Dr. R.G. Tonks

Activity 1 
Intelligence Testing

Review Chapter 10.

This activity  will give you an opportunity to consider the nature of "intelligence" and the testing or measurement of it. In doing so, you will  need to take a critical perspective on the practice of intelligence testing.  In this activity  you will be taking two or three "intelligence tests" and considering the nature of what intelligence is and whether or not we can accurately measure it. 

To begin, click here to go to one of the following websites and take one or two of the tests. I recommend that you take http://www.allthetests.com/tests/iq-test.php3 and possibly the other https://www.123test.com/culture-fair-intelligence-test/ , but do whichever ones you like.  (Remember that you should not feel pressured to divulge personal information or pay for these tests).

Following your completion of this (these) test(s) answer the following questions:

Did you score how you thought you might? What did you think of the questions?

Based upon these samples of "Intelligence Tests" do you think that it can be assessed appropriately. 

It has been pointed out, as on this page  that there are cultural biases to intelligence testing. As we know about perception and language, our cultural experience shapes the abilities and mind sets that we use later in life. Consequently, so called "cultural" or "racial" differences in intelligence test scores have been determined to be due to biases in the questions and measurements.  To complete this activity take the following test (without looking at the answers) and reflect back on what you have done that has been called "intelligence" testing.

After you have taken the Chitlin Test answer these questions (and the ones above) drop a file with your answers to both sets of questions in the drop box for Activity 1.

How did you perform on this test?  Given that the questions come from a culture that I don't expect you to be experienced in, what role do you see that culture and experience plays in the formation of "intelligence"?  Is it meaningful to measure "Intelligence"?

Here think about the lecture on the nature and measurement of intelligence. You should also review the points on critical thinking in psychology and make use of them in providing your critique.