A description of the 13 tests in the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale III and the cognitive domain assessed by each test
| Test name | Test content | Cognitive domain |
|---|---|---|
| Vocabulary | Explain to the tester what individual words mean | Verbal comprehension |
| Similarities | Explain what two words have in common. It starts with common, concrete words, and the later, harder words are more abstract | Verbal comprehension |
| Information | General knowledge questions | Verbal comprehension |
| Comprehension | Questions about everyday life problems, aspects of society and proverbs | Verbal comprehension |
| Picture completion | Identify the missing element in a series of colour drawings | Perceptual organisation |
| Block design | The testee is shown two-dimensional patterns made up of red and white squares and triangles. He or she tries to reproduce these patterns using cubes with red faces, white faces and half-red/half-white faces | Perceptual organisation |
| Matrix reasoning | Find the missing element in a pattern which is built up in a logical manner | Perceptual organisation |
| Picture arrangement | Given a series of cartoon drawings, the testee puts them in an order that tells a logical story | Perceptual organisation |
| Arithmetic | Mental arithmetic problems | Working memory |
| Digit span | Repeat a sequence of numbers read aloud by the examiner. Sequences run from two to nine numbers in length. In the second part of this test, the sequences are repeated in reversed order | Working memory |
| Letter–number sequencing | The examiner reads aloud a series of alternate letters and numbers. The testee repeats them, putting the numbers first and in numerical order, followed by the letters in alphabetical order | Working memory |
| Digit symbol coding | Write down the number that corresponds to a given symbol and do as many as possible in the time given | Processing speed |
| Symbol search | Indicate whether or not one of a pair of abstract symbols is contained in a list of abstract symbols. Do as many as possible in the time given | Processing speed |