Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale

psychology

Also known as: WAIS

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 15, 2026

Quick Summary

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) is a widely used intelligence test for adults. Developed by psychologist David Wechsler, it was first introduced in 1955 as a revision of his earlier Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale. Unlike earlier tests that used a "mental age" concept, Wechsler defined normal intelligence as the average score for a specific age group, typically set at 100 on a standard scale. The WAIS measures various cognitive abilities and provides a comprehensive assessment of an individual's intellectual functioning relative to others in their age group. It has undergone revisions to remain relevant and accurately reflect contemporary populations.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

David Wechsler
…another adult intelligence test, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), with the same structure as his earlier scale but standardized with a different population, including 10 percent nonwhites to reflect the U.S. population. (The earlier test had been standardized for an all-white population.) He contributed to the revision of the…
Read More
…another adult intelligence test, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), with the same structure as his earlier scale but standardized with a different population, including 10 percent nonwhites to reflect the U.S. population. (The earlier test had been standardized for an all-white population.) He contributed to the revision of the…
Read More

intelligence test
…Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale and the Wechsler scales. The Stanford-Binet is the American adaptation of the original French Binet-Simon intelligence test; it was first introduced in 1916 by Lewis Terman, a psychologist at Stanford University. The individually administered test—revised in 1937, 1960, 1973, 1986, and 2003—evaluates persons two years of age…
Read More
…Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale and the Wechsler scales. The Stanford-Binet is the American adaptation of the original French Binet-Simon intelligence test; it was first introduced in 1916 by Lewis Terman, a psychologist at Stanford University. The individually administered test—revised in 1937, 1960, 1973, 1986, and 2003—evaluates persons two years of age…
Read More