Examples of Intelligence Tests1. Stanford-Binet IQ test The modern field of intelligence testing began with the StanfordBinet IQ test. The Stanford-Binet itself started with the French psychologist Alfred Binet as a standard way for psychologists to quickly and easily compare the psychological functioning of different people. As Binet indicated, case studies may be more detailed and at times more helpful, but the time required to test large numbers of people would be huge. Unfortunately, the tests he and his assistant Victor Henri developed in 1896 were largely disappointing (Fancher, 1985). Later on, Binet worked with physician Theodore Simon on the problem of retardation in French school children. Between 1905 and 1908, their research at a school for boys in Grange-aux-Belles, France led to the development of the Binet-Simon tests. Employing questions of increasing difficulty, this test measured such things as attention, memory, and verbal skills. Binet cautioned people that these scores should not be taken too literally because of the plasticity of intelligence and the inherent margin of error in the test (Fancher, 1985). In 1916, Stanford psychologist Lewis Terman released the "Stanford Revision of the Binet-Simon Scale" or the "Stanford-Binet" for short. With the help of several graduate students and validation experiments, he removed several of the Binet-Simon test items and added completely new ones. The test soon became so popular that Robert Yerkes, the president of the American Psychological Association, decided to use the test to develop the Army Alpha and Army Beta tests, which helped classify recruits. Thus, a high-scoring individual would get a grade of A (high officer material), whereas a low-scoring individual would get a grade of E and be rejected (Fancher, 1985). Since the Stanford-Binet got its name, it has been revised several times to give us the current Stanford-Binet 5. According to the publisher's website, "The SB5 was normed on a stratified random sample of 4,800 individuals that matches the 2000 U.S. Census. Bias reviews were conducted on all items for gender, ethnic, cultural/religious, regional, and socioeconomic status issues. Validity data was obtained using such instruments as the StanfordBinet Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition, the Stanford-Binet Form L-M, the Woodcock-Johnson III, the Universal Nonverbal Intelligence TestTM, the Bender-Gestalt, the WAIS-III, the WIAT-II, the WISC-III, and the WPPSI-R." Low variation on individuals tested multiple times indicates the test has high reliability. It features Fluid Reasoning, Knowledge, Quantitative Reasoning, Visual-Spatial Processing, and Working Memory as the 5 factors tested. Each of these factors is tested in two separate domains, verbal and

nonverbal, in order to accurately assess individuals with deafness, limited English, or communication disorders. Examples of test items include verbal analogies to test Verbal Fluid Reasoning and picture absurdities to test Nonverbal Knowledge. In conclusion, the test makers assure people the Stanford-Binet 5 will accurately assess low-end functioning, normal intelligence, and the highest levels of giftedness (Riverside Publishing, 2004). Despite this recent revision, some controversy remains as to the accuracy and bias of this test; however, many psychologists believe the evidence available shows that the Stanford-Binet test is valid, and it remains a popular assessment of intelligence.Students with exceptional scores on this test may be deemed bright, moderately gifted, highly gifted, extremely gifted, or profoundly gifted.

The Stanford Binet IQ Test is designed to test intelligence in four areas including verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, abstract and visual reasoning, and short-term memory skills. The Stanford Binet also scores 15 subtests including:

vocabulary comprehension verbal absurdities pattern analysis matrices paper folding and cutting copying quantitative number series equation building memory for sentences memory for digits memory for objects bead memory

Those planning on taking The Stanford Binet IQ Test will take an additional vocabulary test, which along with the subject's age, determines the number and level of subtests to be administered. Total testing time is 45-90 minutes, depending on the subject's age and the number of subtests given. Raw scores are based on the number of items answered, and are converted into a standard age score corresponding to age group, similar to an IQ Score. The Stanford Binet IQ Test combines features of earlier editions of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale with recent improvements in psychometric design. Point-scale format subtests, designed to measure behavior at every age, and used in the 1986 edition are combined with the age-scale or functional-level design of the earlier editions. Two routing subtests identify the developmental starting points of the examinee, and

the items can be tailored to cognitive level, resulting in greater precision in measurement. The Stanford-Binet IQ Test now has five factors, (Fluid Reasoning, Knowledge, Quantitative Reasoning, Visual-Spatial Processing, and Working Memory) as opposed to the four of the previous edition of the 1st Stanford Binet IQ Test. This edition of the Stanford Binet IQ Test allows for evaluation of the abilities of elderly examinees. The test is for children ages 2 through adults.

The Wechsler Intelligence Scales are a series of standardized tests used to evaluate cognitive abilities and intellectual abilities in children and adults. Purpose The Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (regular, revised, and third edition) and Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence are used as tools in school placement, in determining the presence of a learning disability or a developmental delay, in identifying giftedness, and in tracking intellectual development. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales (regular and revised) are used to determine vocational ability, to assess adult intellectual ability in the classroom, and to determine organic deficits. Both adult and children's Wechsler scales are often included in neuropsychological testing to assess the brain function of individuals with neurological impairments. Precautions Intelligence testing requires a clinically trained examiner. The Wechsler scales should be administered, scored, and interpreted by a trained professional, preferably a psychologist or psychiatrist. Description All of the Wechsler scales are divided into six verbal and five performance subtests. The complete test takes 60-90 minutes to administer. Verbal and Performance IQs are scored based on the results of the testing, and then a composite Full Scale IQ score is computed. Although earlier editions of some of the Wechsler Scales are still available, the latest revisions are described below:

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) The WAIS-R, the 1981 revision of the original Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, is designed for adults, age 16-74. The 11 subtests of the WAIS-R include information, digit span, vocabulary, arithmetic, comprehension, similarities, picture completion, picture arrangement, block design, object assembly, and digit symbol. An example of questions on the subtest of similarities might be: "Describe how the following pair of words are alike or thesame-hamburger and pizza." A correct response would be "Both are things to eat."

