The issue of race differences in intelligence, especially with respect to American black and white populations, is adjudged to be "nonsensical" in terms of the framing of the question, the populations sampled, the testing instruments utilized, and the concept of "intelligence" postulated. (Author/EH)

The author reexamines the controversy surrounding his genetic hypothesis in an attempt to clarify his contention that differences in IQ scores between blacks and whites may be attributable as much to heredity as environment. (EH)

Seeing intelligence as neither strongly hereditary nor necessarily stable over time, and accepting the notion that it is a significant determinant of future occupational status, liberal psychologists and educators rely on the intervention of social institutions, primarily the school. The liberal view toward testing and intelligence is discussed.…

Charles Spearman originally suggested in 1927 that the varying magnitudes of the mean differences between whites and blacks in standardized scores on a variety of mental tests are directly related to the size of the tests' loadings on g, the general factor common to all complex tests of mental ability. Several independent large-scale studies…

IQ tests and intelligence were discussed from an evolutionary perspective and implications concerning legal decisions and social policy were presented. It was concluded that disproportionate social and economic benefits need not result from the use of IQ tests in the selection of educational and occupational elites. (RD)

Addresses the impact of the ideology of IQ testing on African Americans and Asians. Presents an overview and an analysis of scholarly treatises that illustrate that IQ testing continues to be one mechanism for maintaining racial prejudice and inequality in the United States. (JS)

"Psychological Assessment in Education and Social Class," a paper presented at the University of Missouri conference on the "Legal and Educational Consequences of the Intelligence Testing Movement: Handicapped and Minority Group Children," is provided. The historical origins of the scheme of norm-referenced testing and the evidence questioning its…

Longitudinal data on the auditory forward and backward digit span (FDS and BDS) subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) were obtained at five age levels (between 6 and 13), in samples of white and black children. Factor analysis and analysis of variance of the data were conducted to test 5 hypotheses, related to Jensen's…

This paper, focusing on differences between Caucasians and Negroes in the United States, summarizes from a "scientific standpoint" the main facts and theoretical issues involved in the study of human racial differences and behaviors. Three principles are considered to govern the orientation of this document: (1) objective research and…

This study examines cultural bias in the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. Results indicated no evidence of specific factors peculiar to Blacks v Whites, and rank order of item difficulties was similar in both groups. Race differences were due to differences in mental maturity rather than to test bias. (Author/RD)

Since their beginning, intelligence tests have favored the higher social classes. Despite federal mandates to the contrary, bias in assessment is likely to remain a problem. Claims of test bias can be categorized as popular (naive); clinical (intuitive); statistical (predictive); and psychometric (construct and content). A literature review has…

The history and use of intelligence testing are reviewed, with emphasis on the validity of intelligence tests for black populations. Different definitions of intelligence are summarized, followed by an historical review of intelligence testing. The work of Alfred Binet is discussed, as well as the validity and reliability of his scales. A…