The IQ Test Wars: Why Screening for Intelligence is Still so Controversial

Introduction to IQ Tests

• IQ (Intelligence Quotient) Tests:
  • Measure mental agility and ability
  • Can be verbal or non-verbal
• Created over a century ago and still used today
• Used in education to identify special needs and gifted students
• Studied in relation to genetics, socio-economic status, academic achievement, and race

Controversies Surrounding IQ Tests

• Legitimacy and usefulness are debated
• Historical misuse to marginalize ethnic minorities and poor communities

History of IQ Tests

Early Development

• Alfred Binet:
  • Developed the first test (Binet-Simon Scale) in 1905
  • Commissioned to identify students struggling in school
  • Binet was skeptical about IQ tests measuring true intelligence

Use in Institutions

• US Military and Police:
  • Used IQ tests for recruitment and job classification (e.g., US Army Alpha and Beta Tests)
  • Some districts used a maximum IQ score for police admissions
• Education System:
  • Began using IQ tests for identifying gifted and special needs students

Misuse and Eugenics

• IQ tests were used to support eugenics and racial superiority theories
• Carl Brigham and Lewis Terman:
  • Promoted ideas linking intelligence to race
  • Called for social policies based on flawed IQ test interpretations
• Led to forced sterilizations under Buck v Bell ruling (1927)
• Continued sterilization based on IQ until the 1970s

Modern Debate and Critique

• Criticism of cultural bias in IQ tests
• Intelligence seen as culturally specific
• Tests may not accurately reflect intelligence across diverse cultures
• Continued research and debates on race and IQ

Positive Uses of IQ Tests

• Legal:
  • Used to prevent execution of individuals with intellectual disabilities
• Education:
  • Can help identify children for special education and gifted programs
  • Universal screening can uncover underrepresented gifted students
• Identifying Structural Inequalities:
  • Highlight effects of environmental factors like lead exposure, malnutrition
  • Aid in designing educational interventions

Conclusion

• IQ tests continue to spark debate on their use and validity
• Society's focus on measuring intelligence underscores its importance and complexity

This article was updated on February 1, 2018, to include editorial changes.