Differences in Intelligence

Summarize the research on social-class, racial, and ethnic differences in intelligence.

Intelligence tests, as they are now constructed, tend to show differences among various ethnic, racial, and social class groups. Lower class children in all racial and ethnic groups test 10 to 15 points lower than those of middle class status (322-323). Even when studies are limited to a particular racial group, those subjects from middle class backgrounds tend to test with a higher IQ score.

Research shows that Asian American persons generally outscore Americans in math and science, and Japanese persons who reside in Japan score higher than both Americans and Britishers. Lynn argues that the higher IQs of Asian students are, in part, genetically determined. Others believe that the higher achievement levels of Asian American children are due to attitudes in the home, school, and culture at large. Some research suggests that Asian children and Asian-American children do particularly well on IQ tests because Asian Americans place great value on education. As a group, they have been discriminated against in careers that do not require an advanced education, so their culture highly values education and everything that brings success in the area of education (323).

Some psychologists, notably Robert L. Williams and Leon Camin to complain that intelligence tests have been used as an instrument of oppression (324). Many efforts have been made to construct tests which are not biased-

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Category: Psychology - D