Brains vs. Bias: Crash Course Psychology #24

CrashCourse
28 Jul 201411:04
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video explores intelligence testing, explaining what IQ tests like WAIS and WISC measure and how they are standardized and checked for reliability and validity. It delves into the influences of both genetics and environment on intelligence, citing studies on twins and adopted children. Potential biases are discussed, like cultural experience and stereotype threat. The narrator stresses that test scores don't define a person's potential and that we all have room for self-improvement.

Takeaways
  • 😀 Intelligence tests measure either achievement (what you've learned) or aptitude (ability to learn)
  • 🧠 Tests must be standardized, reliable, and valid to be widely accepted
  • 📊 Standardization allows meaningful comparisons of test scores across a sample group
  • 🔬 Twin/adoption studies show intelligence is influenced by both genetics and environment
  • 😟 Early childhood deprivation can severely impact innate intelligence
  • 🤔 Biased tests can skew results by measuring cultural experience rather than innate intelligence
  • 👩‍👦‍👦 Administrator demographics and test-taker expectations impact performance
  • 😔 Stereotype threat causes test-takers to underperform out of concern they will confirm negative stereotypes
  • ❗️ Test scores don't define a person's intelligence or potential
  • 📚 Answers: piano is instrument; banana not like others; hand relates to glove; number 2 doesn't fit sequence; Bernice started with 23 jellybeans
Q & A

  • What are the two main categories of cognitive tests?

    -Cognitive tests usually fall into one of two categories: achievement tests, which reflect what you've learned, and aptitude tests, which are supposed to predict your ability to learn something new.

  • What are three requirements for a test to be widely accepted?

    -To be widely accepted, a test must be standardized, reliable, and valid.

  • How can genetics and environment both influence intelligence?

    -Research on identical twins raised together and apart shows genetics influence intelligence. However, studies on deprived infants show environment also strongly affects early childhood intelligence.

  • What is an example of testing bias?

    -If a test measures differences caused by cultural experiences or social factors instead of innate intelligence, it exhibits bias. For example, immigrants wrongly classified as "feeble-minded" for not knowing distinctly American cultural questions.

  • What is stereotype threat?

    -Stereotype threat is the concern that you might mess up and inadvertently fulfill some negative stereotype about your social group, which can negatively affect performance.

  • What are some ways test administrators can influence results?

    -Who administers the test can affect outcomes. Women tend to do better with a female administrator, and African Americans often score higher with an African American instructor.

  • What do twin and adoption studies show about intelligence?

    -These studies show genetics strongly influence intelligence, as similarities between identical twins are very high even when raised apart. Adopted children become more similar in intelligence to biological parents over time.

  • What are WAIS and WISC tests used for?

    -The WAIS and WISC aptitude tests are most widely and effectively used to identify extremes like gifted students who score very highly or disabilities in patients with brain injuries.

  • How did J. McVicker Hunt's research demonstrate environmental influences on intelligence?

    -By training caregivers in a deprived Iranian orphanage to interact with infants, Hunt showed huge intelligence gains, demonstrating malleability of early childhood intelligence especially in disadvantaged conditions.

  • What disclaimers does the passage offer about intelligence testing?

    -No test score should define you. People are more complicated than any single number. Everyone has potential for improvement not measured by tests.

Outlines
00:00
😃 Defining and Measuring Intelligence

Paragraph 1 discusses how humans enjoy ranking intelligence, but have historically been bad at it. Today intelligence is seen as determined by various interplaying factors that we don't fully understand. The key is that we can't answer specifics about intelligence with tests, nor can we fully eliminate bias.

05:01
😃 Nature and Nurture Both Matter

Paragraph 2 covers twin/adoption studies showing both genetics and environment influence intelligence. Identical twins raised together show the highest intelligence correlation. Similarities to biological parents emerge over time, even if adopted. Extreme deprivation can severely impact early development.

10:02
😊 Answering the Sample Questions

Paragraph 3 provides the answers to the sample intelligence test questions asked earlier. It also summarizes key learnings around intelligence testing concepts like standardization, reliability, validity, genetics, environment, bias, and stereotype threat.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡intelligence tests
Intelligence tests are standardized tests designed to measure cognitive abilities and aptitude. They are used to assess things like vocabulary, ability to recognize patterns, and potential to acquire new skills. The WAIS and WISC are two of the most commonly used intelligence tests. The video discusses how these tests are standardized and meant to compare an individual's performance to the general population. However, factors like genetics, environment, bias, and stereotype threat can impact test performance.
💡standardized
Standardization refers to the comparability of test scores. For a test to be standardized, it must be given to a representative sample to establish a baseline. Test-takers' scores can then be compared to this baseline. This allows meaningful interpretations of what a particular score signifies relative to the general population.
💡reliability
Reliability refers to an test's ability to produce consistent results across multiple administrations. To measure reliability, test-takers can be retested to see if their scores correlate between the two test instances. High correlation indicates good reliability.
💡validity
Validity refers to the extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure. Different types of validity help establish whether test scores actually reflect the skills, abilities, or traits they are intended to assess. The video mentions predictive validity and construct validity as examples.
💡genetics
Genetics and heredity have been shown through twin and adoption studies to influence intelligence and cognitive abilities. Identical twins raised together show a high correlation in test scores while non-identical twins show lower correlation, indicating genetic effects.
💡environment
A person's environment and life experiences also impact intelligence and ability. The video discusses an example where infants raised with minimal care and interaction showed cognitive delays, indicating nurture affects development.
💡bias
Bias refers to when a test inadvertently measures differences caused by cultural experiences or background rather than innate aptitude. Test questions involving concepts unfamiliar to certain social groups can introduce bias.
💡stereotype threat
Stereotype threat is when a test-taker performs poorer due to concern about conforming to negative stereotypes about their social group. Multiple studies show that activating stereotypes immediately before a test can negatively impact scores.
💡achievement tests
Achievement tests measure knowledge and skills that have already been acquired through prior teaching and learning. They assess what has been learned rather than predicting future performance.
💡aptitude tests
Aptitude tests aim to gauge an individual's ability to acquire new skills and knowledge in the future. The WAIS and WISC are examples of aptitude tests meant to predict potential rather than achievement.
Highlights

Intelligence tests fall into achievement tests reflecting what you've learned, or aptitude tests predicting ability to learn something new.

To be widely accepted, a test must be standardized, reliable, and valid.

Intelligence tests are most widely and effectively used to identify gifted students or determine disabilities.

Simply knowing your score doesn't mean much if the test is poorly designed.

Twin and adoption studies illustrate how both genetics and environment influence intelligence.

Genes appear to matter, but life experiences and environment also affect intelligence.

Early childhood intelligence can be very malleable, especially in disadvantaged conditions.

Controversial studies suggest intelligence differences between genders and races, but testing bias may affect performance.

Culturally biased questions can skew test performance results.

Who administers a test can also affect outcomes.

Stereotype threat negatively impacts performance when test-takers expect they may fulfill a negative stereotype.

You are more complicated than any test score.

Don't let a number define you - we all have infinite potential.

It's important that a test be standardized, reliable and valid.

Genetics, environment, bias and stereotypes can affect IQ tests.

Transcripts

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