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Blackwhite Performance Differences on Measures of Performance on Tests-Based Uponand Validated by Themajority Culture Reproducti

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Blackwhite Performance Differences on Measures of Performance on Tests-Based Uponand Validated by Themajority Culture Reproducti J' DOCUMENT RESUME 4 . /7 LS ' ED 240 192 UD 023' 329 AUTHOR Grubb, Henry Jefferson TITLE The Cultural - Distance Approach:.A Model for Analyzing BlackWhite Performance Differences on Measures of IQ. % PUB DATE t83] NOTE 33p.; Document contains light print and may,te marginally -legible. PUB .TYPE Information Analyses (070) -- Viewpoints (120) EDRS PRICE AF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from EDRS. DESCRIPTORS *Blacks;,Chpnge Strategies; Children; Cro'ss Cultural Studies;, *Cultural Differences; *Cultural Isolation;. *Intelligence Differences; *Intelligence Tests; Minorify Groups; Nature Nurture Contreiversy; Racial Differences; Standardized Tests; Subcultures; *Test Bias; Testing Problems;'Test F-terpretation; Whites . o ABSTRACT . % The basic tenet of this paper is that the difference betweeti black and white children on IQ measures is not due to genetics but describes the cultural- distanCe,between- the two grbups. The cultural distance approach is descrjbe'd as an Amalgam of the environmental and social psychology points of view. It holds that any subcultUre operating according to principles not present or equally operatiye in the majority culture processes functional information differently from the majority culture. Therefore, minority performance on tests-based uponand validated by themajority culture will show response patterns different from the norm. These patterns are indicators of what is present in the tests that is salient to each subculture and to the majority culture. The tests, however, are not responsive to what is salient to the specific minority subbultures but absent in the.majority culture. Thus, bias is assumed to be present in all standardized IQ tests. Evidence from the United States and around the world shows that multicultural societies must, and.for'the most part do, interpret standardized IQ scores of minority individuals in a different light from those of majority individuals. (CMG) , 5 . _____- ***********************************************************************S* * *' , Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best thataan be made , * * - from the original dOcument. *****************************************t***************************** 4 The Cultural'- Distance Approach:A Model for Analysing Black-.White Performance Differencet on Measures ',. of IQ "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION- }len 6;,.Abb CENTER IERfCI LI This document has been reproduced as'Zs, received from the person or organization originating it. lo0f.Ilinor changes have been made to improve reprpdu.ction quality. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." Points of view or opinions stated in this docu ment do not necessarily represent official NIE posiLion or policy. Henry Jefferson Grubb Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State. University 0 Running Head: The Cultufil- Distance Approach Y. Ah..itract o The Cultural-DistanceAppro'ch:a A Modelfor Ara I rs Perforniance _ IS - A I)i ffe rences on Measures ofIQ -V 0 The stance o4the present invest igator is an am:lig:mu ion of the environmental (nature) and -hi stop i ea I,oc i 1 psjchologyI points of view with the addition of current .knowledge in the' fields oflcicio-biologyand .-Lrevelopmental.psychology. I h tlie. Cul tura 1 -1)i static proach, brie fly stated is:a sub-culture's di!,t:Incefrom the major c.ul tore. on wh ich/flie 'test -quest ions of an IQ test a r.e 1,:o;ed\:;o1vas1 idatcd.. will detePii tie that sub- k.-UI tore is groupsubscore - pattern .ih ii l tot he !;01)- score Iht ten! of / he norming popul at ion)."Cultural distance"' :lot. med. and1.-xpki-Invd inthe primett.'net ofthe cultural-ditance 'h, !oh- cool toreore op-et.a ti ii!,:iccordini,! to print.. iple!, not. coital ly (perat i ve in the . .i s, r col tore, not o \ i :t inii,in. t he ma ior col tore, or operating without the benefit . o f ;1 i. i Ile Mlle o-Airit ;'veinthe` ma ioc col t ure.wi II he assum,..,1 to be a t,tend i lig to, . - ' . : ,! rill ref re i and/o r c ny. funct isorisaiinf<1rmat ion not exaetl "0 I i ke t t othe major cult ore.Thcri. lo minority member pt.; rformanc:e on tests ..1!;e;1Ind cal i (Li t ed ont culture' (or even cal i dat ed. on 'members of the soc cord to percentage rep resebtati on. or al lsub-cultures in the ,super-culture) t;i11 show characteristic patterns of group responding different from those of the no rMing sample.These 'response patterns are indi cat ions .of what is salient to each min ity subi-cuLture pn' the tests and with in the major culture, and what is not \ The -stsI. '-responsi...e to what 1 ient4 to the specific minoritylb-culture! but absent in the ,ma jo r culture however.Thus b s assumed to be present in -all standardized IQ tests. A r. ' 'Cultural-Distance 2 O fhe C,AturRl-Distance Approach: A Model .for Analysing Black-White PerfOitance Differences on lipasures of IQ Introduction. The purpose of this paAr is to examine the sociological and environmental eterminants of group differences on. measures of IQ. Speeificklly the difference in performance of Black and\White schdoage children' is,to be examined. The CI basic tenet of this paper is that :the oft recorded,dffference between groups of, I Black iind White children is not the result Of racial,genetics but describes the cultural distance between the two .uoups. 