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Third Edition (WISC-III) The WISC-III subtests includes many of the same categories of subtests as the WAIS-R. In addition, there are two optional performance subtests: symbol search and mazes. Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) The WPPSI is designed for children age 4-6 years. The test is divided into six verbal and five performance subtests. The eleven subtests are presented in the following order: information, animal house and animal house retest, vocabulary, picture completion, arithmetic, mazes, geometric design, similarities, block design, comprehension, and sentences. The 1997 Medicare reimbursement rate for psychological and neuropsychological testing, including intelligence testing, is $58.35 an hour. Billing time typically includes test administration, scoring and interpretation, and reporting. Many insurance plans cover all or a portion of diagnostic psychological testing. Normal results The Wechsler Intelligence Scales are standardized tests, meaning that as part of the test design, they were administered to a large representative sample of the target population, and norms were determined from the results. The scales have a mean, or average, standard score of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. The standard deviation indicates how far above or below the norm the subject's score is. For example, a ten-year-old is assessed with the WISC-III scale and achieves a full-scale IQ score of 85. The mean score of 100 is the average level at which all 10-year-olds in the representative sample performed. This child's score would be one standard deviation below that norm. While the full-scale IQ scores provide a reference point for evaluation, they are only an average of a variety of skill areas. A trained psychologist will evaluate and interpret an individual's performance on the scale's subtests to

discover their strengths and weaknesses and offer recommendations based upon these findings. Key Terms

Norms Normative or mean score for a particular age group. Representative sample A random sample of people that adequately represents the testtaking population in age, gender, race, and socioeconomic standing. Standard deviation A measure of the distribution of scores around the average (mean). In a normal distribution, two standard deviations above and below the mean includes about 95% of all samples. Standardization The process of determining established norms and procedures for a test to act as a standard reference point for future test results.

2. Non verbal test - Raven's Progressive Matrices The Raven Progressive Matrices test is a widely used intelligence test in many research and applied settings. In each test item, one is asked to find the missing pattern in a series. Each set of items gets progressively harder, requiring greater cognitive capacity to encode and analyze.

Sample item from the Raven Progressive Matrices tests Raven's Progressive Matrices was designed primarily as a measure of Spearman's g. There are no time limits and simple oral instructions. There are 3 different tests for different abilities:

Coloured Progressed Matrices (younger children and special groups) Stanford Progressive Matrices (average 6 to 80 year olds)

Advanced Progressive Matrices (above average adolescents & adults)

In terms of its psychometrics, Raven's Progressive Matrices: has good test-retest reliability between .70 and .90 (however, for low score ranges, the test-retest reliability is lower)

has good internal consistency coefficients - mostly in the .80s and .90s has correlations with verbal and performance tests range which between .40 and .75 fair concurrent validity in studies with mentally retarded groups lower predictive validity than verbal intelligence tests for academic criteria

3. Non-verbal test - Gesell Developmental Schedules for very young children Prior to the preschool years, the assessment tools for infants measure somewhat different components of intellectual ability. An example of an oftused test is the Gesell Developmental Schedules. This test was first introduced in 1925 and has been revised periodically. The schedules are designed to measure developmental progress of babies and children from 4 weeks to 5 years. These schedules provide a standardized procedure for observing and evaluating the developmental attainment of children in five areas:

Gross motor skills: cruises a rail using 2 hands Fine motor skills: uses scissors grasp on string Language development: uses da-da with meaning Adaptive behaviour: pulls a string to obtain a ring Personal-social behaviours: pushes arm through dress if started.

Gesell identified naturally occurring situations in the home or clinic and uses objects or tasks with high appeal for infants and preschoolers. Well-trained observers can attain interrater reliabilities in the mid .90s (Knobloch & Pasamanick, 1974). Gessell didnt intend his schedules to be intelligence tests, rather they are used to identify neurological impairment and mental retardation. Gesell determined that normal development is a time-bracketed phenomenon: that is the age variability for attaining developmental milestones in infancy is very small; on the order of a few weeks for many tasks. Many studies indicate that the Gesell Schedules function well in the

screening of intellectually at-risk infants. Virtually all infant tests have borrowed from or adapted the original schedules devised by Arnold Gesell (1880-1961). Tests for special populations

Tests may be individual or group Typically designated as performance, non-language or nonverbal tests Tests designed for groups such as infants, preschoolers, mentally retarded people, physically disabled (hearing, visual, motor), and multicultural populations (language & cultural issues)

The major non-verbal test in use is Raven's progressive matrices