Untangling the Relationship Between Race and Intelligence

A psychosocial phenomenon known as ‘race’ has the power to bind a group of people together and determine how they are expected to behave (Kendig, 2011). Our behaviour is determined by another phenomenon known as ‘intelligence’ (Colom, Karama, Jung, Haier, 2010). Since these are both such fundamental aspects of how our society functions, it is crucial for psychologists to understand how these factors interact. However, despite many circulating theories, psychologists have yet to agree upon the extent to which these phenomena affect each other. In this essay, I will explore the reasons for division and ambiguity in the scientific community regarding the definitions and explanations of race and intelligence, and assess whether it is prudent†¦show more content†¦Some racial groups value hunting knowledge because they are required to hunt for their food for survival, and some increase their chances of survival if they have the academic intelligence to s ucceed in a paid job. Considering this, standardised IQ tests fail to create statistically comparable results due to the fact that each race places different loadings of importance on different abilities (Sternberg, Grigorenko, Kidd, 2005). It would be unreasonable to expect an Amazonian tribe member to understand a question such as â€Å"which design best completes the sequence?† for example, because this may not be the language or type of question they are accustomed to (Reynolds Suzuki, 2012). Yet failure to understand such questions might affect their score and imply they are unintelligent according to a standardised IQ test. This is known as a ‘test bias’, because the issue lies within the construction of the measuring tool rather than a lack of intellect (Sternberg, 1980). As this example highlights, it is necessary to acknowledge racial differences in scientific endeavours in order to achieve total congruency, due to the diversity of cultural values. Ass essing group differences between races is a controversial area of psychology, because it requires the division and ranking of humans by socially constructed groups. Although clear discrepancies between the groups do exist, causal factors have yet to be determined (Mendez Spriggs, 2008). As humansShow MoreRelatedUntangling the Relationship Between Race and Intelligence1543 Words   |  7 Pagesdebate concerning the nature of the relationship between race and intelligence has been highly contested by psychologists for many years. With the emergence of genetic research in recent times, some clarity has been provided, however, many unanswered questions still remain. This essay discusses the implications of IQ test scores and the potentially misleading information they generate when administered to non-Western individuals. Although it is argued that race is a dynamic social construct and thereforeRead MoreThe Effects of Socio-Economic Status on Students Achievements in Biology13494 Wor ds   |  54 Pagesuniversal basic education (UBE),and devaluation of the Naira. These measures have not improved the socio-economic status and educational status of families in the country. They have rather increase their sufferings and widen the socio economic gap between families. Johnson (1996) lamented that parents becomes poor due to these hard measures, such that they can no longer provide adequately for good education of their children. Also, they could not provide shelter, clothing and special need of theirRead More_x000C_Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis355457 Words   |  1422 Pagesgraduated from Iowa State University with a major in mathematics and, while acquiring graduate degrees at the University of Iowa, concentrated on statistics, computer programming, psychometrics, and test development. Currently, he divides his duties between teaching and evaluation; in addition to teaching, he is the assessment facilitator for the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Community Schools. In his spare time he enjoys reading and hiking. He and his wife have a daughter, Anna, who is a graduate student in CivilRead MoreInvestment and Economic Moats46074 Words   |  185 Pagesamong horses seems relatively level. I may be on thin ice here, having never actually been to a horse race, but I think it’s fair to say that mules and Shetland ponies don’t race against thoroughbreds. c02.indd 15 1/26/08 3:06:29 AM [16] T H E L I T T L E B O O K T H AT B U I L D S W E A LT H The business world is different. In the stock market, mules and Shetland ponies do race against thoroughbreds, and the best jockey in the world can’t do much if his mount is only weeks from