1. A nation of morons New Scientist (6 May 1982) pp349-52
Gould (1982) IQ tests
A nation of morons
New Scientist (6 May 1982) pp349-52
Mark Souter psychlotron.org.uk

2. introduction comparative test based on age performance
Gould (1982) IQ tests
introduction
comparative test based on age performance
Developed by Binet (C19th France)
mental age / chronological age x 100 = IQ
now based on norm referencing
Binet aimed to use results to identify and help
Intelligence could be improved
Mark Souter psychlotron.org.uk

3. introduction Binet against IQ as fixed
Gould (1982) IQ tests
introduction
Binet against IQ as fixed
Binet wanted tests to identify those who needed help
This view reversed by Eugenics movement
science should identify 'mental degenerates'
and 'prevent their propagation'
Mark Souter psychlotron.org.uk

4. the article: the background
Gould (1982) IQ tests
the article: the background
Robert Yerkes (1915) wanted to promote psychology
WW1 created expansion of US army
Yerkes tested 1.75M US troops
Mark Souter psychlotron.org.uk

5. the article: the tests 3 tests devised Army Alpha - written test
Gould (1982) IQ tests
the article: the tests
3 tests devised
Army Alpha - written test
8 parts similar to modern IQ test
Army Beta - picture test for illiterates
pictures and numbers; c1h duration
spoken exam - for those failing Beta test
Yerkes claimed measured 'native intellectual ability'
Mark Souter psychlotron.org.uk

6. Gould (1982) IQ tests
Mark Souter psychlotron.org.uk

7. the article: the tests BUT cultural bias
Gould (1982) IQ tests
the article: the tests
BUT
cultural bias
'Washington is to Adams as first is to ...
Crisco is a: patent medicine/disinfectant/toothpaste/food product
Christy Mathewson is famous as a: writer/artist/baseball player/comedian
Mark Souter psychlotron.org.uk

8. the article: the tests test poorly administered:
Gould (1982) IQ tests
the article: the tests
test poorly administered:
too many Betas so men sent to Alpha queues!
many scored 0 but not retested in Beta
background not accounted for:
recent European immigrants
black men who'd never been given education
Mark Souter psychlotron.org.uk

9. the article: result of Yerkes tests
Gould (1982) IQ tests
the article: result of Yerkes tests
av mental age 13 [just above 'moron'!]
graded Europeans: av 'moron'
'lighter' (Northern) Europeans scored higher
'darker' (Southern) Europeans scored lower
av score of Black men 10.4, lower than whites
Mark Souter psychlotron.org.uk

10. the article: tests used to support racism
Gould (1982) IQ tests
the article: tests used to support racism
Carl Bringham (colleague of Yerkes)
claimed N Europeans 'racially superior'
Jews inferior
(explained Einstein etc as 'exceptions'!)
Mark Souter psychlotron.org.uk

11. the article: fallacies of the tests
Gould (1982) IQ tests
the article: fallacies of the tests
early immigrants from N Europe
tests biased against S Europe
av score rose with length of time in US
= more experience --> higher score
Bringham said first arrivals were the most intelligent
later ones progressively more stupid
Mark Souter psychlotron.org.uk

12. the article: tests used to support racist policies
Gould (1982) IQ tests
the article: tests used to support racist policies
tests uses to support US Immigration Restriction Act in 1924
The Eugenicists "won one of the greatest victories of scientific racism in American history"
a further consequence was to prevent refugees from Europe fleeing Nazism
Mark Souter psychlotron.org.uk

13. discussion shows human consequences of academic debate
Gould (1982) IQ tests
discussion
shows human consequences of academic debate
highlights political context of psychology
debate continues
no clear evidence that genetics account for IQ scores
still no clear operational definition of intelligence
'race' is political construct not biological one
Mark Souter psychlotron.org.uk