Final answer:
Alfred Binet is credited with the development of the first intelligence measure, although Sir Francis Galton had earlier created a broad test of intelligence. Binet's test, further standardized by Louis Terman, is the precursor to modern IQ testing, which was significantly advanced by David Wechsler's scales.
Step-by-step explanation:
Development of the First Intelligence Measure
Alfred Binet is credited with the development of the first intelligence measure. Tasked by the French government in the early 1900s, Binet constructed a test to determine which children might struggle in an academic setting. It primarily consisted of verbally based tasks. Although originally developed for children, it laid the groundwork for the IQ tests we use today. It's important to note that while Sir Francis Galton designed the first broad test, it was Binet's contributions that are directly linked to modern intelligence testing.
Louis Terman, a professor from Stanford, further adapted Binet's test for use in the United States by norming and standardizing it, thereby creating the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales. Standardization ensured the test would evoke consistent results across a representative sample of the population. Eventually, David Wechsler developed a new IQ test, the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale, which would become one of the most extensively used intelligence tests and undergo several revisions.
Modern versions of Wechsler's tests, including the WAIS-IV, WISC-V, and WPPSI-IV, are designed to measure intelligence based on Wechsler's belief that intelligence is the capacity to act purposefully and think rationally, as well as effectively interact with one's environment.