The Cultural Bias in Intelligence Tests
IQ TEST RESEARCH
A Research of the Reliability and Validity of the PSYGAT on Different Linguistic Backgrounds
Abstract
The issue of cultural bias in intelligence tests sparks debates every time the latter is created or administered, resulting to many researches into how the reliability and validity of an ability test may differ when assessed on groups from different cultural-linguistic backgrounds. The aim of this study is to test the reliability and validity of the PSYGAT Verbal IQ Test on university students from English-speaking backgrounds (ESB) and non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB) in relation to the Queendom Verbal IQ Test and Cultural Fair IQ Test. 445 third year psychology students aged 19 to 62 were involved in this study; 319 participants were categorized in the ESB group whereas 126 in the NESB group, whom all took three tests; the Queendom Verbal IQ and Cultural-Fair Test, then the PSYGAT Verbal IQ Test. Reliability as internal consistency and a Pearson’s Correlation test was run using SPSS on the data score collected. Although the results showed that PSYGAT is reliable and valid in assessing the verbal ability of culturally-diversified participants, it must be reminded that this is true within a university context only.
Intelligence, an issue easily opened to heated debate, which a concrete definition has yet to be decided upon, from the concept that it is about how able an individual is at learning, reasoning and applying, to how an individual acts rationally and effectively with his/her environment (Varon, 1936; Wechsler, 1958, as cited in Cohen & Swerdlik, 2010). However, it is common to assess intelligence – for the purpose of this study; we term it as “abilities” – with the use of intelligence tests, or a commoner term, IQ (Intelligence Quotient) Tests. A test is defined as a measuring device or procedure, designed to measure a related variable (Cohen & Swerdlik, 2010, p. 5). But as tests are “designed”, by humans, there
A Research of the Reliability and Validity of the PSYGAT on Different Linguistic Backgrounds
Abstract
The issue of cultural bias in intelligence tests sparks debates every time the latter is created or administered, resulting to many researches into how the reliability and validity of an ability test may differ when assessed on groups from different cultural-linguistic backgrounds. The aim of this study is to test the reliability and validity of the PSYGAT Verbal IQ Test on university students from English-speaking backgrounds (ESB) and non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB) in relation to the Queendom Verbal IQ Test and Cultural Fair IQ Test. 445 third year psychology students aged 19 to 62 were involved in this study; 319 participants were categorized in the ESB group whereas 126 in the NESB group, whom all took three tests; the Queendom Verbal IQ and Cultural-Fair Test, then the PSYGAT Verbal IQ Test. Reliability as internal consistency and a Pearson’s Correlation test was run using SPSS on the data score collected. Although the results showed that PSYGAT is reliable and valid in assessing the verbal ability of culturally-diversified participants, it must be reminded that this is true within a university context only.
Intelligence, an issue easily opened to heated debate, which a concrete definition has yet to be decided upon, from the concept that it is about how able an individual is at learning, reasoning and applying, to how an individual acts rationally and effectively with his/her environment (Varon, 1936; Wechsler, 1958, as cited in Cohen & Swerdlik, 2010). However, it is common to assess intelligence – for the purpose of this study; we term it as “abilities” – with the use of intelligence tests, or a commoner term, IQ (Intelligence Quotient) Tests. A test is defined as a measuring device or procedure, designed to measure a related variable (Cohen & Swerdlik, 2010, p. 5). But as tests are “designed”, by humans, there
References: Cohen, R. J. & Swerdlik M. E. (Eds.). (2010). Psychological testing and assessment: An introduction to tests and measurements (7th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Cole, N. (1989). Bias in test use. In R. Linn (Ed.), Educational Measurement (3rd ed.) (pp. 201-219). NewYork: Macmillan. Figueroa, R. A. (1989). Psychological Testing of Linguistic-Minority Students: Knowledge Gaps and Regulations. Exceptional Children, 56(2), 145-152. Queendom. (2010). Queendom Verbal IQ Test, Queendom Cultural-Fair IQ Test. Retrieved from www.queendom.com Sternberg, R. J. (2004). Culture and Intelligence. American Psychologist, 59, 325-338.