Purchase Solution

The disadvantage of utilizing a single statistical score as a measurement of multiple cognitive abilities

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

Many psychological tests, such as the Wechsler Adult Scales of Intelligence—Fourth Revision, provide a composite score that is intended to represent a summary of multiple cognitive abilities. For the Wechsler Scales, this score is the "Full Scale Intellectual Quotient." Although this score is not technically a statistical mean of the subtest scores, it is subject to the same potential liability of the statistical mean, that is, it may not accurately represent a client's cognitive abilities. A clinician must be able to evaluate whether or not this Full Scale Intelligence Quotation accurately represents an overall summary of the client's cognitive abilities. For example, if there are large differences among the subtests of an individual's score then the overall score will not be representative of these abilities, similar to the limitation of the statistical mean in representing central tendency when the distribution of scores contains very high or very low scores. It poses the questions: Do scores that represent a summary of multiple abilities of an individual accurately represent the pattern of the individual's abilities? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using composite scores to represent an individual's level of cognitive functioning?

Give description of one advantage and one disadvantage of using a single score or statistic to represent multiple constructs or abilities. Then describe one instance in which you might use each of these measures and explain how you would use them.

Purchase this Solution
Solution Summary

This solution describes the disadvantage of utilizing a single score as a measurement of multiple cognitive abilities.

Solution Preview

I think that one particular advantage of using a single score or statistic to represent multiple constructs or abilities, is the fact that using a single score or statistic to represent multiple constructs or abilities is a highly efficient and expeditious means by which to measure these multiple constructs or abilities. An instance in which I might use this measure would be a situation in which I was be seeking to gain a rough estimate, or general estimate of an individual's cognitive abilities. An example of this would be a situation in which I would use a single score in ...

Solution provided by:
Marcel Parker, MPA
Education
  • Criminal Justice, Elizabeth City State University
  • Master of Public Administration, North Carolina Central University
Recent Feedback
  • "Excellent work, from the time of my post to the time I received a response was days ahead of my requirements. "
  • "Great, Thank You for our Help!!"
  • "Excellent, thank you "
  • "Thank you"
  • "Thank you!"
Purchase this Solution
Free BrainMass Quizzes
Anxiety Disorders

This quiz is designed to help students gain a better understanding of various types of anxiety disorders.

Emotional Intelligence: A Beginning

An introduction to an emerging branch of Psychology-Emotional Intelligence.

Key Psychology Theories and their Developers

Match which psychologist developed and/or contributed to which theory.

Sigmund Freud

How much do you know about Sigmund Freud's theories? Find out with this quiz!

Common Characteristics of Qualitative Methods

This quiz evaluates the common characteristics seen in qualitative methodology.

View More Free Quizzes
Related BrainMass Solutions

  • A sample human development research proposal

    test that measures cognitive abilities, which will be the U.S. armed services vocational aptitude battery, which provides a good general measurement of overall cognitive and analytical ability.

  • IQ tests: Accurate or not?

    They determined that people's cognitive ability and success rates could only be explained by a combination of at least three types of intelligence tests, not by any single means of measurement, such as IQ.

  • Choosing the Best Research Design Based upon Advantages and Disadvantages

    Another disadvantage is the fact that statistical measurements of behavioral patterns must be taken in a minimum of two different situations.

  • Cultural Implications of Tests and Measurement

    437664 Cultural Implications of Tests and Measurement Please discuss two or more issues related to testing and two or more implications of tests and measurement in either a clinical or educational setting. Post references.

  • Intelligence Definition and Measurement

    The CHC theory of cognitive abilities incorporates crystallized intelligence (Gc) and fluid intelligence (Gf), and Carroll's (1993, 1997) three-stratum theory on the structure of human cognitive abilities.

  • Misconceptions About Intelligence Tests and Testing

    Test scores are only estimates of a person's ability. Every test score should be reported as a statement of probability (or odds): There is a 90% chance that the child's IQ falls between ___ and ___."

  • IQ testing: tool with limits

    As a result of inherent limitations, The IQ score is no longer used to classify ID severity or solely drive clinical or legal decision-making. The IQ measurement may be limited or inaccurate in estimating a child's actual intellectual functioning.

  • IQ Test Validity

    A disadvantage of measuring children's IQ is the fact that this test does not measure the totality of the child's cognitive abilities, and may result in children being labeled inappropriately. (James C. Kaufman,(2001). The Evolution of Intelligence.

  • Intelligence testing

    Further research of the intelligence factor in relation to multiple evidence asserted that the two theories hold a large correlation based on the intelligence factor; supporting the idea of a single type of intelligence.

View More Related Solutions