Chapter 7: Assessment: Intellectual and Cognitive Measures Chapter 7 – Assessment: Intellectual and Cognitive Measures Chapter Overview Chapter 7 explores the fascinating, complex, and sometimes controversial topic of intelligence and cognitive assessment. Our society tends to put great emphasis on intelligence and some people even go so far as to state their IQ. Intelligence is not a stagnant concept, but it is a concept that many researchers have formed hypotheses over the years. The chapter defines intelligence, and the various theories of intelligence are covered in detail. The most well-known and popular intelligence scales, the Wechsler scales, are the primary focus of the remainder of this chapter. Assessment issues are discussed throughout with an emphasis on administration, scoring, and interpretation. Students should come away with a strong base of knowledge for further study in undergraduate psychometrics and assessment as well as be prepared to critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the various intelligence tests. Chapter Contents Introduction Defining Intelligence Theories of Intelligence Assessing Intelligence: The Clinical Context The Wechsler Intelligence Scales Background Issues Administration, Scoring, and Interpretation Issues Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence – Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV) Other Intelligence Scales 1 Chapter 7: Assessment: Intellectual and Cognitive Measures Selected Cognitive Assessment Scales Wechsler Memory Scale – Fourth Edition (WMS-IV) Summary and Conclusions Learning Objectives 1. How do we define intelligence? 2. Discuss Spearman’s general factor or g. 3. Discuss Cattell’s theory of intelligence. 4. What is the difference between fluid versus crystallized intelligence? 5. How do we clinically assess intelligence? 6. Who was David Wechsler? 7. Discuss the background and history of the Wechsler tests. 8. What are the administration, scoring, and interpretation issues of the Wechsler scales? 9. Who is qualified to administer intelligence tests? 10. Discuss the main features of the WAIS-IV. 11. Discuss the main features of the WISC-IV. 12. Discuss the main features of the WPPSI-IV. 13. What is the Flynn Effect? 14. Discuss the main features of the WMS-IV. 15. Discuss the main features of the WIAT-III. Up for Discussion 1. Why do we put so much emphasis on intelligence? 2. In what fields would fluid intelligence be beneficial? 3. In what fields would crystallized intelligence be beneficial? 4. Discuss why someone would perform poorly on an intelligence test. 5. Why was it important for the Army to perform intelligence tests? 6. Where should intelligence tests be administered in order to provide a sterile environment? 2 Chapter 7: Assessment: Intellectual and Cognitive Measures 7. Discuss how the Flynn Effect affects you. 8. What would cause an intelligence test to be deemed invalid? 9. When would you not administer an intelligence test to someone? Consider the medical or psychiatric conditions. 10. Why is it important to paraphrase what your patient is saying? 11. Why are intelligence tests not available to the general public? 12. What are the dangers of misinterpretation of intelligence tests? 13. Ask students to write down 3-5 words that symbolize intelligence to them. 14. How do intelligence tests differ from other assessments? 15. Discuss the practice effects of administering an intelligence test every 23 months. 16. How can certain medications affect the results of an intelligence test? Out-of-Class Activities 1. Have students research the Stanford-Binet and the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test 2 (K-BIT-2). Students should provide a write up of each of the intelligence tests highlighting the administration, scoring, and interpretation issues. They should also note the qualification requirements of the tests. 2. Have students research the issue of cultural bias in intelligence testing. They should discuss the history, the past, present, and future ways to remedy bias, and provide their own opinion. Use this exercise to stimulate more discussion in class. 3. Have students create a biased test by developing a set of questions on their state, city, or town and administering these questions to someone unfamiliar with that place. Students should be able to discuss and write up a reaction paper about the difficulties the person had and how biased tests can negatively affect an individual’s life. Web Links The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke provides a wonderful overview of the various diagnostic tests and procedures used in clinical and research practice. