Define creativity, divergent, and convergent thinking
Review your understanding of intelligence by answering the questions on these slides.
Should Colleges Rely on the SAT and ACT for Admissions?
What are your thoughts about college entrance examinations like the SAT and ACT? Are they fair? Do they accurately test for academic performance in college? Are they good measures of intelligence or ability?
A January 2023 article by Neil Lewis Jr. from the Atlantic was titled, “Are Standardized Tests Racist, or Are They Anti-racist? Yes.” The title alone reveals the complicated history of standardized tests and the way they have been both harmful and helpful for over a century.
The History of Intelligence Testing
In the early 1900s, one of the pioneers of intelligence testing, Alfred Binet, was commissioned by the French government to develop a test that could identify children who might need additional academic support in school. Binet cautioned that his test should not be used to label children permanently but as a tool to help them.
However, when Binet’s test was imported to the United States, it was used in ways that he hadn’t intended. Some psychologists used IQ tests to sort people into categories, labeling some as “feebleminded.” This had dire social implications, contributing to the eugenics movement, which advocated for selective breeding of people with supposedly the “best qualities” to “improve” the human race (which really resulted in increased racism and discrimination). Many of the leaders of the eugenics movement were prominent psychologists from the early 20th century who inaccurately used supposed psychological results to justify their continued discrimination.
In recent years, psychology has undergone a transformative shift, recognizing the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion as crucial pillars in its pursuit of understanding human behavior and improving society. This has not always been the case (as evidenced in this public apology issued by the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2021 for its role in harming people of color and perpetuating stereotypes in the past). Now the APA and other researchers strive to create a more just society by highlighting the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Though massive improvements have been made in standardized testing, there are still criticisms of major standardized tests like the SAT or the ACT.
One significant criticism lies in the correlation between test scores and socioeconomic status. Data indicates that students from wealthier backgrounds tend to score higher on the ACT and SAT. A report by The College Board in 2015 found that students from families earning more than $200,000 a year averaged a score of 570 on each section of the SAT, while students from families earning under $20,000 a year averaged around 390 on each section[1]. In the same report, White and Asian students significantly outperformed their Black and Hispanic peers on the SAT. This discrepancy can be partly explained by the availability of test-preparation resources, which are more accessible to affluent students, and access to high-quality education and resources. It can also partly be attributed to educational inequalities and systemic bias, including less access to quality education and resources in communities of color.Additionally, some research has suggested that the predictive validity of these tests is grossly exaggerated in how well they are able to predict the GPA of first-year college students. In fact, it has been suggested that the SAT’s predictive validity may be overestimated by as much as 150% (Rothstein, 2004).
What do you think—should college entrance exams like the SAT or ACT be required for admission?
These early misuses of IQ tests illustrate why ethical guidelines are crucial. Today, psychologists adhere to strict guidelines to ensure that testing is fair, respectful, and non-discriminatory. For instance, tests must be validated and normed on the population they’re intended to be used with. Psychologists must also recognize the limitations of these tests and avoid overgeneralizing the results. Psychologists also ensure that the administration and interpretation of such tests do not contribute to unfair practices or perpetuate stereotypes but that they are used constructively and benefit individuals and society.
What does it mean if an IQ test is “validated”?
That means that it has to be valid—proven to measure what it claims to measure.
What is one criticism of major standardized tests like the SAT and ACT, and how does socioeconomic status factor into this criticism?
Wealthier students often score higher on these exams compared to their lower-income peers. This can be explained by the fact that wealthier students tend to have access to things like tutors and they live in areas where the schools have more resources. Also, there are systemic inequalities that make it unfair to students with less money (and students from minoritized communities).
Zwick, R. (2017). Who Gets In? Strategies for Fair and Effective College Admissions. Harvard University Press. ↵
In recent years, psychology has undergone a transformative shift, recognizing the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion as crucial pillars in its pursuit of understanding human behavior and improving society. This has not always been the case (as evidenced in this public apology issued by the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2021 for its role in harming people of color and perpetuating stereotypes in the past). Now the APA and other researchers strive to create a more just society by highlighting the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion.