David Wechsler's
Intelligence Scale
Jesse Jones
Arith Wijesinha
Jack Brown
Troy Nicholson
Who was Wecshler?
• David Wechsler (January
12, 1896 – May 2, 1981)
was a leading American
psychologist. He developed
well-known intelligence
scales, such as the
Wechsler Adult Intelligence
Scale and the Wechsler
Intelligence Scale for
Children. His theory of
intelligence was unique
compared to others.
His Theory:
David Wechslers viewed intelligence as the "global and
aggregate capacity to act purposefully, to think rationally
and to deal effectively with the environment." Wechlers
proposed that intelligence involves a greater range of
mental abilities, mental abilities that were not only
relevant to school but also to everyday life, he
categorized these abilities in two types: verbal and
performance abilities
Verbal
Abilities:
Wechslers
described verbal
verbal abilities as
those that are
entirely language
dependent such as
vocabulary and
comprehension.
These people
generally end up in
a career involving
language and
persuasive
techniques such as
politics &
journalism.
performance
abilities as those
less dependent on
language. For
example using
images to tell
stories and using
patterns. This
specific type of
intelligence
enables
intelligence to be
expressed In a
way that is not
entirely dependent
on the use of
verbal skills and
Performance Abilities:
The 4 Components:
Wecshler believed that both
verbal and performance
abilities are important
components of intelligence
and there are different ways in
which intelligence can be
expressed. This specific view
is reflected in his intelligence
test which contains both tests
of verbal and performance
abilities. Wecshler also
suggested four other that
behaviors should be present
for any behavior to be
described as intelligent.
The 4 Questions:
Awareness - the behavior must be intentional and you must have
awareness of its consequences.
Goal Directed - the behavior must have a specific goal.
Rational - the behavior must be appropriate in achieving your goal.
Worthwhile - the action must be worthwhile or have been valuable to
the goal,
There are 4 areas in which Wecshler tested to
try and prove his theory of intelligence.
Testing Intelligence:
__________
Verbal
Working Memory
Perceptual Reasoning
Processing Speed
__________
Wechslers 'Verbal' and 'Working Memory' focus
on his verbal type of intelligence whilst his
Verbal
Testing
Wechslers verbal category of his testing
contains 3 different tests.
Information: a series of orally presented
questions that aims at the subjects knowledge
of common events, objects places and people.
Similarities: questions requiring the subject to
identify the similarities and differences between
two or more objects.
Vocabulary: questions that ask the subject for
definitions of words which is designed to assess
ability to learn, understand and use vocabulary.
Perceptual Reasoning
Testing
Block Design: Consists of colored blocks which
Wechslers perceptual reasoning category of his
testing contains 3 different tests.
are put together assessed and matched up with
the example given to the subject.
Matrix Reasoning: Consists of a series of
incomplete designs or patterns. The subject
must choose the complete design from a series
of patterns given. This is designed to test
spacial awareness and reasoning.
Visual Puzzles: selection of three puzzle pieces
from a series of 6 that when combined form a
Working Memory
Testing
Wechslers working memory category of his
testing contains 2 different tests.
Digit Design: Orally presented sequences of
numbers that are to be orally repeated, forwards
and backwards from memory.
Arithmetic: Mental arithmetic problems that are
presented and solved orally. Designed to
assess abilities to reason using arithmetic.
Processing Speed
Testing
Wechslers working memory category of his
testing contains 2 different tests.
Digit Design: Orally presented sequences of
numbers that are to be orally repeated, forwards
and backwards from memory.
Arithmetic: Mental arithmetic problems that are
presented and solved orally. Designed to
assess abilities to reason using arithmetic.