Core study 15- Gould (ID)

Question 1

Background

Who came up with the first ever IQ test?

Answer 1

Alfred Binet

Question 2

Aim

What was the aim of Gould?

Answer 2

To investigate the problems in attempting to measure intelligence (looking at the work of Robert Yerkes)

Question 3

Aim

What was the aim of Yerkes?

Remember, this is his study, Gould peer-reviewed it!!

Answer 3

He wanted to devise a scientific method of measuring intelligence on a mass scale

Question 4

Method

What research method did Gould use, and what method of testing did Yerkes use?

Answer 4

• Peer review article (GOULD)
• Large scale psychometric testing (YERKES)

Question 5

Sample

What sample did Yerkes use in his study?

Answer 5

• 1.75 million US army recruits
• All male
• All from different backgrounds across USA

Question 6

Sample

What sampling method did Yerkes use?

Answer 6

Opportunity sampling

Question 7

Procedure

What was the Army Alpha test and who was it for?

Why were the Alpha tests considered biased? (weakness)

Answer 7

• 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)

Question 8

Procedure

What was the Army Beta test and who was it for?

Why could this test be considered not completely fair?

Answer 8

• 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

Question 9

Procedure

What was the Individual test and who was it for?

Answer 9

• For those who failed the beta test
• One to one assessment with spoken instructions

Question 10

Procedure

What did the results of the 3 tests determine for each individual recruit?

Answer 10

• 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’

Question 11

Results

What was the average age of white Americans based on the test results?

Answer 11

13 (hence ‘nation of morons’ label)

Question 12

Results

What was the average age of black Americans based on the test results?

Answer 12

Significantly lower than 10 (mean mental age was 10)

Question 13

Results

What was the average age of immigrants based on test results?

Answer 13

around 10-11 years

Question 14

Results

Why were the tests considered ethnocentric?

Answer 14

They were written in English so put non-natives at a major disadvantage

Question 15

Results

Why were the black Americans disadvantaged?

Answer 15

Due to social segregation

Question 16

Conclusions

In what ways were IQ tests concluded to be biased?

Answer 16

Culturally and historically biased

Question 17

Conclusions

What was concluded about IQ tests in terms of reliability and validity?

Answer 17

They aren’t valid or accurate, nor are they reliable and consistent

Question 18

Conclusions

What tragic consequence occurred alongside inappropraite use of IQ testing?

Answer 18

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

Question 19

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)

Answer 19

Because of the size of the sample

Sample is both ethnocentric and androcentric

Question 20

GREEDUM- evaluation

Why could ethics be argued as a weakness of the study?

Answer 20

Protection from harm is not avoided (physical and emotional)- low ranking could lead to death/ may be upsetting to be labelled as a ‘moron’

Question 21

GREEDUM- evaluation

Why could usefulness be argued as a strength?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

GREEDUM- evaluation

Why could methodology be argued as a weakness?

Answer 22

Some participants didn’t originate from American heritage/ speak English, so were at a disadvantage

Lowers construct validity