Final answer:
The WAIS-IV comprises multiple subtests to provide a comprehensive assessment of an individual's intelligence, aligning with the view that intelligence encompasses multiple cognitive abilities. These subtests contribute to indices that reflect different areas of cognition, which together result in a Full Scale IQ score. The test's periodic updates and diverse subtests help ensure accuracy and usefulness across different populations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The WAIS-IV, or the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-fourth edition, features multiple subtests to capture a comprehensive measure of an individual's intelligence. Reflecting the belief of its creator, David Wechsler, that intelligence is the global capacity to act purposefully, think rationally, and interact effectively with the environment, the WAIS-IV includes a range of verbal and nonverbal subtests that assess different aspects of cognitive abilities. These subtests form various indices like Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial, Fluid Reasoning, Working Memory, and Processing Speed, which are then used to calculate a Full Scale IQ score. The diverse subtests ensure that the test can provide a multifaceted view of an individual's intelligence, which is considered to be made up of multiple cognitive domains.
Standardized intelligence tests like the WAIS-IV go through periodic norming and standardization to remain accurate and relevant. Researchers continually evolve these tests to improve their accuracy, equity, and usefulness across different age groups, abilities, and cultural contexts. The subtests are particularly designed to identify an individual's strengths and weaknesses in various areas of cognitive functioning, rather than relying on a single measure of intelligence.