this formula means that if the mental
and chronological age of a person is the same, then he or she
will have an IQ of 100. If one is below his chronological age
then the IQ will fall below 100 and vice versa.
The 1960 Revision
• One major change that took place in this edition was that instead of
two forms, it comprised a single form, ‘L-M’. No new items were
added and the test included the best items from the two previous
forms. This form of the test used the concept of deviation IQ rather
than ratio IQ. The previous test manuals contained ratio IQ tables,
whereas the 1960 edition’s manual included deviation IQ tables.
Use of deviation IQ meant that the performance of a test taker was
compared with the performance of other people of the same age
level in the standardization sample. The mean score is taken to be
100 with a standard deviation of 16. The score of a test taker is
converted into a standard score using these values. Using the ratio
IQ one could assess a person’s intelligence but not his standing in
comparison to other test takers. But the use of deviation IQ made it
possible to estimate a test taker’s relative position with reference
to the standardization sample.
The 1972 Revision
• In 1972 an improved normative sample was taken which
comprised 2100 subjects. The sample included nonwhites as
well. About 100 subjects for each Stanford- Binet age level
were included. Still the sample was criticized for not taking
enough non-whites
The 1986 Version: (The Stanford Binet:
4th Edition)
• This version of the Binet Scale overcame the problems for
which it was criticized. A standardization sample of 5000
subjects was used. The subjects belonged to 47 states of the
U.S. and the District of Columbia. Geographic region,
community size, ethnic group, age, and gender were
considered for stratification of the sample
The following content areas
are covered in the latest scale:
1. Verbal reasoning
3. Quantitative
i. Vocabulary
reasoning
ii. Comprehension
i. Quantitative subtest
iii. Absurdities
iv. Verbal relations
ii. Number series
2. Abstract/ visual iii. Equation building
reasoning 4. Short- term memory
i. Pattern analysis i. Bead memory
ii. Copying ii. Memory of sentences
iii. Matrices
iii. Memory of digits
iv. Paper folding and cutting
iv. Memory of objects
The Wechsler Scales:
• The Wechsler scales are perhaps the most commonly used
intelligence tests. These were developed by psychologist David
Wechsler. Three Wechsler intelligence tests that are available
to us at present are:
i. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale: third edition or WAIS-III:
this scale is meant for ages 16 years to 89 years
ii. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children: third edition or
WISC-III: this scale is meant for children aged 6 to 16
iii. Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-
Revised or WPPSI-R: this scale is for children aged 3 years to 7
years three months
• The first scale was developed by David Wechsler was published in 1939,
known as the W-B I or Wechsler -Bellevue. Wechsler was employed by
Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan. The test was not an age scale like the
Binet scale. Rather it was a point scale in which credit for every correct
response was given.
• In 1942 another form, an equivalent one, was also developed. Known
as W-B II, this form is rarely talked about. The original scale had some
problems, particularly those related with standardization. The
standardization sample used for this scale comprised 1081 whites as
subjects. Most of them belonged to New York.
• But Wechsler soon removed the initial flaws, revised W-B I, and
developed the WAIS (Wechsler Adult intelligence Scale) in 1955.
• The WAIS was revised again and WAIS-R was introduced in 1981.
• WAIS III was published in 1997 and the latest version WAIS IV was
published in 2008.
• The WAIS‐III provides a variety of summary scores regarding
test‐takers’ intellectual abilities, including raw scores and
standard scores.
• Intelligence quotients (commonly referred to as “IQs”) and
Index scoresare standardized scores with a mean of 100 and a
standard deviation of 15.
• The WAIS‐III yields three IQ scores (Verbal IQ, Performance IQ,
and Full Scale IQ) and four Index scores (Verbal
Comprehension, Perceptual Organization, Working Memory,
and Processing Speed). IQ and Index scores are comprised of
certain subtests.
The scale consists of two categories of
scales.
