[lbo-talk] Slate magazine's cheap trick

Miles Jackson cqmv at pdx.edu
Thu Nov 22 10:49:07 PST 2007


Sandy Harris wrote:


> On one measure -- IQ tests -- clear racial differences do show up,
> but those results are suspect for many reasons, primarily cultural
> bias in the tests and the different socio-econmic status of the
> races in America.
>
> If response times provide another measure, without the cultural
> bias, and show a different result, that is fairly important. I know
> the claim has been both made and disputed. I do not know if
> that debate has been resolved. Can anyone here tell me?

Two issues here. First, response time measures are not consistently correlated with IQ measures; if you want to predict someone's IQ, knowing their school grades or family SES are far more useful. Second, why should response time measures be free of cultural bias? Culture shapes brain function, so it is quite possible that response latencies are a product of sociocultural factors, just like IQ scores are.
>
> For that matter, are there other ways to measure intelligence
> that wold be useful in this conversation?

Why measure general intelligence? I can see the usefulness of measuring specific, practical problem solving skills and knowledge (e.g., licensure exams for professions). I really don't see any practical reason to create general intelligence measures.

Miles



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