Intelligence Testing Article Analysis

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Intelligence Testing Article Analysis

PSY450/Diversity and Cultural Factors in Psychology

Intelligence Testing Article Analysis

Intelligence tests are believed to measure intelligence, IQ, and converted into a numeric score. IQ is the cognitive processes, knowledge to solve problems, and reach goals (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). Intelligence varies with each culture as well. The bell curve theory explains that a normal supply of IQ scores is generally divided into three substantial categories, which are people with low, average, and high IQ scores (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). Intelligence scores generated by the bell curve can show that people with high IQs are usually lawyers, doctors, scientists, and so forth (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). The bells curve also explains that people who have low IQs are more likely to be convicts criminals single mothers, drug addicts, and high-school failures, and so on (Shiraev & Levy, 2010).

The score is measured by using the answers from a series of tasks/questions (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). Every test has several subtests that measure numerous cognitive skills (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). Most intelligent tests are made-up of verbal and nonverbal problems, perceptual judgments, puzzles, word associations, describing pictures, memorization, and the like (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). This type of test may be used by employers as a part of the interview process. These scores may also indicate that people will find partners and friends who have the same cognitive level as themselves (Shiraev & Levy, 2010).

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN INTELLIGENCE

A person must try to understand cultural differences when assessing the scores of an intelligence test (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). To understand cultural differences in the intelligence scores the test giver must know the difference between cognitive potential, know what cognitive skills were established through the test taker's cultural environment, and know the possible scores on the specific test given (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). Different factors appear to add to performance on tests, such factors include language, test content, and motivation (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). Some aspects of intelligence are not yet measurable, such as wisdom and creativity (Shiraev & Levy, 2010).

FIRST ARTICLE ANALYSIS

The title of the first article analyzed is _Testing versus Understanding Human Intelligence_. The authors believe that intelligence tests have a superior legitimacy that predicts intelligence (Machek, 2003). They believe these tests are respected tools in fields of psychology, especially in the educational and occupational fields of psychology. Intelligence is measured in two separate ways, which are the psychometric or biological approach. As per biological theories, distinctive parts of the brain control different cognitive functioning and the behaviors linked with it, and biological studies search for those brain functions that produce separate changes in intellectual abilities (Machek, 2003). The author believes intelligence testing will avoid bias by understanding the relations between test scores and pertinent biological directories (Machek, 2003). Employing this knowledge would have the benefit of not exposing the test to criticisms, of being biased against specific groups, occasionally aimed against intelligence tests (Machek, 2003).

SECOND ARTICLE ANALYSIS

The title of the second article analyzed is _Implicit theories of intelligence as exemplar stories of success: Why intelligence test validity is in the eye of the beholder_. This article explains that test producers and test users measure the foretelling or simultaneous legitimacy of an intelligence test by comparing it with other like tests or with external principles, which is very difficult and causes many problems (Sternberg, 2000). Intelligence may be measured by psychophysical tasks, such as recognizing different tones in sounds rather than external principles (Sternberg, 2000). Internal-consistency reliability analyses are normally significant pieces of psychometric studies, which regard matters inside a test to the degree that they are similar to each other (Sternberg, 2000). Comparing tests with other types of criterions is not a cure-all though (Sternberg, 2000).

This article explains the componential theory may be used to determine the value of intelligence, which measure IQ scores (Sternberg, 2000). The componential theory explains that words can be broken down into elementary defining mechanisms, such as the word 'bachelor' has three components and explained as an 'unmarried adult male' (Sternberg, 2000). This theory indicates that intelligence would be a collection of definitional mechanisms, and these definitions come from adaptation to the cultural surroundings (Sternberg, 2000).

EFFECTIVENESS OF INTELLIGENCE TESTING

Intelligence testing can determine a person's IQ, but intelligence is the universal ability to think reasonably, act decisively, rise above difficulties, and adapt to a shifting culture (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). From this definition intelligence is intertwined with cognition, and cognitive development is neither completely culturally comparative nor entirely identical universally (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). Currently numerous tests can display variances in IQ scores with substantial cultures.

Shiraev and Levy (2010), explain that Asian Americans (East Asian roots) score the highest on IQ tests and African Americans score the lowest (p. 147). However, there is a big difference between intelligence and intelligent behavior (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). Intelligence is a psychological process that permits or does not permit certain behavioral patterns, and patterns of intelligent behavior may differ from one culture to the next (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). Not all cultures believe in the same things, and what one culture believes to be intelligent may not be true for other cultures (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). Not all cultures are exactly the same, so some things seen as intelligent may be unintelligent in others and vice versa.

Intelligence tests are thought to measure IQ, which is converted into a numeric score. IQ is the cognitive processes that allow people the ability to solve problems and reach goals, which varies between cultures (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). Scores are acquired by obtaining answers from a series of tasks/questions answered by the test taker (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). Different theories represent methods to measure a person's IQ score. Understanding biological theories allow researchers to understand the relations between test scores and pertinent biological directories of different cultures (Machek, 2003). The componential theory may be used to determine the value of intelligence by breaking words down into elementary defining mechanisms (Sternberg, 2000). Most importantly, researchers have dissimilar concepts of what the standard behaviors are that must be employed in measuring whether an intelligence test is legitimate (Sternberg, 2000).

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References

Machek, G (2003). Individually Administered Intelligence Test. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 6(1), 180-190. doi:10.1037/1076-8971.6.1.180.

Shiraev, E. B. & Levy, D. A. (2010). Cross-cultural psychology: Critical thinking and contemporary applications (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn Bacon.

Sternberg, R. (2000). Implicit theories of intelligence as exemplar stories of success: Why intelligence test validity is in the eye of the beholder. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 6(1), 159-167. doi:10.1037/1076-8971.6.1.159.