The effects of repressing and intellectualizing defenses on the information and comprehension subtests on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale

Abstract

In summary, Rapaport (IQiS) has strongly suggested that one's defensive structure affects one's ability to function on intelligence tests, specifically the VJ-B and WAIS. Researchers for the most part have used the protocols ox individuals in broad diagnostic categories to try to verify these hypotheses. The findings have been quite inconsistent. Yet, research by experimental and clinical psychologists have indicated that defensive structure has a strong impact on learning and recall. Byrne (1961, 1963) refined a repression-sonsitizata on scale from the MMPI which appears to be both reliable and valid. Since attempts to- validate Rapaports (1945) hypotheses by using diagnostic categories have produced inconsistent findings, this writer will attempt to show the influence of cognitive style (as measured by the Byrne scale) on Wechsler results. Specifically, it is felt that a "represser" style will be associated with a higher Comprehension than Information score pattern, and a "sensitizer" style will be associated with a higher Information than Comprehension score.