What's Your IQ

What the third edition changed

14subtests, though not all count toward the IQ or index scores⁹

3 + 4three IQs and four index scores, all with a mean of 100 and SD of 15⁹

NewLetter-Number Sequencing and Matrix Reasoning (one source also lists Digit Symbol–Coding)⁴

16–89age range, up from an upper limit of 75³

2,450adults in the stratified US norm sample²

WMS-IIIdeveloped and co-normed with the Wechsler Memory Scale, third edition³

EXPLORE · WHERE EACH SUBTEST COUNTS

Fourteen subtests, two ways to add them up

Tap a subtest to see which IQ and which index it feeds. Some feed only one system, and one feeds neither. Then switch to adults aged 75 to 89, where the factors fall differently.^9,3

Matrix Reasoning feeds:

VIQ

PIQ

FSIQ

VCI

POI

WMI

PSI

Matrix Reasoning counted toward both systems.

FSIQ is shown as the combination of the Verbal and Performance IQ subtests. Sources disagree on whether Comprehension belongs to the Verbal Comprehension Index; this follows the sources that say it counts only toward the IQs.^9,4

Norms to 89, and a structure that shifts with age

The upper age limit went from 75 to 89. The Verbal Comprehension and Working Memory indexes held steady across all ages. For adults over 75, though, the perceptual and speed factors loaded differently.³

The norm sample was 2,450 adults aged 16 to 89, with 200 per age group except the two oldest, which were smaller.²

16age groups →89

Schematic: the two oldest groups were smaller than 200. The exact number of groups and their sizes aren't given in our sources.²

The bridge edition

1997

Both systems at onceThree IQs, plus four indexes that could be used on their own or as a supplement.³

Later

Factor analysis pushes backStudies suggested the subtests don't divide neatly into verbal and performance.³

2008

WAIS-IV drops the IQ splitThe WAIS-IV dropped Verbal and Performance IQ entirely and kept the indexes.⁷

2008

Subtests retiredObject Assembly, Picture Arrangement and two Digit Symbol add-ons were dropped.²

Our archive timeline links this entry to the web address "wais-ii". The correct address is used on this page and has been flagged for fixing in the timeline.

References

[1]Development of the WAIS-III: a brief overview, history, and description. Graduate Journal of Counseling Psychology, Marquette University (PDF).epublications.marquette.edu

[2]The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). SlideShare presentation.slideshare.net

[3]Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale: an overview. ScienceDirect Topics (Medicine and Dentistry).sciencedirect.com

[4]Dissertation comparing the WAIS-IV with the WAIS-III. NSUWorks, Nova Southeastern University (PDF).nsuworks.nova.edu

[5]Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. Psynso (2017).psynso.com

[6]Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). IQ Test Prep.iqtestprep.com

[7]WAIS-IV: Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale guide. Practice Test Geeks (2026).practicetestgeeks.com

[8]Understanding the Wechsler scales: WAIS-III, WAIS-IV, and WISC-IV. Psychology Town (2026).psychology.town

[9]Silva, M. A. Development of the WAIS-III. Graduate Journal of Counseling Psychology, Marquette University (PDF).marquette.edu

HOW TO CITE THIS PAGE

What's Your IQ. (2026). WAIS-III (1997): Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Third Edition. In Historical IQ Tests Archive. Retrieved September 30, 2026, from /en/historical-iq-tests/wais-iii-1997

EDITORIAL RECORD

First published2026

Last reviewed30 September 2026

Sources9, all from visible search results

Open questionsComprehension's place in the VCI; number and size of age groups; whether Digit Symbol–Coding was new

Canonical URLwhats-your-iq.com/en/historical-iq-tests/wais-iii-1997

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Part of the Historical IQ Tests Archive. Editorial content under CC BY-SA 4.0. WAIS-III is a registered mark of its publisher; no test items are reproduced.

BibTeX RIS

Two scoring systems, one test.

What the third edition changed

Fourteen subtests, two ways to add them up

Norms to 89, and a structure that shifts with age

The bridge edition

References

Related historical tests

One number, or four? Get both.