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Documentation · 1981

WAIS-R (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Revised): 1981 revision of WAIS

1981 revision of the 1955 WAIS. Updated norms, slightly revised items, and modernized scoring procedures. Used as the dominant US adult intelligence test from 1981 to 1997, when WAIS-III replaced it. 11 subtests organized into Verbal and Performance IQ scales.

Read About the Test

About the WAIS-R (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Revised)

The WAIS-R (1981) was the first major revision of David Wechsler's 1955 WAIS. Wechsler had died in 1981 and the revision was completed by his colleagues at The Psychological Corporation. Items were updated to reflect modern terminology, the norm sample was expanded and stratified for the 1981 US census, and several culturally outdated items were replaced.

The 11-subtest structure (6 Verbal: Information, Comprehension, Arithmetic, Similarities, Digit Span, Vocabulary; 5 Performance: Digit Symbol, Picture Completion, Block Design, Picture Arrangement, Object Assembly) was preserved. The Full Scale IQ remained on the mean-100 SD-15 metric.

WAIS-R dominated adult intelligence testing for 16 years until WAIS-III (1997). Today it is largely historical, replaced by WAIS-IV (2008) and WAIS-5 (2024). It remains useful for backward comparison with research conducted between 1981 and 1997. Pearson holds active copyright on all items and norms.

Copyright note: WAIS-R items are copyrighted (Pearson). For the original public-domain Wechsler concept, see Wechsler-Bellevue 1939.

The 2 subtests

#1
Verbal Scale Information, Comprehension, Arithmetic, Similarities, Digit Span, Vocabulary (6 subtests).
Copyrighted
#2
Performance Scale Digit Symbol, Picture Completion, Block Design, Picture Arrangement, Object Assembly (5 subtests).
Copyrighted

Sample Items (Illustrative)

Items are presented as questions or tasks requiring verbal or performance-based responses. Scoring is based on correctness, completeness, and sometimes the speed of the response.

Sample 1 · Information
Who was the first President of the United States?
Example response: George Washington
Sample 2 · Comprehension
Why is it important to have laws?
Example response: Laws help maintain order and protect the rights of individuals.
Sample 3 · Arithmetic
If you buy three apples at 50 cents each, how much change will you get from a two-dollar bill?
Example response: 50 cents
Sample 4 · Block Design
Arrange these blocks to match the pattern shown in the picture.
Example response: The blocks are arranged to perfectly replicate the pattern shown.
Sample 5 · Picture Arrangement
Put these pictures in order to tell a story.
Example response: The pictures are arranged in a sequence that logically tells a coherent story.

These are illustrative samples, not actual items from the protected test.

Source

All test materials and historical content on this page are transcribed from:

Wechsler, D. (1981). WAIS-R Manual. New York: Psychological Corporation.

WAIS-R items are copyrighted by NCS Pearson. We document the format with illustrative sample items.

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