• Verbal Scale: • Performance Scale:
• i. Vocabulary • i. Picture completion
• ii. Similarities • ii. Digit symbol- coding
• iii. Arithmetic • iii. Block design
• iv. Digit span • iv. Matrix reasoning
• v. Picture arrangement
• v. Information
• vi. Symbol search
• vi. Comprehension
• vii. Object assembly
• vii. Letter- numbering
sequencing
• Administration of WAIS and WISC or the latest prevalent forms
is time consuming because it requires individual
administration. It takes approx 75-110 minutes for
administration
• Psychometric Properties of WAIS-III:
A standardization sample comprising 2450 subjects was used.
The subjects were all adults. Thirteen age groups were taken,
starting from 16-17 and going up to 85-89. The sample’s
stratification was done on the basis of gender, race, education,
and geographic region. This information was obtained from the
1995 census of the U.S.
Description of Subtests
• Picture Completion. Picture Completion contains 25 items. The
examinee views a picture and then either points to or names the
important feature missing from the picture (Wechsler, 1997).
• Vocabulary. Vocabulary contains 33 items The examinee provides
oral definitions for words presented (Wechsler, 1997).
• Digit Symbol–Coding. For Digit‐Symbol–Coding, the examinee is
shown a series of symbols that are paired with numbers. Using a
key, the examinee draws each symbol under its corresponding
number, within a 120‐second time limit (Wechsler, 1997).
• Similarities. Similarities contains 19 items, which are pairs of words.
The examiner presents the words orally, and the examinee is asked
how the two objects or concepts are alike (Wechsler, 1997).
• Block Design. Block Design contains nine test items which are nine
different designs. The examinee is asked to replicate models or
pictures of two‐color, six‐sided blocks, progressing in difficulty from
two‐block designs to nine‐block designs (Wechsler, 1997).
• Arithmetic. Arithmetic contains 20 arithmetic problems. For this
subtest, the examinee is presented with arithmetic word problems
to be solved without the use of pencil or paper. The examinee
responds orally within a given time limit (Wechsler, 1997).
• Matrix Reasoning. Matrix Reasoning contains 26 items. The subtest
consists of four types of nonverbal reasoning tasks: pattern
completion, classification, analogy, and serial reasoning. The
examinee views a matrix from which a section is missing, and from
five response options identifies the missing piece (Wechsler, 1997).
• Digit Span. Digit‐Span has two subsections: Digits Forward and
Digits Backward; each contains eight items. On both, the examiner
reads a series of number sequences in which the examinee is
required to repeat the sequence in either forward or reverse order
(Wechsler, 1997).
• Information. For Information, the examinee responds orally to a
series of questions about factual information. This subtest is
designed to assess general knowledge about common people,
places, objects, and events (Wechsler, 1997).
• Picture Arrangement. Picture Arrangement consists of 11 items.
Each item consists of a set of picture cards that tell a story. The
cards are presented to the examinee out of order, and the
examinee rearranges the cards to create the story in proper
sequence, within a specified time limit (Wechsler, 1997).
• Comprehension. Comprehension contains 18 items. The examinee
responds orally to a series of questions that require solutions to
everyday problems or understanding of concepts or social
practices (Wechsler, 1997).
• Symbol Search. Symbol Search contains 60 items. For this subtest,
the examinee visually scans two groups of symbols (a target group
and a search group) and indicates if either of the target symbols
matches any of the symbols in the search group. The examinee
responds to as many items as possible within a 120‐second time
limit (Wechsler, 1997).
• Letter‐Number Sequence. For Letter‐Number Sequence, the
examiner reads a combination of numbers and letters and the
examinee is asked to recall the numbers first in ascending
order, then the letters in alphabetical order. There are seven
items with each item containing 3 strings of numbers and
letters (Wechsler, 1997).
• Object Assembly. Object Assembly contains five object
assembly puzzles. The examinee is presented with puzzle
pieces that, when properly assembled, form common objects
(Wechsler, 1997).