ncrease in IQ, suggests that some, if not all, of the differences in measured IQ between black and white children may be explained by environmental factors.
Figure 15. Distribution of IQ scores for 386 white children and 103 black children of Kent County, Ontario, Canada
We know a great deal about who does well or poorly on IQ tests
A serious criticism of the data shown in Figure 15 can and should be made. It involves the specific content of items on IQ tests. Items were developed and standardized with white children whose backgrounds included similar experiences. Even rural white children tend to score below the norm. The techniques used in developing the tests, then, may explain many of the discrepancies between black and white children, and also between the different socioeconomic classes.
We are still trying to find out why
In an effort to deal with the fact that all people do not have the same background as white middle-class children, culture-fair tests have been suggested. The basic principle in these tests is to avoid items in which experiences in different cultural groups will affect the total score. There are two ways of approaching this problem. One is to use objects and events in the test items that almost everyone has had the same amount of experience with. The other approach is to balance items so that each group's experience is about equally sampled. Regardless of approach, however, efforts to construct culture-fair intelligence tests have not been too successful.
Psychologists clearly do not agree on the heredity vs. environment issue. There is even argument that Asian IQ's are higher than whites (Lynn, 1993). Following the The Bell shaped Curve book by Herrnstein and Murray (1994), there was considerable national commentary on the role of inheritance and cultural factors influencing IQ scores. As a result, the American Psychological Association asked a committee to review the literature and hopefully provide some clarification to this controversy. Neisser et al. (1996) published such a report which was generally positively received; though it did serve to generate further comment and controvery, published in the January 1997 issue of the American Psychologist.
Now test yourself without looking back.
1. Which of the following were Terman's findings as a result of his study of gifted children?
a. More gifted children come from the upper socioeconomic levels.
b. Fewer gifted children are emotionally well-adjusted.
c. Gifted children are above average in height, weight, and physical development.
d. Gifted children are less successful in later life.
2. A person is considered retarded if his IQ is below___________________________
3. In intelligence testing:
a. men score higher than women in overall intelligence.
b. both sexes score about the same in overall intelligence.
c. women score higher in verbal areas.
d. (none of these)
4. A child is considered gifted if his IQ is over_____________________________
5. Families in the higher socioeconomic levels produce:
a. fewer gifted children.
b. better-educated children.
6. Give two possible causes other than heredity for the differences on IQ test results for different racial groups.________________________________________.
|IQ||Description||Percent of Adults|
| Above 130|
80 - 89
70 - 79
Distribution of intelligence scores on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale
Terman's study included 1500 children whose lO's were 140 or above. According to the chart above, they would all be classified as_____________________________________6
Persons with lO's between 36 and 52 are moderately mentally retarded. According to the chart above, they would be classified as_______________________________________2
Write the description of each of the following IQ's.
In his classic study of gifted children, Terman studied more than 700 children over a period of 30 years. What kind of study was it?______________________________________________3
Terman found that gifted children, on the average:
a. were from (high/low) socioeconomic levels.
b. had (less success/more success) in later life.