Book contents
- In the Know
- In the Know
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Acknowledgments
- Preface
- Introduction
- Section 1 The Nature of Intelligence
- Section 2 Measuring Intelligence
- 7 Measuring Intelligence Is Difficult
- 8 The Content of Intelligence Tests Is Trivial and Cannot Measure Intelligence
- 9 Intelligence Tests Are Imperfect and Cannot Be Used or Trusted
- 10 Intelligence Tests Are Biased against Diverse Populations
- Section 3 Influences on Intelligence
- Section 4 Intelligence and Education
- Section 5 Life Consequences of Intelligence
- Section 6 Demographic Group Differences
- Section 7 Societal and Ethical Issues
- References
- Index
9 - Intelligence Tests Are Imperfect and Cannot Be Used or Trusted
from Section 2 - Measuring Intelligence
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 October 2020
- In the Know
- In the Know
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Acknowledgments
- Preface
- Introduction
- Section 1 The Nature of Intelligence
- Section 2 Measuring Intelligence
- 7 Measuring Intelligence Is Difficult
- 8 The Content of Intelligence Tests Is Trivial and Cannot Measure Intelligence
- 9 Intelligence Tests Are Imperfect and Cannot Be Used or Trusted
- 10 Intelligence Tests Are Biased against Diverse Populations
- Section 3 Influences on Intelligence
- Section 4 Intelligence and Education
- Section 5 Life Consequences of Intelligence
- Section 6 Demographic Group Differences
- Section 7 Societal and Ethical Issues
- References
- Index
Summary
Nothing in this world is perfect, and that includes intelligence tests. Though they are a useful tool for a variety of purposes, intelligence tests – and other tests that measure g – sometimes produce inaccurate scores for individual examinees. And inaccurate scores can lead to incorrect decisions. Sometimes the consequences of using an inaccurate test score can have a lasting impact on an examinee, such as in college admissions testing, diagnosing a disability, or employee selection or promotion. Under extreme circumstances, test score accuracy can be a matter of life and death. After the US Supreme Court ruled that executing someone with an intellectual disability was unconstitutional in 2002 (Atkins v. Virginia), accurately estimating the IQ score of an inmate with an intellectual disability can save that person’s life.
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- Chapter
- Information
- In the KnowDebunking 35 Myths about Human Intelligence, pp. 85 - 89Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2020