IQ = (MA / CA) * 100
In this formula, MA represents mental age, and CA
represents chronological age. The IQ score provides
a way to compare a child's intellectual abilities
relative to their peers. An IQ score of 100 was
considered average, meaning the child's mental age
was in line with their chronological age. Scores
above 100 indicated above-average intellectual
development, while scores below 100 indicated
below-average development.
The Binet-Simon scale was groundbreaking because
it allowed for a more nuanced assessment of a
child's cognitive abilities. It was designed to help
identify children who might need additional
educational support, such as those with intellectual
disabilities or gifted children.
It's important to note that while the
concept of mental age was innovative
for its time, modern intelligence testing
has evolved significantly. Contemporary
IQ tests, such as the Wechsler
Intelligence Scales, no longer rely on
the concept of mental age. Instead,
they use statistical norms based on the
performance of a large, representative
sample of the population to calculate
IQ scores. Nevertheless, Binet's
pioneering work laid the foundation for
the development of intelligence testing
and our understanding of cognitive
assessment.