Psychology Wiki

Assessment | Biopsychology | Comparative | Cognitive | Developmental | Language | Individual differences | Personality | Philosophy | Social |
Methods | Statistics | Clinical | Educational | Industrial | Professional items | World psychology |

Social Processes: Methodology · Types of test


This article is in need of attention from a psychologist/academic expert on the subject.
Please help recruit one, or improve this page yourself if you are qualified.
This banner appears on articles that are weak and whose contents should be approached with academic caution.

The WAIS-III is a version of the WAIS published in 1997 and has been superceded by the current version, WAIS-IV published in 2008. It is an intelligence measure that is appropriate for use with those individuals ages 16-89 years of age (this is an expanded age range for adults 74-89, reflecting the increased average life expectancy). For persons under 16, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC, 6-16 yrs) and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI, 2 1/2-7yrs, 3mos) are used as alternative measures of intelligence.

A short, four-subtest version of the battery has recently been released, allowing clinicians to form a validated estimate of verbal, performance and full scale IQ in a shorter amount of time. The Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) uses vocabulary, similarities, block design and matrix reasoning subtests similar to those of the WAIS to provide an estimate of full scale IQ in about 30 minutes.

Intelligence tests also are used in populations with psychiatric illness or brain injury, though some regard this use as controversial. Some neuropsychologists use the technique on people suffering brain damage as it leads to links with which part of the brain has been affected, or use specific subtests in order to get an idea of the extent of the brain damage. For example, digit span may be used to get a sense of attentional difficulties. Others employ the WAIS-R NI (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised as a Neuropsychological Instrument), another measure published by Harcourt. Each subtest score is tallied and calculated with respect to non-normal or brain-damaged norms. As the WAIS is developed for the average, non-injured individual, separate norms were developed for appropriate comparison among similar functioning individuals [How to reference and link to summary or text].

14 subtests of the WAIS-III[]

Verbal subtests[]

Information
Degree of general information acquired from culture (e.g. Who is the president of Russia?)
Comprehension
Ability to deal with abstract social conventions, rules and expressions (e.g. What does "Kill 2 birds with 1 stone" metaphorically mean?)
Arithmetic
Concentration while manipulating mental mathematical problems (e.g. How many 45c. stamps can you buy for a dollar?)
Similarities
Abstract verbal reasoning (e.g. In what way are an apple and a pear alike?)
Vocabulary
The degree to which one has learned, been able to comprehend and verbally express vocabulary (e.g. What is a guitar?)
Digit span
attention/concentration (e.g. given the sequence of digits '123', reverse the sequence.)
Letter-Number Sequencing
attention and working memory (e.g. Given Q1B3J2, place the numbers in numerical order and then the letters in alphabetical order)

Performance subtests[]

Picture Completion
Ability to quickly perceive visual details
Digit Symbol — Coding
Visual-motor coordination, motor and mental speed
Block Design
Spatial perception, visual abstract processing & problem solving
Matrix Reasoning
Nonverbal abstract problem solving, inductive reasoning, spatial reasoning
Picture Arrangement
Logical/sequential reasoning, social insight
Symbol Search
Visual perception, speed
Object Assembly
Visual analysis, synthesis, and construction

Optional post-tests include Digit Symbol - Incidental Learning and Digit Symbol - Free Recall.

WAIS-III subtests grouped according to indices[]

In addition to the Verbal and Performance IQ scores, the following four indices are derived.

Verbal IQ (VIQ)[]

Verbal comprehension index (VCI)[]

Working memory index (WMI)[]

Performance IQ (PIQ)[]

Perceptual organization index (POI)[]

Processing speed index (PSI)[]

Note: Picture Arrangement, Comprehension, and Object Assembly do not contribute to the Index Scores

14 subtests of the WAIS-III[]

Verbal Subtests[]

Information
Degree of general information acquired from culture (e.g. Who is the premier of Victoria?)
Main article: Interpreting WAIS-111 subtests: Information
Comprehension
Ability to deal with abstract social conventions, rules and expressions (e.g. What does - Kill 2 birds with 1 stone metaphorically mean?)
Main article: Interpreting WAIS-III subtests: Comprehension
Arithmetic
Concentration while manipulating mental mathematical problems (e.g. How many 45c. stamps can you buy for a dollar?)
Similarities
Abstract verbal reasoning (e.g. In what way are an apple and a pear alike?)
Main article: Interpreting WAIS-III subtests: Arithmetic
Vocabulary
The degree to which one has learned, been able to comprehend and verbally express vocabulary (e.g. What is a guitar?)
Main article: Interpreting WAIS-III subtests:Vocabulary
Digit span
attention/concentration (e.g. Digits forward: 123, Digits backward 321.)
Main article: Interpreting WAIS-III subtests: Digit span
Letter-number sequencing
attention and working memory (e.g. Given Q1B3J2, place the numbers in numerical order and then the letters in alphabetical order)
Main article: Interpreting WAIS-III subtests: Letter-number sequencing

Performance Subtests[]

Picture completion
Ability to quickly perceive visual details
Main article: Interpreting WAIS-III subtests: Picture completion
Digit symbol - Coding
Visual-motor coordination, motor and mental speed
Main article: Interpreting WAIS-III subtests: Digit symbol
Block design
Spatial perception, visual abstract processing & problem solving
Main article: Interpreting WAIS-III subtests: Block design
Matrix easoning
Nonverbal abstract problem solving, inductive reasoning, spatial reasoning
Main article: Interpreting WAIS-III subtests: Matrix reasoning
Picture arrangement
Logical/sequential reasoning, social insight
Main article: Interpreting WAIS-III subtests: Picture arrangement
Symbol search
Visual perception, speed
Main article: Interpreting WAIS-III subtests: Symbol search
Object assembly
Visual analysis, synthesis, and construction
Main article: Interpreting WAIS-III subtests: Object assembly

Optional post-tests include Digit Symbol - Incidental Learning and Digit Symbol - Free Recall.

WAIS-III Subtests Grouped According to Indices[]

In addition to the Verbal and Performance IQ scores, the following four indices are derived.

Verbal comprehension[]

  • Vocabulary
  • Information
  • Similarities

Perceptual organization[]

  • Picture Completion
  • Block Design
  • Matrix Reasoning

Working memory[]

  • Arithmetic
  • Digit Span
  • Letter-Number Sequencing

Processing speed[]

  • Digit Symbol-Coding
  • Symbol Search

Note: Picture Arrangement, Comprehension, and Object Assembly do not contribute to the Index Scores'

See also[]

External links[]