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Intelligence Assessment
INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENT
The IQ or intelligence quotient is generally measured on a standardized test. IQ tests are used by psychologists and educators to identify those students who need educational help and those who may need intellectual stimulation because of high intelligence. A good intelligence test will identify more than one type of intelligence and will focus less on things like academic learning and more on things like problem solving.
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The first intelligence test was developed by Sir Francis Galton in the late 1800s. This was followed by intelligence testing developed by Alfred Binet, which was designed to be used on children who might need extra help in school. It was later standardized so that it could be used on large numbers of individuals with consistent results. Standardization results in a bell curve and means that there is consistency in the administration, scoring patterns, and interpretation of the test. The current test used most commonly is the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale.
Another test sometimes used is the Wechsler IQ test. It was developed by David Wechsler 1939 and makes use of verbal and nonverbal components. There are actually three such tests, used on children and adults. The Wechsler scale is often used in the school system. The test uncovered what has been identified as the Flynn Effect, which is the observation that each generation of children scores better than the previous one, which does not mean they are necessarily more intelligent.
Intelligence tests are based on a bell curve, which is, of course, shaped like a bell. Figure 21 shows a typical bell curve:
Figure 21. In order to have a good bell curve, you need to have an accurate representative sample. This means having enough of the general population in order to make a determination of the lower, middle, and upper ends of the curve. For example, you cannot use a group of basketball players to make a bell curve of people s heights because almost all of these people will be tall. With regard to intelligence quotients, the average test score is 100.
Standard deviations can say how wide the spread is on a bell curve. In intelligence testing, every 15 points identify one standard deviation away from the mean. Individuals with an intelligence quotient of 130 or more are considered superior. A score of 70 or less means a cognitive delay. There are mild, moderate, severe, and profound levels of intellectual delay.
