Intelligence testing

Question 1

BPS 2022

Answer 1

• Children from working class families have worse educational outcomes than their peers.
• When starting school, ‘disadvantaged’ children – defined by the Department for Education as those eligible for free school meals (FSM) at any point within a six-year span – are estimated to lag behind their peers by the equivalent of five months of learning.63
• By the end of primary school, this increases to nine months of learning, and, by GCSE-level, to at least 18 months.63
• At A-Level, disadvantaged students’ attainment is, on average, over three full grades lower than their peers’.

Question 2

Standardised intelligence tests S

Answer 2

Reliability and Validity

Diagnostic Utility

Norm-Referenced Scores

Comprehensive Assessment

Question 3

Standardised Intelligence tests Weaknesses

Answer 3

Cultural and Linguistic Bias

Overemphasis on IQ Scores

Test Anxiety

Snapshot Assessment

Question 4

Dynamic Assessment Definition

Answer 4

Dynamic assessment evaluates a child’s cognitive abilities by assessing their performance before, during, and after scaffolding or mediation (Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development).

Question 5

Dynamic Assessment S

Answer 5

Focus on Learning Potential

Cultural Fairness

Interactive and Flexible

Question 6

Dynamic Assessment Weakness

Answer 6

Time-Intensive

Subjectivity

Limited Norm-Referenced Data

Question 7

Curriculum-Based Assessment Definition

Answer 7

Curriculum-Based Assessments measure intelligence through tasks and activities aligned with the school curriculum.

Question 8

Curriculum-Based Assessment S

Answer 8

Contextual Relevance

Continuous Monitoring

Question 9

Curriculum-Based Assessment W

Answer 9

Limited to Academic Skills

Variability

Dependent on Teacher Skill

Question 10

Reliability and Validity (S)

Answer 10

Standardized tests have high reliability and validity. They are rigorously developed and standardized, ensuring consistent results across populations (Weiss et al., 2015).

Question 11

Diagnostic Utility (S)

Answer 11

Standardised tests

Tests like the WISC-V are widely used to identify intellectual disabilities, giftedness, or specific learning difficulties (Flanagan & Alfonso, 2017).

Question 12

Norm-Referenced Scores (S)

Answer 12

Standardised tests

Results allow comparison with age-based norms, providing benchmarks for cognitive performance.

Question 13

Comprehensive Assessment (S)

Answer 13

Standardised tests

Intelligence tests evaluate a range of cognitive domains, such as verbal comprehension, working memory, processing speed, and fluid reasoning (Saklofske et al., 2015).

Question 14

Cultural and Linguistic bias (L)

Answer 14

Standardised tests

Standardized intelligence tests may disadvantage children from diverse cultural, linguistic, or socioeconomic backgrounds. Items can reflect cultural knowledge unfamiliar to certain groups, leading to unfair assessments (Fagan & Holland, 2007).

Question 15

Overemphasis on IQ scores (L)

Answer 15

Standardised tests

Intelligence tests focus on quantifiable measures (IQ scores) but may neglect broader cognitive processes and contextual influences (Sattler, 2014).

Question 16

Test anxiety (L)

Answer 16

Standardised tests

Children may experience anxiety during formal testing, affecting performance and validity (Elliott, 2012).

Question 17

Snapshot Assessment (L)

Answer 17

Standardised tests

Tests provide a one-time measure of intelligence and may not reflect a child’s learning potential or real-world functioning (Tzuriel, 2001).

Question 18

Focus on Learning Potential (S)

Answer 18

Dynamic assessment identifies not just current cognitive ability but also the child’s potential to learn and improve with support (Lidz & Peña, 2009).

Question 19

Cultural Fairness (S)

Answer 19

Dynamic assessment

It reduces cultural and linguistic biases by focusing on the child’s ability to respond to instruction rather than prior knowledge (Haywood & Lidz, 2007).

Question 20

Interactive and Flexible (S)

Answer 20

Dynamic Assessment

The method allows assessors to adapt to the child’s specific needs and responses, providing a more holistic picture of intelligence.

Question 21

Time-Intensive (L)

Answer 21

Dynamic assessments require extended interaction, making them more time-consuming than standardized tests (Tzuriel, 2001).

Question 22

Subjectivity (L)

Answer 22

Dynamic Assessments

Results can depend on the examiner’s interpretations and quality of intervention provided. This reduces standardization and reliability (Lidz, 2001).

Question 23

Limited Norm-Referenced Data (L)

Answer 23

Dynamic assessment

Unlike standardized tests, dynamic assessments lack clear norms or benchmarks, making comparisons across populations difficult.

Question 24

Contextual Relevance (S)

Answer 24

CBA evaluates cognitive abilities in a way that is closely tied to educational performance, making it practical for classroom interventions (Hosp et al., 2016).

Question 25

Continuous Monitoring (S)

Answer 25

CBA
It allows educational psychologists to track a child’s progress over time.

Question 26

Limited to Academic Skills (L)

Answer 26

CBA focuses primarily on school-related tasks and may not capture broader aspects of intelligence.

Question 27

Variability (L)

Answer 27

CBA

The lack of standardized administration and scoring can limit reliability and generalizability.

Question 28

Dependent on Teacher Skill (L)

Answer 28

Effective use of CBA relies on well-trained educators, which may not always be available (Hosp et al., 2016).