Intelligence and Its Assessment Aspects

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Concepts of Intelligence
Assessment of Intelligence
Achievement Tests
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The long-standing issue of intelligence and its accurate measure of assessment continues to puzzle modern psychologists. The concept of intelligence remains out of the grasp of modern psychologists, as no consensus on its definition has been drawn yet (Wasserman, 2018). Despite this inconclusiveness, many scholars have attempted to create the most accurate description of intelligence and create a way to put one’s mental capabilities on a scale. In this paper, several concepts of intelligence will be utilized alongside analyses of purposes and goals of tools for its measure in order to review this topic.

Concepts of Intelligence

Perhaps the most popular among all theories is the definition of intelligence drawn by David Wechsler. His approach builds on the past attempts to outline and expand several other authors’ works that were widely used in the past, such as the works of Spearman and Binet (Wasserman, 2018). He considered that intelligence refers not to a set of existing knowledge and skills but to a capacity to efficiently accumulate and apply them within an environment where they fit (Wasserman, 2018). This definition remains one of the most accurate to date and provides a basis for numerous tests created by Wechsler and other scholars.

Douglas Detterman gives a different definition of intelligence that attempts to pinpoint it in a mathematical way. The author defines cognitive capabilities with mathematical terms, considering them as a finite set that works in unison (Wasserman, 2018). This definition provides more space for assessment, as each part of a system that is human intelligence, in Detterman’s view, is independent (Wasserman, 2018). It also considers expertise in knowledge fields as it defines general intelligence as a standalone capability that can be measured outside of one’s knowledge base (Wasserman, 2018). While this approach can serve as a basis for assessment tools, the author avoids bringing a system of independent finite abilities to a single denominator.

Assessment of Intelligence

David Wechsler’s Adult Intelligence Scale – Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) is a well-known assessment tool that is based on the author’s definition of mental capabilities. It is known for the fact that it is a highly standardized procedure that continues to be widely used (Wasserman, 2018). This assessment combines verbal and nonverbal tasks to accommodate the fact that some individuals who were tested did not possess the necessary knowledge or physical abilities to pass past tests successfully (Wasserman, 2018). Wasserman (2018) writes that Wechsler “combined popular and clinically useful existing tests into a streamlined, well-organized, and psychometrically innovative battery” (p. 35). This test is known for its practicality, accessibility, and the fact that it generates a result that shows a global measure of intelligence rather than a set of different performance-based characteristics (Wasserman, 2018). Despite Wechsler’s improvements to the past tests, there are some bias remain, as parts of the test require verbal proficiency.

The Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test (UNIT) by R. Steve McCallum and Bruce Bracken is an alternate measure of intelligence. Moore et al. (2017) state that UNIT tests one’s “ability to problem-solve” with reasoning and memory alone (p. 117). It brings a unique approach to the measurement of intelligence by attempting to remove potential obstacles, such as various communication impairments or cultural barriers (Moore et al., 2017). The authors focused on creating a fair test that will not take one’s abilities to read, perform tasks within a time limit, or any past knowledge into account (Moore et al., 2017). The results are not dissimilar to Wechsler’s intelligence scale, although each of the six parts of the assessment can be analyzed separately (Moore et al., 2017). However, all six elements can be combined into a single score that will reflect one’s global intelligence.

Achievement Tests

Wechsler Fundamentals: Academic Skills is another work of the author of the most popular concept definition of intelligence. This achievement test can successfully measure progress in reading, spelling, and mathematical skills in both adults and children (Brookhart, 2010). The trial allows quick evaluation of one’s school knowledge since it includes a detailed guide on examination of results (Brookhart, 2010). Such a test can give a hint on whether or not a person has a level of knowledge expected for its age (Brookhart, 2010). However, it does not give a direct hint regarding one’s intelligence in accordance with its definition by Wechsler. Despite this fact, this assessment provides a solid basis for further examination of one’s mental capabilities, as the conclusion shows whether an individual has an expected level of knowledge or there are deviations.

The Woodcock-Johnson IV (WJ-IV) is a system for assessing achievements that allows examiners to test both adults and children. It consists of several subsets of activities that aim to create a complete picture of one’s progress in academic skills in a way that they will be readable for further analysis and correction (Riverside Insights, 2018). While it does not possess a direct connection to Wechsler’s intelligence assessment, it includes a comprehensive guide that explains what each of the possible deviations implies (Riverside Insights, 2018). An examiner who uses this tool for assessment receives data regarding each cluster of knowledge, such as reading, writing, or maths, in an easy-to-read form (Riverside Insights, 2018). The analysis of this assessment can give a basic understanding of one’s mental capabilities that will further provide information for measuring global intelligence.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the examined assessments of intelligence and achievements are better aligned with Wechsler’s definition of intelligence, as their purpose is to test one’s ability to acquire knowledge from the environment and apply it correctly. While Detterman’s theory stands well within intelligence assessment tests where age-appropriate tasks can be measured, it does not allow examiners to compare the results within a unified scale with the same efficiency. As expected, WAIS-IV is a well-suited type of test for this definition of intelligence, as it defines well general capabilities and draws a single conclusion without devolving into different measurements that remain separate.

However, it is vital to acknowledge the input made by UNIT, which has several benefits over WAIS-IV when considering its global application. Being entirely nonverbal, this test does not rely on any underlying knowledge that may hinder one’s chances of showing the most accurate measure of intelligence. The authors of this test took Wechsler’s definition of intelligence for the foundation and created a six-part test that correlates well with the results of other similar tests while being distinctively more accessible and accurate. The authors made many adjustments to eliminate the necessity of existing knowledge that may adversely affect those who do not possess it.

Regarding achievements, both assessments test reading, spelling, and mathematical skills to measure one’s academic skills. Their results have an expected level of knowledge for a multitude of age groups and use nationwide average statistics for comparison. While Wechsler’s test is more aligned with the author’s definition of intelligence, WJ-IV allows greater flexibility and can be applied in different cultural environments. Both tests reveal what knowledge may be lacking, although WJ-IV appears to have more comprehensive recommendations.

References

Brookhart, S. M. (2010). Review of the Wechsler Fundamentals: Academic Skills. In R. A. Spies, J. F. Carlson, & K. F. Geisinger (Eds.), The eighteenth mental measurements yearbook (pp. 690-693). The University of Nebraska Press.

Moore, A. F., McCallum, R. S., & Bracken, B. A. (2017). The Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test: Second edition. In R. S. McCallum (Ed.), Handbook of Nonverbal Assessment (2nd ed., pp. 105-125). Springer.

Riverside Insights. (2018). The Woodcock-Johnson IV: A comprehensive, contemporary assessment system.

Wasserman, J. (2018). A history of intelligence assessment: The unfinished tapestry. In D. P. Flanagan & E. M. McDonough (Eds.), Contemporary Intellectual Assessment: Theories, tests, and issues (4th ed., pp. 3-55). The Guilford Press.

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