gould

• What was the aim?


  To reveal the problems in the attempt to measure intelligence, specifically in the research done by Yerkes
• What was the sample?


  1.75 million army recruits

  all adult men

  White and Black Americans and European immigrants
• What was the method?


  Review

  critiquing Yerkes' psychometric testing of intelligence
• What was the procedure?


  Yerkes did 3 tests

  
  

  1. The alpha test

  - Written test for literate recruits

  - Questions consisted of filling in a number in a sequence, re-ordering words in a sentence etc

  - EG "Washington is to Adams as first is to _______"

  
  

  2. The beta test

  - Pictorial test for illiterate recruits who failed the alpha test

  - Questions consisted of completing a maze, number tasks and fill in the picture tasks

  
  

  3. Individual examination

  - spoken test done for those who failed the alpha and beta tests

  - given a grade from A-E
• What were the issues with the tests?


  1. Test conditions

  - Examiners told ppnts to hurry up and were intimidating

  - difficult to finish the test in the time given

  
  

  2. Reliance on cultural knowledge

  - content of the test was culturally biased and required access to formal schooling

  - Gould says the tests assess environmental influence not intelligence

  
  

  3. Inconsistencies

  - Not all men took the beta test as administrators used different criteria for illiteracy

  - Those who scored low/0 on the alpha test did not get to take the beta test

  - not standardised

  - different conditions across camps
• What were the results?

  White American scored the highest

  European immigrant scored the lowest

  differences were matched with fairness of skin

  These results influenced military ranking
• What were Yerkes'


  Intelligence is an innate quality with a hereditary basis. This means it is possible for people to be graded on the colour of their skin

  The average man in most nations is a moron

  IQ tests of this kind are valid
• What were Gould'


  He asserted the internal contradictions and systematic prejudice which invalidated Yerkes' conclusions

  IQ testing is not a measure of innate intelligence

  IQ testing may not produce valid results

  IQ testing is culturally and historically biased