Final answer:
Age is a critical demographic factor in the standardization of the WAIS-IV, which involves ensuring that the test sample represents the age distribution of the U.S. population. Stratified age sampling allows for accurate normative comparisons and the assessment of intelligence across a wide age range, reducing age-related biases.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the development of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV), age functions as a crucial factor in the standardization of the sample. Age stratification ensures that the test provides accurate normative data across a range of age groups. This process involves creating a sample that matches the demographic composition of the U.S. population in terms of age distribution. By doing so, the test provides age-appropriate norms, allowing an individual's performance on the WAIS-IV to be accurately interpreted in relation to their same-age peers.
Age as a factor plays a significant role because cognitive abilities can change over the lifespan. Thus, including a wide age range (16-90 years) in the standardization sample helps to tailor test interpretation more specifically to the individual's developmental stage. This practice allows the WAIS-IV to be a valid and reliable tool for assessing intelligence across a diverse population, with the aim of minimizing age-related biases in the assessment outcomes.