Haptic Intelligence Scale for Adult Blind

Abstract

The Haptic Intelligence Scale for Adult Blind (HIS) is a specialized performance instrument developed by Harriett C. Shurrager in 1961. Its primary objective is to accurately measure intelligence in individuals who are blind. The HIS was fundamentally based on the earlier Performance Scale for Adult Blind and is structured around six distinct tests. Four of these subtests—Digit Symbol, Block Design, Object Assembly, and Object Completion—were adapted from the established WAIS Performance Scale, reflecting a commitment to leveraging validated psychometric components. Additionally, the scale incorporates two novel tests, the Pattern Board and Bead Arithmetic, specifically tailored to assess tactile and manipulative skills relevant to the visually impaired population.

During its initial development, a seventh test, Plan-of-Search, was trialed but ultimately omitted from the final scale due to concerns regarding its psychometric strength, specifically its low reliability. The scale was normed on a substantial research sample comprising 994 blind adults aged 16 to 64, utilizing quota sampling for representation. The HIS demonstrated strong internal consistency and temporal stability, reporting an odd-even reliability of 0.95 and a test-retest reliability coefficient of 0.91.

Keywords

Haptic Intelligence Scale for Adult Blind, Intelligence Measures, Tactual Perception, Blind, Subtests, Digit Symbol, Block Design, Object Assembly, Bead Arithmetic, Test Reliability.

Authors

Shurrager, Harriett C.

[quads id=5]

Purpose

The definitive purpose of the Haptic Intelligence Scale for Adult Blind (HIS) is to provide a reliable and validated measure of cognitive function and general intelligence specifically designed for adults who are visually impaired. This scale addresses the limitation of standard, visually-dependent intelligence tests, offering a performance-based assessment that relies on manual and tactual perception.

By adapting established subtests from mainstream intelligence batteries, like the WAIS, and integrating unique haptic tasks, the HIS aims to yield a comprehensive intelligence quotient (IQ) score that accurately reflects the intellectual capabilities of the blind population, minimizing the confounding variables associated with sensory deficits.

Construct

The primary psychological construct measured by the Haptic Intelligence Scale is Intelligence. Specifically, the scale focuses on non-verbal, performance-based components of intelligence that can be assessed through tactile and kinesthetic means. This includes abilities related to spatial reasoning, manipulative dexterity, problem-solving, and speed of processing when information is presented exclusively through touch.

The inclusion of diverse subtests, ranging from symbolic manipulation (Digit Symbol) to spatial construction (Block Design) and arithmetic reasoning (Bead Arithmetic), suggests that the HIS operationalizes intelligence as a multi-faceted construct measurable through haptic perception in the absence of sight.

Validity

Information regarding the specific validity coefficients (e.g., criterion, construct, or content validity studies) for the Haptic Intelligence Scale for Adult Blind was not explicitly detailed in the foundational documentation. While the scale’s components were adapted from the highly validated WAIS, suggesting inherent content validity through established measures, formal validity studies were not indicated in the original report.

Future academic research and psychometric reviews would be necessary to establish the modern empirical validity of the HIS across different contexts and subpopulations of blind adults.

Reliability

The Haptic Intelligence Scale demonstrated strong evidence of psychometric reliability during its initial development and standardization phase. The internal consistency, measured using the odd-even split-half method, yielded a high coefficient of 0.95. This value suggests excellent homogeneity among the scale’s items and subtests.

Furthermore, the temporal stability of the instrument was confirmed through test-retest procedures, resulting in a coefficient of 0.91. This robust finding indicates that the scores obtained from the HIS are stable over time, supporting its use as a consistent measure of intelligence within the target population.

Factor Analysis

Specific details regarding a formal factor analysis conducted on the Haptic Intelligence Scale for Adult Blind were not provided in the original source material. Therefore, the underlying factor structure—how the six subtests cluster to define distinct cognitive dimensions—remains formally unstated in the foundational literature.

Given the scale’s adaptation of four subtests from the WAIS, which typically loads onto performance and processing speed factors, and the addition of two novel tactile tasks, a factor analysis would be crucial for understanding the latent variables assessed by the complete HIS battery.

Instrument

Test Type: Performance Scale / Rating Scale

Format: Manual (Tactile) Manipulation and Performance Tasks

Language Available: English (Original development context)

Population Group: Human; Male; Female

Age Group: Adults (16-64 Years)

Population Details: Sample: 994 Blind Adults Aged 16-64 Years, selected via quota sampling.

Test Methodology: The assessment relies entirely on manual and tactual perception. The response format for the six required tests involves various non-verbal, physical manipulations of test materials designed to be interpreted through touch, such as assembling objects or solving tactile patterns.

Keywords

Blind, Intelligence Measures, Physical Disorders, Subtests, Tactual Perception, Test Reliability, Haptic Intelligence Scale, WAIS adaptation.

[quads id=5]

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not Indicated

Affiliation Email addresses: Not Indicated

Correspondence Address: Contact Publisher (Illinois Institute of Technology, 1961)

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Contact Publisher

Fee Structure: Not Indicated

Test Year: 1961

Reference’s

• Shurrager, H. C. (1961). A haptic intelligence scale for adult blind. Illinois Institute of Technology.

[quads id=5]

Items of the Haptic Intelligence Scale for Adult Blind

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

• Digit Symbol (40 items)
• Block Design (7 items)
• Object Assembly (4 items)
• Object Completion (14 items)
• Pattern Board (9 items)
• Bead Arithmetic (14 items)

The total number of performance items across the six subtests is 88.