Core Studies - Individual Differences Psychology - Gould's Study

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To examine the early history of intelligence testing as conducted by Yerkes on army recruits in the USA during WW1

Question 2

What issues in psychology did Gould aim to identify

Answer 2

1. The problematic nature of psychometric testing in general and the measurement of intelligence in particular
2. The problem of theoretical bias influencing research in psychology. In particular how psychological theories on the inherited nature of intelligence and that the prejudice of a society can lead to distortion of intelligence testing
3. The problem of the political and ethical implications of research in the form of biased data to select people as suitable for occupations and even admission to a country

Question 3

What was the first issue in psychology that Gould aimed to identify

Answer 3

1. The problematic nature of psychometric testing in general and the measurement of intelligence in particular

Question 4

What was the second issue in psychology that Gould aimed to identify

Answer 4

2. The problem of theoretical bias influencing research in psychology. In particular how psychological theories on the inherited nature of intelligence and that the prejudice of a society can lead to distortion of intelligence testing

Question 5

What was the third issue in psychology that Gould aimed to identify

Answer 5

3. The problem of the political and ethical implications of research in the form of biased data to select people as suitable for occupations and even admission to a country

Question 6

Research method

Answer 6

A review article that looks at the history of Yerkes testing of recruits for the US army during WW1 and his attempt to establish Psychology as a scientific discipline

Question 7

Sample used by Yerkes

Answer 7

• 1.75 million army recruits in the USA during WW1
• White Americans
• Black Americans
• European immigrants

Question 8

What were the tests used to test for intelligence in Yerkes research

Answer 8

• Army Alpha test
• Army Beta test
• Individual examination

Question 9

What was the army alpha test

Answer 9

• A written test designed for literate recruits
• Consisted of 8 sections with tasks such as filling in the missing number in a sequence, reordering words in a sentence and completing analogies
• Many of the items related to American culture
• Took less than an hour to complete

Question 10

What was the army beta test

Answer 10

• Pictorial test for men who were illiterate or had failed the Army Alpha test
• Had 7 parts including completing a maze and the complete the picture task
• The pictures were culturally specific and the instructions were written in English
• In 3 parts out of the 7 parts, the answers had to be given in writing
• Took less than an hour to complete

Question 11

What was the individual examination

Answer 11

An individual spoken test for participants who failed the Army Beta

Question 12

How were results from the tests used

Answer 12

• Based on test results, every individual was given a grade A to E
• These test results were the basis of the role the recruits would have in the army

Question 13

What problems arose due to the administration of the tests

Answer 13

1. Tests took place in intimidating conditions and candidates were not warned that it was difficult to finish most parts of the test in the time allowed
2. Recruits who were illiterate should have been given the Army Beta test but this only happened in some camps which meant that illiterate or immigrant recruits often sat the Army Alpha test and came out scoring next to nothing
3. Since ques for the Beta test built up this lead to artificial lowering of standards by administrators and inconsistencies in how testing was administered
4. Further problems arose when some men, especially black men, who failed the Alpha test were not allowed to sit the Beta test

Question 14

What was the first problem that arose due to the administration of tests

Answer 14

1. Tests took place in intimidating conditions and candidates were not warned that it was difficult to finish most parts of the test in the time allowed

Question 15

What was the second problem that arose due to the administration of tests

Answer 15

2. Recruits who were illiterate should have been given the Army Beta test but this only happened in some camps which meant that illiterate or immigrant recruits often sat the Army Alpha test and came out scoring next to nothing

Question 16

What was the third problem that arose due to the administration of tests

Answer 16

3. Since ques for the Beta test built up this lead to artificial lowering of standards by administrators and inconsistencies in how testing was administered

Question 17

What was the fourth problem that arose due to the administration of tests

Answer 17

4. Further problems arose when some men, especially black men, who failed the Alpha test were not allowed to sit the Beta test

Question 18

Why was Gould critical of Yerkes study

Answer 18

• Although Yerkes asserted he was measuring ‘native intellectual ability’, Gould argued that much of the test content relied heavily on cultural knowledge and access to formal schooling.
• Gould criticised the tests for being highly unrepresentative, biased and unethical to complete

Question 19

What were the key findings from Yerkes study

Answer 19

1. Boring’s analysis of the mental tests showed that the average mental age of White American men to be around 13 years
2. Black Americans scored on average 10.4 years however the lighter the skin colour, the higher the score
3. Yerkes also graded European immigrants according to their country of origin with the darker skinned people of Southern Europe and Slavs of Eastern Europe scoring less than fair people

Question 20

What was the first key finding

Answer 20

1. Boring’s analysis of the mental tests showed that the average mental age of White American men to be around 13 years

Question 21

What was the second key finding

Answer 21

2. Black Americans scored on average 10.4 years however the lighter the skin colour, the higher the score

Question 22

What was the third key finding

Answer 22

3. Yerkes also graded European immigrants according to their country of origin with the darker skinned people of Southern Europe and Slavs of Eastern Europe scoring less than fair people

Question 23

What were Yerkes’ conclusions

Answer 23

• Intelligence is an innate quality with a hereditary basis. It is possible to grade individuals b the colour of their skin
• The average man of most nations could be considered a ‘moron’
• Mental testing of this kind is a valid, scientific technique with wider implications for society

Question 24

What were Gould’s conclusions

Answer 24

• IQ tests are culturally biased
• IQ tests do not measure innate intelligence
• IQ tests may not produce valid results
• Inappropriate, poorly administered IQ tests can lead to tragic consequences

Question 25

What was the immigration act

Answer 25

• Passed in 1924 by the US congress based on Yerkes findings
• People from Southern and Eastern Europe who had scored very poorly on the army tests were no longer welcome in the USA

Question 26

Link to Key Theme

Question 27

Link to Area

Answer 27

Gould illustrates that the invalid way of measuring the individual difference of intelligence and how historically these differences in the intelligence between individuals have been conducted in a biased, unethical and prejudiced manner