WECHSLER ADULT PERFROMANCE INTELLIGENCE SCALE

Aim: To assess the individual intellectual functioning using Wechsler adult performance
intelligence scale (WAPIS).

Basic concept: According to Wechsler, intelligence can be classified as the global capacity that
involves dimensions such as the individual ability to perceive the world around them, accurately
act with purpose, find solutions to the problems they face in life.

Theories of intelligence:

There are mainly two approaches to understanding intelligence. One is the factorial approach and
the other is based on the process involved in the intellectual ability. The two important theories
pertaining to WAPIS are –

Spearman's two factor theory : Charles Spearman (1904) proposed a two factor theory of
intelligence, he viewed intelligence as a general United capacity. A single dimension along which
people vary. He believed that performance or any cognitive test depended on primary general factor
and specific factor relating to the particular tasks. The 'g' factor involves all intelligence
performances. He believed that each individual's intellectual tasks taps both general intelligence
and specific ability for that particular task. Spearman later reviewed this theory and divided 'g'
factor into :

Education ability: Deducing relationship between two things.

Reproductive ability: Reproducing something one has just learned.

Cattell Theory:

He proposed that general intelligence can be broken down into relatively independent elements :

F: Fluid intelligence

C: Crystallised intelligence

Fluid intelligence: Involves the ability to think creatively to reason abstractly, to make inference
from the data and to understand relationships.

Crystallised intelligence: involves the knowledge already acquired and the ability to access that
knowledge, to make decisions or to solve problems. Cattell regarded gf as what a person
accomplishes through his potential capacities and GC as about his accomplishment through the use
of his GF. Fluid intelligence may peak in early adulthood while crystallised intelligence increases
across to life span.

History of the Test:

 WECHSLER ADULT PERFROMANCE INTELLIGENCE SCALE

Wechsler began work on his first that in 1932 solely to device an instrument capable for testing the
diverse patients restored to the psychiatric section of Belomise Hospital in New York. The first out
of the Wechsler tests, the Wechsler Belluve Intelligence Scale (1939) was a milestone in the history
of intelligence testing because it incorporated with both verbal and performance scales. 16 years
after the publication of the term - I of Wechsler Bellimse (W-B) a version with new norms. The
Wechsler adult intelligence scale or WAPIS was published in 1955 to yield a verbal IQ,
performance IQ and a full scale of IQ. Soon the need for more contemporary norm group became
avoidant and a revision made in test was called WAIS - R. It retained 80% of the original items.

The WAIS-II with authorship credited to Wechsler (1977) contained updated and categorised
material along with norms. It was expanded to include the age range of 14-89 due to greater life
expectancy. Its descendent was WAIS-III which included a group of different rule that contribute
to global IQ scores. The most recent edition of WAIS published in 1997 comprises of 14 scales
and 7 subtests are grouped in the verbal scale and other 7 into performance scale. The Wechsler
adult performance scale is an attempt to adapt WAIS to Indian condition and set up norms for the
Indian population. Since there were 14 major languages in India, it would have been a difficult task
to develop tests in all languages. Taking into consideration, the urgent need for the development of
an individual intelligence scale. It was one of the cultural free tests. Thus the final form of WAPIS
presented here was the performance scale of WAIS. The subtests comprising of performance scale
are picture completion, digit symbol, coding, block design, picture arrangement and object
assembly.

Description of the test:

WAPIS was first published around 1977.The five subsets are listed and briefly described below in
order of their administration.

Picture completion: The subject points to missing part. There are total of 26 cards. The examined
must respond to each item within 20 seconds. The test must be discontinued after 5 consecutive
failures. 1 point is awarded for each correct answer.

Digit symbol coding: The subject is shown 9 divided rectangles. Each of which contain a digit in
the upper half of a symbol in the lower half. Using the key, the subject has to draw each symbol
under the corresponding number. The total score is determined by the number of symbols correctly
drawn within 120 seconds. The subject has to start with the sample items. The maximum score is
90.

Block Design: The subject is asked to replicate pictures of two colour design with blocks. The
design progresses from simple block design to complex design. The subtest has identical cubes
having two white, two red and two half red and half white cubes. It consists of 10 block design.
Time limit varies from 60-120 seconds. Maximum score is 48.Discontinue after 3 consecutive
failures.
 WECHSLER ADULT PERFROMANCE INTELLIGENCE SCALE

Picture Arrangement: It consists of a set of pictures presented in a mixed way. The examiner
rearranges into a logical story sequence. It measures a person's ability to comprehend and evaluate
a total version without language usage. It consists of 9 items, with the time limit ranging from 6-
120 seconds. Maximum possible score is 42.

