Core study 15- Gould (ID) Flashcards
Background
Who came up with the first ever IQ test?
Alfred Binet
Aim
What was the aim of Gould?
To investigate the problems in attempting to measure intelligence (looking at the work of Robert Yerkes)
Aim
What was the aim of Yerkes?
Remember, this is his study, Gould peer-reviewed it!!
He wanted to devise a scientific method of measuring intelligence on a mass scale
Method
What research method did Gould use, and what method of testing did Yerkes use?
- Peer review article (GOULD)
- Large scale psychometric testing (YERKES)
Sample
What sample did Yerkes use in his study?
- 1.75 million US army recruits
- All male
- All from different backgrounds across USA
Sample
What sampling method did Yerkes use?
Opportunity sampling
Procedure
What was the Army Alpha test and who was it for?
Why were the Alpha tests considered biased? (weakness)
- Written exam for literate recruits
- Included unscrambling sentences, next in the sequence and analogies
They were heavily rooted in American culture (would have been difficult for non-Americans to do well on it)
Procedure
What was the Army Beta test and who was it for?
Why could this test be considered not completely fair?
- For illiterate men who failed the alpha test
- Included counting cubes, next symbol in the X-O sequence and draw in the next picture
Instructions for tasks were still written in English despite illiterate nature of recruits that completed the beta test
Procedure
What was the Individual test and who was it for?
- For those who failed the beta test
- One to one assessment with spoken instructions
Procedure
What did the results of the 3 tests determine for each individual recruit?
- They were given a score of A-E based on their results
- This scoore would decide their rank in the army
For example, grade c was average, so they’d be ranked ‘ordinary private’
Results
What was the average age of white Americans based on the test results?
13 (hence ‘nation of morons’ label)
Results
What was the average age of black Americans based on the test results?
Significantly lower than 10 (mean mental age was 10)
Results
What was the average age of immigrants based on test results?
around 10-11 years
Results
Why were the tests considered ethnocentric?
They were written in English so put non-natives at a major disadvantage
Results
Why were the black Americans disadvantaged?
Due to social segregation
Conclusions
In what ways were IQ tests concluded to be biased?
Culturally and historically biased
Conclusions
What was concluded about IQ tests in terms of reliability and validity?
They aren’t valid or accurate, nor are they reliable and consistent
Conclusions
What tragic consequence occurred alongside inappropraite use of IQ testing?
Since black Americans were scored and ranked lower down in the army, this would have put them at risk and they would’ve died first
GREEDUM- evaluation
Why could generalisability be argued as a strength of the study?
Why could it also be argued as a weakness? (try and use this point as a counterargument)
Because of the size of the sample
Sample is both ethnocentric and androcentric
GREEDUM- evaluation
Why could ethics be argued as a weakness of the study?
Protection from harm is not avoided (physical and emotional)- low ranking could lead to death/ may be upsetting to be labelled as a ‘moron’
GREEDUM- evaluation
Why could usefulness be argued as a strength?
Helps understand that IQ tests do not determine intelligence of a race (due to American cultural bias), so could remove societal racism aspect and any negative stereotypes people may have of black intelligence
GREEDUM- evaluation
Why could methodology be argued as a weakness?
Some participants didn’t originate from American heritage/ speak English, so were at a disadvantage
Lowers construct validity
