The SLS Measurement Battery
The test battery includes the psychometric ability and rigidity-flexibility measures that have been collected since the inception of the SLS as well as additional markers for the ability factors included in the basic battery. The additional measures included mark the abilities of Perceptual Speed and Verbal Memory, as well as multiple choice items sampling real-life tasks used as an ecological validity measure. In addition, for some test occasions, measures of certain personality traits, family environment, life-styles (including health behaviors), neuropsychological measures, and health history variables were added.
The Cognitive Ability Battery
The psychometric ability battery was expanded in 1984 to permit structural analyses that require multiple measures to mark each ability factor. In addition it introduces alternate forms that may have differential validity by age (see Schaie, 1978; Gonda, Quayhagen & Schaie, 1981). The longitudinal markers included in this battery of necessity (i.e., for consistency across administration) employ the test booklet and answer sheet format used since the beginning of the SLS. All other forms use disposable booklets on which answers are marked directly (see Schaie, 1985). Brief descriptions of the ability factors, the longitudinal marker of each ability (contained the basic test battery), and the additional measures are given below.