The PASS Theory of Cognitive Processing

Traditional IQ technology, crystallized by the seminal work of Binet and Wechsler as well as others, has played a critical and profound role in psychology, making intelligence testing among the most important contributions psychology has made to society (Anastasi & Urbina, 1997). But this technology has limits; it has not had the advantage of increased understanding of specific human abilities. There has been a significant movement toward measuring specific abilities as alternatives to traditional IQ tests (Naglieri, 1997). This new breeds of tests include the CAS (Naglieri & Das, 1997), Differential Ability scales (DAS; Elliott, 1990),Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test (KAIT; Kaufman & Kaufman,1993), K-ABC (Kaufman & Kaufman,1983), and Woodcock-Johnson Revised Test of Cognitive Ability (WJ-R; Woodcock and Johnson,1989). The authors of these tests have made efforts to modernize the traditional IQ test technology that has dominated most of the 20th century. This paper discusses about the IQ tests, history and its evolution. The latter half focuses on Cognitive Assessment System which is based on PASS theory of cognitive processing and its educational Implications.