What are the WAIS-IV classification labels?

130 and above Very Superior, 120 to 129 Superior, 110 to 119 High Average, 90 to 109 Average, 80 to 89 Low Average, 70 to 79 Borderline, and 69 and below Extremely Low.

Can I take the WAIS online?

No. It is a clinical instrument given by a qualified examiner. Online tests, including IQ Octopus, are separate tests and give an estimate, not a WAIS score.

Glossary

WAIS (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale)

Definition

The WAIS, or Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, is a clinical IQ test for adults, given by a trained examiner. It grew from the Wechsler-Bellevue scale of 1939. WAIS-IV was published in 2008 and WAIS-5 in 2024. It reports deviation IQs with mean 100 and SD 15.

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History in brief

David Wechsler introduced the deviation IQ, a standard-score approach, with the Wechsler-Bellevue scale in 1939 (Wikipedia: WAIS). The adult scale has been revised since. WAIS-IV was published in 2008 and WAIS-5 in 2024 (Wikipedia: WAIS).

Why it matters for IQ scores

The WAIS sets many of the conventions the rest of the field follows: a deviation IQ with mean 100 and standard deviation 15, compared with same-age peers, and a set of classification labels. The WAIS-IV labels run from Extremely Low to Very Superior (Wikipedia: IQ classification), and its manual reports scores with a confidence interval, often around plus or minus 5 points at 95% (Wechsler, 2008).

Common confusions

“WAIS score” and “IQ” are not interchangeable across tests: a WAIS result comes from that test, given under clinical conditions. Its labels are also descriptive shorthand, not diagnoses on their own. For the labels in detail, read IQ classification, band by band; for how the WAIS compares with other tests, see WAIS, Stanford-Binet, Raven's and Mensa tests compared. Related: Stanford-Binet.

The current edition at a glance

Pearson lists the WAIS-5 for ages 16 to 90, with about 45 minutes for the seven subtests behind the Full Scale IQ and 60 minutes for all ten primary index subtests (Pearson: WAIS-5). It reports five primary indexes: Verbal Comprehension, Visual Spatial, Fluid Reasoning, Working Memory and Processing Speed (Pearson: WAIS-5 overview). It is individually administered and sold only to qualified professionals (Pearson: WAIS-5). The full guides: WAIS-5, WAIS-IV and WAIS vs WISC vs WPPSI.

Try one · Pattern Recognition

Which tile comes next?

Tap the option you think is right, or show the answer.

Show the answer

The missing tile shows a very large outlined arrow pointing left (option 2).

How to solve it

Compare neighboring tiles and name what changes each time.
From tile to tile, the arrow turns a quarter turn clockwise.
The fill cycles outline, solid and hatched, then starts again.
Everything else stays the same from tile to tile.
The last tile shows a very large hatched arrow pointing down. Apply each change once more.
So the missing tile shows a very large outlined arrow pointing left.

That was 1 puzzle. The full test has 25.