Intelligence tests

Tests designed to provide an estimate of a person’s mental abilities. The most widely used are Wechsler tests of which there are 2 basic types: the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC). Each is divided into verbal (concerned with language skills) and performance sections, including measures of constructional ability and visual-spatial and perceptual ability (interpretation of shapes). Other tests include the Stanford–Binet test, which is used mainly as a measure of scholastic ability. In most intelligence tests, scoring is based on mental age (MA) in relation to chronological age (CA). The intelligence quotient (IQ) is MA divided by CA, multiplied by 100. The tests are devised to ensure that 3 in 4 people have an IQ between 80 and 120. They are standardized so that the score indicates the same relative ability at different age levels. Intelligence tests may be used to assess school or job aptitude. However, they have been criticized for their alleged bias regarding gender and race.