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/misc/diagnostic_tests.htm#tests 3 Chapter 7: Assessment: Intellectual and Cognitive Measures Western Psychological Services (WPS) is a leading publisher of tests, books, software, and therapy tools for professionals in psychology, education, and allied fields. http://www.wpspublish.com/ This is the Web site for the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test by Riverside Publishing http://www.riverpub.com/products/sb5/index.html This is the Web site for Multi-Health Systems, Inc. (MHS), publishers of the Conners' Rating Scales-Revised, the Children's Depression Inventory, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised 2nd Edition, and the Test of Memory Malingering. http://www.mhs.com/ This is the Web site for Pearson Assessments., who now owns the Psychological Corporation. Here you will find such tests as the Mini Mental Status Examination, the various Wechsler Intelligence Scales, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Tests. http://www.pearsonassessments.com/ The following website provides information on research on emotional intelligence—it also lets you see sample reports and learn about what a person might be encouraged to do based on the results of the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test: http://www.unh.edu/emotional_intelligence/index.html Information on MENSA can be found at: http://www.mensa.org/home.php and http://www.canada.mensa.org To take the MENSA workout (not an intelligence test!), go to: http://www.mensa.org/index0.php?page=12 Learning Disabilities Association of American: http://www.ldanatl.org/ Video Suggestions Little Man Tate (DVD, color, 99 min.). This is the story of a single mother and her young son who is discovered to be a genius. His mother fights to make sure that her son has all of the opportunities that he needs while not letting him be taken advantage of by those who forget he is just a child. Orion Pictures, 1991. Emotional intelligence (Video, color, 70 min.) Discusses the five basic emotional competencies - self-awareness, managing emotions, motivation, empathy and 4 Chapter 7: Assessment: Intellectual and Cognitive Measures social skills. Explains how to have more success in life as a partner, a parent and on the job. WETA, Washington, DC, produced in association with the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations, Rutgers University; PBS home video 1998. Testing and Intelligence (DVD, color, 28 min.). Explains what intelligence is and the ways that it can be measured. The Annenberg/CPB Collection). Intelligence Testing (3 DVD’s, color, 114 min.). In this set, Arthur Jensen defends his contention that intelligence is a genetic fact of nature. The set features Jonathan Baron, who offers a more social definition of intelligence, and Richard Burian, who responds to each contention. Insight media. Intelligence and Creativity (DVD, color, 30 min.). This program investigates the effects of nature and nurture on intelligence and probes the history and criticisms of intelligence testing. It also describes Howard Gardner’s concept of multiple intelligences. Insight Media. Suggested Readings Sternberg, R. J. (Ed.). (2000). Handbook of intelligence. New York: Cambridge University Press. The journal Intelligence, published by Elsevier, includes articles on the nature and function of intelligence. Matlin, M.W. (2009). Cognition, 7th Edition. John Wiley and Sons Publishers. Lezak, M.D., Howieson, D.B, and Loring, D.W., (2009). Neuropsychological Assessment: 4th Edition. Oxford University Press. Strauss, E., Sherman, E.M.S., & Spreen, O. (2006). A Compendium of Neuropsychological Tests: 3rd Edition. Oxford University Press. Kaufman, A.S. (2009). IQ Testing 101. Springer Publishing Company. Kaufman, J.C. (2009). Creativity 101. Springer Publishing Company. Rush, A.J., First, M.B., Blacker, B. (2008). Handbook of Psychiatric Measures: 2nd Edition. American Psychiatric Publishing. Suzuki, L.A., Ponterotto, J.G., and Meller, P.J. (2001). Handbook of Multicultural Assessment: Clinical, Psychological, and Educational Applications, 2 nd Ed., Jossey-Bass. 5 Chapter 7: Assessment: Intellectual and Cognitive Measures Bloom, H. (2002). Genius: A mosaic of one hundred exemplary minds. New York: Warner Books. Gardner, H. (2000). Intelligence reframed: Multiple intelligences for the 21st century. New York: Basic Books. 6