Individual Differences and Cognitive Profiles: Evidence-Based Approaches to Intelligence Assessment

Dear Colleagues,

Understanding individual differences in intelligence remains a central challenge for psychology, with important implications for education, clinical practice, and scientific research. Traditionally, global IQ scores have been regarded as the most robust and widely used index of intellectual functioning. Since the pioneering work of Rapaport and colleagues, however, increasing attention has been devoted to the analysis of cognitive profiles—patterns of relative strengths and weaknesses across indices and/or subtest scores, whether considered at a normative or ipsative level. These profiles are often assumed to provide a more nuanced and individualized representation of cognitive functioning, potentially offering valuable insights for educational planning, clinical diagnosis, and intervention. Yet, their empirical validity, reliability, and practical utility remain the subject of ongoing debate.

Despite their promise, the interpretation and use of cognitive profiles remain the subject of intense debate. Key questions concern their psychometric robustness, their stability across time and settings, and whether they genuinely reflect underlying cognitive processes rather than measurement artifacts. Disagreements about validity, reliability, and practical value continue to divide researchers and practitioners, highlighting the urgent need for systematic evidence and conceptual clarification.

This Special Issue, ‘Individual Differences and Cognitive Profiles: Evidence-Based Approaches to Intelligence Assessment’, seeks contributions that critically examine the scientific and applied value of cognitive profiles in intelligence assessment. We welcome empirical, theoretical, and methodological papers that address the psychometric foundations of profile interpretation, the conditions under which profiles may or may not be valid, and their implications for psychological assessment, educational interventions, and clinical decision-making. Submissions that bridge psychometric theory, empirical validation, and applied practice are especially encouraged.

Dr. Thierry Lecerf
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Intelligence is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.