Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales
Overview
The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales is a cognitive ability and intelligence test that originated with the French psychologist Alfred Binet in the early 20th century. The test was then revised by Lewis Terman, a psychologist at Stanford University, hence the name Stanford-Binet. The test is used to measure intelligence through five factors of cognitive ability. These factors include fluid reasoning, knowledge, quantitative reasoning, visual-spatial processing, and working memory. Both verbal and nonverbal responses are measured during the test. Each of these factors is given a weightage and the combined score is often used to determine an individual's general intelligence factor, also known as the g factor.
History
The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales originated with the French psychologist Alfred Binet's work on intelligence testing in the early 20th century. Binet's original intent was to create a test that would diagnose learning disabilities of students in France. The test, consisting of a series of questions assessing mental capabilities, was not intended to measure innate levels of intelligence.
The test was brought to the United States by psychologist Lewis M. Terman in 1916 from Stanford University. Terman revised Binet's test and standardized it using a large American sample. This revised test, first published in 1916 and referred to as the Stanford Revision of the Binet-Simon Scale, became known as the Stanford-Binet test.
The Stanford-Binet test has undergone several revisions. The most recent version, the Stanford-Binet 5, was released by Riverside Publishing in 2003.
Test Structure
The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales is comprised of five factors of cognitive ability. These factors are:
1. Fluid Reasoning 2. Knowledge 3. Quantitative Reasoning 4. Visual-Spatial Processing 5. Working Memory
Each of these factors is assessed in both a verbal and nonverbal domain. All of the subtests are routed, meaning that the test will start at a certain point based on the individual's age and if they can achieve a perfect score, the test will continue with harder questions until the test taker misses a certain number of questions.
Scoring
The scoring of the Stanford-Binet produces a Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) that represents a score on the g factor, which is the general intelligence factor. The FSIQ is derived from the sum of the scaled scores for the five factors. The test also provides verbal and nonverbal IQ scores, as well as a separate score for each of the five factors.
Use and Interpretation
The Stanford-Binet test is used primarily in clinical, educational, and research settings. It is also used for job candidate evaluation, military job classification, and in research into the nature and effects of cognitive abilities and disabilities.
Interpretation of the Stanford-Binet scales requires a high level of clinical judgment and should be done by a trained professional. The test results can be used to diagnose intellectual disabilities, giftedness, or cognitive strengths and weaknesses. The test can also be used to assess the intellectual development of individuals with atypical development, such as those with autism or developmental disabilities.
Criticisms and Controversies
Like all IQ tests, the Stanford-Binet has been criticized for its potential cultural bias, as the test was standardized on a specific population, and may therefore not accurately measure intelligence in people from different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. The test has also been criticized for its use in determining intellectual disability, with some arguing that intelligence is too complex a construct to be encapsulated by a single numerical score.