Abstract
Tests intended to measure human intelligence have evolved to give a better picture of human intellectual behavior. These are nothing but Intelligence tests. These measure the functions of mental ability like judgment, reasoning and comprehension. Although, it has benefits, certain pitfalls appear to dilute its validation. This is unnecessarily leading to age and minority discrimination. With this trend, people developed views that intelligence testing could discriminate against old people and minority groups; while others are opposed to such views.
On the other hand, intelligence testing is not fully validated for minorities such as African –American. They do perform well like their white peers. But this was being again overlooked and increasing the opportunities to discriminate. It can be concluded that intelligence testing needs proper implementation under a thorough professional supervision without bias and overlooking the influencing factors that serve as modifying variables.
Modern day technology has emerged to revolutionize the lives of people for increasing their comfort and quality of life (QOL).This trend has intruded in all aspects of life, and in the area of health sciences, its contribution is unparalleled. However, certain issues make this technology run on a path of limitations or retard its progress. To, say, there will be a contradictory situation where both the benefits of such technology would become much questionable. In such context, the present description is concerned with highlighting about Intelligence Testing. Intelligence tests are psychological tests that are intended to examine functions of mental ability like judgment, reasoning and comprehension (Intelligence tests,2013). This testing is strongly believed to be applied since the past as IQ (Intelligence quotient) testing. In work places, the concept of IQ testing has been introduced in order to assess the performance of candidates job interviews . The foundation of such testing depends upon the positive correlation of scores in IQ and work outcome. High scores in IQ are used to predict increases success in occupational work. Research has reported that over lifetime course, IQ scores could increase significantly (Intelligence tests,2013).
In addition, a wide variety of human behaviors have been measured by intelligence tests when compared to other already available measures. These tests provide a strategy for comparing intelligence levels among others with identical age. They play key role in offering biological and cultural differences among people (Intelligence tests,2013).
Some feel that Intelligence testing discriminates against old people. This can be explained from several view points:
It was reported that intelligence declines in older people according to John B. Carroll's three stratum theory, a model of cognitive abilities (The Effects of Age on Intelligence,n.d.). This model identifies the following abilities like fluid intelligence (Gf), processing speed (Gt), broad cognitive speediness (Gs), broad retrieval ability (Gr), broad auditory perception (Gu), broad visual perception (Gv), crystallized intelligence (Gc)general memory and learning (Gy). This theory says that as the individual grows, there would be a gradual decline in non-verbal problem solving i.e fluid intelligence where as verbal reasoning (crystallized intelligence) remains. Cross-sectional study report that that the performance of younger adults is better than older adults in intelligence tests (The Effects of Age on Intelligence, n.d.).
With this result, many organizations have started to support retirement schemes with a scope that younger people will produce more benefits compares to the older (The Effects of Age on Intelligence, n.d.). This policy had initiated a discrimination against old people. In United States,was reported to exist much as firms greater than 40% appear to increasingly perform interviews for job applicants who are young adults compared to older ones. It was believed that in longitudinal studies, older participants are healthier and could be influenced by their intelligence levels. A study team reported intelligence decline only after the age of 85 years and found that increased education duration served to protect against mental illnesses like dementia before death. But, reports continue to mention a condition known as terminal decline, indicating an overall decrease in cognitive potential when an individual is close to death.
In fact the influence of age on intelligence is due to socioeconomic status, family life, genetics
that vary from one person to the other. Overtime, these factors are also being regulated when a same individual or group of individuals are studied. Some report that intelligence decline could not be observed till the age of 74 years and then declines depending on the task.
So, these reports imply that intelligence could decline as people age and hence make people develop a tendency of discrimination
Some feel that Intelligence testing does not discriminate against old people. But they feel that performance in intelligence testing is dependent on many factors and varies. To this end, investigators actively working on intelligence on aging reported that when an individual ages, both crystallized and fluid intelligences work together indicating that
older adults could make progress in a task performance they are interested. Experiments are emphasized where older adults will be provided information and are required to unite both fluid and crystallized abilities to make decisions (Does Intelligence Decline with Aging?, 2013).
Most importantly, in older people, a perception of decline is thought to occur that relies on economic and societal contextual factors (Macnicol,2005) Say, if an older individual could anticipate to perform poorly in intelligence tests because of an internalized societal attitude that has been prevailing over time. This is a self –fulfilling prophecy effect. Similarly, an old individual in a old age or rehabilitation home could encounter a cognitive decline, due to a non-stimulant environment where they feel trapped (Macnicol,2005).
Some researchers mention that many old people could protect their intelligence with their physical health and activities. This is because intelligence stability could be observed in older adults who appear to solve the problems and contribute to society. So, this could indicate that intelligence decline in old age is associated with several reasons.
According to a study, a focus on pre-morbid cognitive ability is gaining research attention
(Lowe & Rogers, 2011). These abilities help in estimating the cognitive impairments in terms of their nature, type and severity. For instance, the performance of an older adult could be similar to his peers but could deteriorate if his earlier premorbid capabilities were in high range. This pre-morbid capability is influenced by formal education and occupation and therefore pre-morbid intelligence could play determining role in intelligence testing. So, intelligence decline in older is matter of debate (Lowe & Rogers, 2011).
However, certain drawbacks with the intellignce tests are apparent because a single intelligence score could be produced by many other intelligence tests. Such score would appear insufficient in exploring the multidimensional properties of intelligence testing. Two individuals with a given identical test score would vary greatly in the talent expression. Here, one person may have better verbal skills while the other may have strong task perception and organization (Intelligence tests,2013).