Object Assembly: A set of 4 puzzles of common objects each presented in a standardized

configuration that the examinee assembles to form a meaning to whole. Time limit ranges from
120-180 seconds.

Norms - The norms are based on the population from the following Indian states: Uttar Pradesh,
Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal, and many more. The males and females age ranging from
15-19, 20-24, 24-34, 35-40 years.

Reliability - The reliability was carried out by using Cronbach coefficient alpha. For picture
completion it ranges from 0.69-0.5, for block design (0.72-0.80), for object assembly ( 0.65-
0.75), for picture arrangement (0.64- 0.74) for all age samples.

Validity: Construct validity was established by taking the mean scores of persons belonging to
different groups, age, Sex, education and socio-economic status were examined. The differences
between the mean scores of these various groups were found to be significant at 0.01 levels thereby
indicating construct validity.

Preliminaries:

Name: XYZ

Age: 23

Sex: F

Date: 23-03-2019

Place: JMI

Material required: WAPIS kit, stop watch, screen, pencil eraser and response sheet.

PROCEDURE

Arrangement of material - All the materials were arranged and kept on the table. The chair was
kept on the non preferred side. The screen was used to cover the kit, manual and response sheet.

Rapport formation - The subject was made to feel comfortable with the light headed conversation.
He was told about the test and was motivated to pay attention.
 WECHSLER ADULT PERFROMANCE INTELLIGENCE SCALE

Instructions - Standard instructions for each subtest was read out from the manual for the subject.

Administration - For each subtest, the manual was established and instructions given to it was
strictly followed to administer the test.

Introspective report - the test was quite interesting, but a bit long.

Behavioural report - The subject seemed to be attentive to the tasks.

Precautions - the aim of the test was not revealed. Laboratory conditions were controlled and
maintained. All the tasks were given in same sequence as given in the manual. Time interval was
carefully noted.

Scoring:

scoring for each subject was done according to the manual after calculating the raw score. For each
subtest they were converted into scaled scores using the table. Then all the scores were added
together. Then IQ corresponding to the value of the total scaled score is found from the table given
in the manual.

Scoring Table

S.NO TEST RAW SCORE SCALED SCORE

1. PICTURE COMPLETION 20 14

2. DIGIT SYMBOL 49 12

3. BLOCK DESIGN 48 16

4. PICTURE ARRANGEMENT 33 15

5. OBJECT ASSEMBLY 33 13

TOTAL SCORE 70 IQ= 122

Interpretation and Discussion

The aim of the test was to measure the global intellectual capacity of the subject using WAPIS.
The test gives an idea of the individual IQ from those aspects covered in the various subtests.
WAPIS measures the intelligence of the subject through the following subtests.
 WECHSLER ADULT PERFROMANCE INTELLIGENCE SCALE

Picture Completion -

The subtest consists of a set of coloured pictures of objects and settings. Each of which has an
important part missing. The examinees must identify the missing part. The raw score of the subject
is 20 which correspond to a scaled score of 14. This implies that the test has an average ability to
comprehend and evaluate the total stimulus without language usage.

Digit symbol coding -

A series of numbers, each of which is passed with its corresponding symbol are present using it as
a key, the subject writes the symbol corresponding to a number. The raw score obtained by the
subject was 49 which correspond to a scaled score of 12. Thus the subject is keeping average speed
at writing or pattern copying the symbols used is good enough at visual motor coordination.

Block Design -

A set of modelled 20 geometric patterns that subject replicates using two coloured cubes: Red and
white. Here, the subject has obtained a raw score of 48 which corresponds to a scaled score of 16.
This is an high score indicating that the subject is very good at replicating the blocks.

Object Assembly –

The subject is reassured to put together for separate puzzles each a common object. The raw score
obtained is 33 and a corresponding scaled score is 13. This indicates the subject has actively
developed processing. But the subject had difficulty in assembly the elephant.

The subject's total scaled score is 70 which corresponds to an IQ of 122. Thus the subject falls in
the category of superior performance intelligence as the mean is 100 and average performance is
from 90-115. The data signifies that the subject is superior in fluid intelligence, spatial reasoning.

With all the above data we can make a rough estimate about the subject IQ. But we cannot rely
completely on just one factor as other factors are involved too.

The test is ultimately biased. Even though it has been standardized in the Indian population that is
because in Indian people belief to distinct religion and ethnic groups still exist.

WAPIS is used as an psycho educational test for post secondary school planning and placement. It
is often a one test for assessing learning disability and for determining compatibility and giftedness.
It is also used for differential diagnosis of neurological and psychiatric disorders affecting mental
functioning.

Conclusion
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The subject was scored IQ 122. This subject falls under the category of Superior intelligence.

References

Ramalingaswamy, P(1974). Manual of Indian Adaptation of WAPIS performance scale.Delhi.