Chapter 6 - Group tests and Controversies in Ability Testing

1. Group tests differ from individual tests in five ways: I. multiple choice versus open-ended format, II. objective machine scoring versus examiner scoring, III. Group versus individualized administration, IV. Applications in screening versus remedial planning, V. Huge versus merely large standardization samples
2. In the group testing, the examiner plays a minimal role that is restricted largely to reading instructions and enforcing time limits
1. For the few, the shy, the confused - the absence of examiner rapport can have disastrous results
2. Group intelligence tests are more commonly used for mass screening in the furtherance of institutional decision making - such as when children are in need of academic remediation
3. Group tests are generally standardized on ultra-large samples
3. THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL APTITUDE BATTERY-II is a recent group intelligence test designed to be a paper-and-pencil equivalent of the WAIS-B: appropriate for examinees from ages 16-74
4. The venerable SILS is a reasonably good measure of general intelligence that has found wide-spread use in research - it continues to be quite popular as a screening test for general intelligence and possible intellectual inefficiency
5. In a multilevel battery, each group test is designed for a specific age or grade level, but adjacent tests possess some common content
6. The CogAT was co-normed with two achievement tests: the IOWA TESTS OF BASIC SKILLS, and the IOWA TESTS OF EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT; the reliability of the CogAT is exceptionally good; the manual provides a wealth of info on content, criteron related and construct validity
7. The Culture Fair Intelligence Test is a nonverbal measure of fluid intelligence first conceived in the 1920s by Cattell; the goal is to measure fluid intelligence in a manner that is as free from cultural bias as possible
8. The CFIT has undergone several revisions - scale 1 is for mentally defective adults, and children from 4-8; scale 2 is for adults in the average age range, and children from 8 to 13; scale 3 is for high ability adults and college students
1. Raw scores are converted to normalized standard score IQs with mean of 100 and SD of 16
9. Available evidence says the CFIT is no more successful than other methods as fair as being a culturally fair measure of intelligence goes
1. CFIT is in desperate need for re-norming
10. The RPM is particularly valuable in the testing of children and adults with hearing, language, or physical impairments
11. Coaching for the GRE can significantly increase scores (116-145 pts) (coaching lasting 100-140 hours)
12. Disagreements about test biases are perpetuated because they fail to define what terms such as TEST BIAS and TEST FAIRNESS really mean
1. TEST BIAS refers to objective statistical indices that examine the patterning of test scores for relevant subpops = IT IS BIASED IF IT IS DIFFERENTIALLY VALID FOR DIFFERENT SUBGROUPS
2. TEST FAIRNESS is a broad concept that recognizes the importance of social values in test usage = EVEN A TEST THAT ISN'T BIASED CAN STILL BE UNFAIR BECAUSE OF THE SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF USING IT FOR SELECTION DECISIONS
13. A test is unbiased if the results for all the relevant subpopulations cluster equally well around a single regression line
14. UNQUALIFIED INDIVIDUALISM dictates, without exception, the best qualified candidates should be selected for employment, admission, or other privilege
15. QUOTAS acknowledge that many bureaucracies and educational institutions owe their existence to the city or state in which they function
16. QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALISM is a radical variant of individualism that relies solely on tested abilities, without reference to age, sex, race, or other demographic characteristics for selection purposes
17. A substantial genetic component to intelligence has been proved by decades of adoption studies, familial research, and twin projects, even though individual studies may be faulted
18. Orphan study showed that love and nurturing can make a difference on mental state and mental abilities = 13 were transferred to a home where they were shown love and were doted upon by "older sisters" who also had mental retardation = THOSE WHO WERE CARED FOR WERE NORMAL ADULTS 26 YEARS LATER where the others were still mentally retarded
1. Studies show that intervention and enrichment can boost IQ in children at risk for school failure and mental retardation
2. Initial positive benefits can diminish over time if the child's environment does not encourage positive attitudes and continues learning
  1. Critics also wonder if the programs merely teach children how to take tests without affecting their underlying intelligence much
19. Prenatal exposure to alcohol is one of the leading known causes of mental retardation in the Western world
1. FAS is defined by: 1. Prenatal and/or postnatal growth retardation (weight below the tenth percentile after correcting for gestational age), 2. Central nervous system dysfunction - skull or brain malformations, mild to moderate mental retardation, neurological abnormalities, and behavior problems, 3. Facial dysmorphology - widely spaced eyes, short eyelid openings, small up-turned nose, thin upper lip, and ear deformities
20. The most efficient research method for studying age changes in ability is a cross-sequential design

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Chapter 6 - Group tests and Controversies in Ability Testing

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