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OCR Psychology > Gould (Yerkes) > Flashcards

Gould (Yerkes) Flashcards

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1
Q

Background to Yerkes’ study

A

-Binet-simon test (1905)-the first intelligence test, designed to study school children who would benefit from ‘special schools’, due to ‘inferior intelligence’
-Later adapted for US school children
-Key debate at the time was whether intelligence was inherited, or could be learned
-Yerkes said that intelligence was inherited, and therefore wouldn’t be affected by nurture

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2
Q

Intelligence definition

A

An inferred characteristic of a individual, usually defined as the ability to profit from experience, acquire knowledge, think abstractly, or adapt to changes in the environment

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3
Q

Psychometric tests definition

A

Tools that provide numerical measures of human personality traits, attitudes and abilities

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4
Q

Eugenics definition

A

The belief that it is possible to breed a superior group of people by encouraging those deemed superior to reproduce, while inhibiting the growth of those groups deemed inferior

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5
Q

Hereditarianism definition

A

The belief that genetic inheritance is more important than environmental factors in determining intelligence and behaviour

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6
Q

Yerkes’ overall aims

A

-To produce a reliable and valid measure of intelligence
-To prove that psychology (intelligence testing) could be as objective and quantifiable as the other scientific disciplines

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7
Q

Research method used

A

Quasi experiment, as the IV is ethnicity, and the DV is intelligence/average mental age

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8
Q

What way did Yerkes collect data?

A

-Self report
-Recruits would answer questions during intelligence testing to get their average mental age

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9
Q

Yerkes’ sample

A

-1.75 million men within the US military
-Included white Americans, black Americans, and European immigrants
-The sample were of varying education levels

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10
Q

Sampling method

A

-Opportunity
-Obtained by using those present at the camps visited by researchers

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11
Q

Army Alpha test design

A

-Written exam for literate recruits
-Made up of 8 parts, and took less than 1 hour
-Tasks included number sequences, unscrambling sentences, and analogies

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12
Q

Army beta test design

A

-An exam for illiterate recruits and those who failed alpha
-The instructions were written in English, and in 3 of the 7 parts answers had to be given in writing
-Tasks included maze running, cube counting, translating numbers into symbols, and picture completion

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13
Q

Spoken individual exam

A

An exam for those who failed beta

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14
Q

What was the average mental age of white Americans?

A

13

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15
Q

Average mental age of Russians

A

11.34

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16
Q

Average mental age of Polish

A

10.74

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17
Q

Average mental age of black recruits

A

10.41

18
Q

Who analysed Yerkes’ results?

A

-Another researcher-Boring
-Came up with ‘3 facts’ after analysing the results of 160000 recruits

19
Q

What were the ‘3 facts’?

A

-Average mental age of the white American adult was just above that of a moron
-Darker people of southern Europe and the Slavs of Eastern Europe were less intelligent than the fair people of western and Northern Europe
-Black recruits scored lowest of all with a mental age of 10.41

20
Q

How were the mental ages interpreted/analysed

A

-Used to provide a genetic explanation
-I.E.-that some groups of people were naturally less intelligent

21
Q

Define a review study

A

A process of subjecting an authors scholarly work, research or ideas to the scrutiny of others who are experts in the same field

22
Q

Strengths of review studies

A

-Able to reassess research, as it offers a fresh perspective on what was found originally
-Highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the research (psychometric testing)

23
Q

Weaknesses of review studies

A

-May miss important data, or the data analysed mat not be correct/accurate in the first place
-Reviewer could be biased

24
Q

What problems did Gould identify with the design of Yerkes’ intelligence tests?

A

-Alpha-criteria to sit the test was lowered, but not consistently across camps
-Beta-still required reading, writing, and number knowledge
-Bias-many questions were culturally bias (eg-‘what is crisco?’)

25
Q

What problem did Gould identify with how the tests were administered?

A

-Extremely chaotic conditions
-Only 1/5 of those who failed the beta test were able to take the spoken exam
-Black recruits and recent immigrants were likely taking the wrong test, but due to demand had to tae whatever was available
-Many had been taking alpha when they should’ve taken beta. This should’ve been picked up due to their low scores, but wasn’t

26
Q

What problems were there with how Yerkes interpreted his findings?

A

The questions were framed so white Americans did best, it was not because they were naturally more intelligent?

27
Q

What happened as a result of Yerkes’ findings?

A

-Used to support the eugenics argument
-This helped inform political policy
-Was used as evidence for the Immigration Restriction Act, 1924

28
Q

What were the long term negative effects of this?

A

-Estimated that 6 million people from across Europe were denied access when trying to enter America between 1924 and 1939, many suffered as a result
-One of the ‘low intelligence’ groups were Jewish, which prevented them leaving Europe during WW2

29
Q

What did Yerkes conclude from his research?

A

1) Intelligence is an innate quality with a hereditary basis, it is possible to grade individuals by colour of their skin
2) The average man of most nations could be considered a ‘moron’
3) Mental testing of this kind is a valid, scientific technique with wider implications for society

30
Q

What did Gould conclude about Yerkes’ research?

A

-There were ‘systemic errors’ in the design of the tests, and how they were administered. This led to black recruits and recent immigrants scoring lower
-Intelligence testing of this kind is culturally biased, and if interpreted incorrectly can lead to racial discrimination

31
Q

Examples of Yerkes’ quantitative data

A

-The number of correct answers in the test, and then a grade give by the army psychologists.
-The ‘average mental age’ for people of a different ethnic background

32
Q

Gould’s qualitative data

A

-Yerkes had overlooked or consciously bypassed something of importance-recruits tests relying on pencil work
-Criticised test conditions, saying recruits would be ‘utterly confused or scared shitless’
-He struggled to see how ‘recruits could have been in a frame of mind to record anything about their innate abilities’

33
Q

How can Yerkes’ study be criticised ethically?

A

-Protection from harm-the chaotic/stressful environment
-Consent-recruits were forced to take the test
-Confidentiality-recruits had to state name, age and education level on the tests
-Right to withdraw-recruits faced punishment if they didn’t finish the tests
-Debrief-no time to debreif in the chaotic environment
-Deception-didn’t know how results would be used

34
Q

How can Yerkes’ research be defended ethically?

A

-Deception-no other deception as they knew it was intelligence testing

35
Q

How could Yerkes’ research be accused of cultural bias?

A

The test questions were linked specifically to American culture, and the tests were written in English

36
Q

How would Yerkes’ research not be ethnocentric?

A

He tested people from various cultures and ethnicities

37
Q

Internal reliability

A

+Same questions asked in the same time limit
-Participants took the tests in different environments, which could impact how they answered
-There were instructions of how to administer the tests, but they often weren’t followed

38
Q

External reliability

A

+The results did show a consistent effect in intelligence across ethnic groups
+The sample of 1.75 million was large enough to establish a consistent effect

39
Q

Internal validity

A
  • Not a valid measure of intelligence as it was impacted by other factors:
    >How long they had lived in the USA
    >How much schooling they had
    >Knowledge of US culture
40
Q

Population validity

A

-All male sample, meant results weren’t generalisable to female population
-Limited age range as all recruits
+Diverse in sense of ethnicity of participants

41
Q

Criterion validity

A

-Used to predict if recruits were intelligent enough to be considered for officer roles
-However the bias in tests meant this was unlikely to be a good indication

OCR Psychology (35 decks)

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