-=> Quoting Sondra Ball to Lorraine Phillips <=-
 SB> Grin!  It's been known for a long time that IQ tests are culturally
 SB> biased.
 IQ tests are _supposed_ to measure the "Intelligence Quotient" of someone
 to cope within the culture wherein the test is given, are they not? Would
 you give an "American" IQ test in China? The tests _have_ to be "culturally
 biased".
 I can't think of her name right now, but I suspect that if I gave a Chinese
 IQ test to the lady that supposedly has the highest IQ in the world, I
 suspect she would do ratherly poorly unless she reads and writes Chinese
 fluently. (BTW, I love her column in the Sunday "Parade" magazine. She
 seems to have a great personality and sense of humor!)
 SB> In America, most of them are biased in favor of white middle
 SB> and upper class folk.
 Sounds like the majority of America, population-wise.
 Most History tests are "biased" in favor of History classes. Would I give
 a Math test to a History class? I don't think so.
 I always thought it odd that when people do poorly on a test they fault
 the test. Tests are only a measure of _the test-taker's_ knowledge of what
 the test is about. If one does poorly on a test, then one doesn't know the
 material the test is testing for. (I'm not addressing those that have
 "test-taking phobias".)
 SB> But there can be surprises.  The Navajo
 SB> Indians, when given the "Draw a Horse" IQ test, out-performed the white
 SB> population by a galloping margin (and that, just after doing rather
 SB> poorly on another short IQ test.)
 
 Give a "Draw a Polar Bear" to an Alaska Native and to a resident of Africa.
 Give a "Draw an Elephant" to a resident of Africa or India and an Alaskan
 Native.
 "The average IQ is set at 100; about half those that take the test achieve
 scores between 90 and 110." Encarta 97
 If I took that test (they don't give the specific name of the test) and
 scored below 90, I would look at _myself_ and what the test is trying to
 measure, not at the construction or "biasness" of the test. If I failed
 "Draw a Horse", I would practice drawing horses before I took the test
 again.
 (BTW, if I had a "test-taking phobia", I would practice taking tests.)
 Jim
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