Further, certain intelligence tests, do not evaluate daily life tasks like creativity,
mechanical skills and social knowledge. Added to this, the testing is not dependent on complexity and immediacy required for real-life events. These tests scores could be modified by several behaviors and experiences, and are unfit to serve as strong indicators of a person's intellectual ability (Intelligence tests,2013). They could induce a tendency to categorize children into stereotyped categories such that their freedom to select fields of study could become limited. Non-academic activities are totally predicted by I Q tests (What are the pros et al.2003).
The tests do not offer a long term prediction strategy as many uncontrollable variables ten to influence them. Most, importantly, these limitations could also form a strong basis for showing a discrimination against specific age group or ethnicity or race.
This aspect should be considered with a broad view and need to be further investigated.
It seems that certain reports on intelligence test/ IQs conducted on old people had increased the feelings of discrimination against them. So, a feeling that intelligence testing discriminates against old people could not be fully supported. This is because in many top listed work place complaints, age discrimination has become common (Work needs, 2013). A good number of job seekers above 4o years observe ageism as the foremost issue when targeting for jobs or working for a authority position. These people were socially recognized as victims of ageism. In fact, older employees, constitute the major portion of available labor.
In nations with younger population, older employees appear more readily available than younger ones due to increased mobility associated with globalization.
Discrimination trend is also encountered by those in between 30’s and 40s (Work needs, 2013).
People in their mid-30s were considered as too old by employers who wish to create a youthful company image by recruiting those in late 20s. People in mid-30s were considered as too young to take on the duty of senior managers for which the preferred age is 40 by employers.
In contrast, young people in their 20’ also encounter age discrimination. This is because they receive comments that they were no suitable for career progress as they are very work- premature individuals without experience (Work needs, 2013).
So, it appears that a small drawback in the performance of intelligence tests by old people is making them unnecessary victims to discrimination thus stigmatizing their individual ability.
Next, some feel that intelligence testing discriminates against minority. Here, a minority could be a African –American community. This discrimination is much associated with social disadvantage which is covering these minorities and their test performances as blanket. Ultiamately, the scores obtained would be reveled to public as of inferior type which is contributing to a feeling of discrimination. It was reported that in intelligence/ IQ tests, the performance of African Americans was found to better average than white at 16%. Only few African Americans’ IQ's were above 120.Whereas other have below 80 compared to whites.This observed lowest end of scale that represents an African American performance was strongly believed to be due to racial discrimination, , general surroundings and cultural factors.To say, the disproportion in IQ scores is the result of racial prejudice rather than a theory genetics nor environment. The real differences in the ability were not found and this made to feel that it is the cultural African Americans cultural deprivation accompanied with cultural bias of the I.Q. tests. Others feel that intelligence test does not discriminate against minority. They mostly feel that performance in intelligence test is much associated with education. This is because earlier it was reported that American educational system was not much efficient in promoting education of children belonging to African American community. In a research study, IQ tests conducted for both Africna-American and white children insisted on education quality along with education level (Shuttleworth et al., 2004).It was mentioned that children who live outside US could not be tested on a Western intelligence test. They could not perform well equally as their peers who develop contacts with the western people. These children could be dull, average or bright and a test that better fits to their cultural atmosphere could reveal which test is more applicable. Researchers have observed racial/ethnic differences in the performance of neuropsychological test (Ryan et al.,2005).They mention that racial/ethnic minorities possess decreased education levels and poor socioeconomic status than Whites of non-Hispanic race. Further, the minorities continue to get low scores on nonverbal and verbal tests even when the groups are statistically matched for education and socioeconomic status with whites. For example, among African American elders population, schooling duration serves as an inadequate measure of educational quality due to their poor reading skills that appear below their educational level. Researchers feel that the historical neglect of these groups and highly diverse multicultural society are appearing as blocks and stress that precise interpretation of ethnic/racial minorities’ test performance is a vital. They insist that comparison of performances of minorities with demographically similar groups could lead to a fall in proportions of misclassification that is beneficial for these people (Ryan et al,.2005). However, test performance by minority groups does not appear to create concern. This is because according to the report of National Assessment of Educational Progress, by the end of high school, the performance on math and reading skills by African American and Latino students have math were virtually found to be same as those of White students of eighth grade. So, education attainment is a key factor while interpreting cognitive test scores (Ryan et al.,2005). Probably these scores may reflect intelligence or IQ.
The feeling that intelligence testing discriminates against minorities could not be supported
This is because low support given to minority groups in accessing the education or even ocaaupational resources. The authorities have maintained such that there would be restricted utility in assessing minority groups with cultural backgrounds of diverse forms. These people were being set at very low benefit as there are defects in encouragement, practice, familiarity and overall establishment. This practice needs to be suppressed from several corners.
We live in the modern age and some changes appear immediate implementation under these circumstances. From the modern perspective, inrtelligence /IQ test is being considered to be influenced by effects of environment and genetics. Earlier, IQ was believed to be a stable attribute of humanity influenced by parents and children genetic relationships.But this is not worth considering.
Humans could obtain advanced intelligence intelligence if a proper unbiased environment offered right from the schooling level. This is because, schooling, in particular, has much and beneficial influence on human intelligence levels. It has all the essential components to nurture intelligence. It was recently been reported that IQ scores could rise in significant proportions over the course of a lifetime (Modern intelligence testing, n.d.).
It was further demonstrated that environment should play vital important role in determining the intelligence measurements and the scores. This should not be neglected and must be administered and equally to all people without bias. As, score interpretation has a key role in conveying the message, minority groups need a precise assessment in this area which most authorities are overlooking. Provided a proper stimulating environment IQ scores could become increasingly high in these people.One must consider an evidence based research before coming to conclusion on scores obtained from the tests and performances of minority groups.
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