4. The recordecf difference inAaFIcand White scores or standardized IQ testis is one of the most discussed, and yet unresolved, issues. extant in'psychofogy today. ,Many el:plianations for this phenomenom have been posited. Biological Accounts For 'example, Jensen (1969). has suggested that genetics play a central role in pro.1;,)-ingthose differences. He argues that a "developmental lag,'.' genetically . deterMined, causes Black children to perform. about two,years below White children_ of equal chrbbologial age. Jensen explored the Black-Atite.difference in some detail. In one study* (Jensen, 1977), hedivided'a White sample into two sub- groups in order-tontrol for Cultural (..ifferences: one cons' sting of subjects who equalled the total White sample regarding the mean and standard deviation,and one comprised of lower scoring Whites fromthe total s....Mple that equalled the. mean and standard deviation of the total Black sample.He labeled this second group a . "pseudo race." - , Jensen found that the differencebetween.the."pseudorace"- sub-group and the r sub-grop equalling the whole White population was the same asObserved between lne purpose ofthis paper is to examine tne sociological_ ana environmental_ eterminants of group differences on-measures of IQ.' Speeifichaly the difference in performance of Black and`White schdolage- children' is.to b4 examined. The CI basic tenet of this paper is that :the oft recorded,difference between groups of, . ,- Black and White children is not the result 'of racial,genetics but 'describes the cultural distance between the two .gl:oups. The recorded difference inAaFkand White .score'S on standardized IQ tests is one of the most discussed,. and yet unresolved, issues. extant in psychology today. Many el:pliapations for this phenomenom have been posited. Biological Accounts For example, Jensen (1969). has suggested that genetics play a central role in pro,1;,)-in47, those :differences. He argues that a "developmental lag,'.' gene'tically . deterMined, causes Black children to perform. about two.years below White children . of equal chrohologi'eal age. Jensen explored the Black-Atite,difference in some detail. In one study (Jensen, 1977), hedivided'a White sample into two sub- groups in order-tontrol for dultural (.11fferences: one consisting of subjects who equalled the total White sample regarding the mean and standard deviation,and . one comprised of lower scores Whites fromthe total simple that equalled'ehe. mean and standard deviation of the total Black sample. He labeled this second group a "pseudo race." Jensen found that the difference.--between,the."pseudorace"- sub-group and the r , sub-grop equalling the whole White population was the same asObserved between ' 'Cultural-Distance 2 O fhe C,AturRl-Distance Approach: A Model .for Analysing Black-White PerfOitance Differences on lipasures of IQ Introduction. The purpose of this paAr is to examine the sociological and environmental eterminants of group differences on. measures of IQ. Speeificklly the difference in performance of Black and\White schdoage children' is,to be examined. The CI basic tenet of this paper is that :the oft recorded,dffference between groups of, I Black iind White children is not the result Of racial,genetics but describes the cultural distance between the two .uoups. 4. The recordecf difference inAaFIcand White scores or standardized IQ testis is one of the most discussed, and yet unresolved, issues. extant in'psychofogy today. ,Many el:plianations for this phenomenom have been posited. Biological Accounts For 'example, Jensen (1969). has suggested that genetics play a central role in pro.1;,)-ingthose differences. He argues that a "developmental lag,'.' genetically . deterMined, causes Black children to perform. about two,years below White children_ of equal chrbbologial age. Jensen explored the Black-Atite.difference in some detail. In one study* (Jensen, 1977), hedivided'a White sample into two sub- groups in order-tontrol for Cultural (..ifferences: one cons' sting of subjects who equalled the total White sample regarding the mean and standard deviation,and one comprised of lower scoring Whites fromthe total s....Mple that equalled the. mean and standard deviation of the total Black sample.He labeled this second group a . "pseudo race." - , Jensen found that the differencebetween.the."pseudorace"- sub-group and the r sub-grop equalling the whole White population was the same asObserved between Cultural-Distance 5 , ( . a that the Hi-SES-Lo-IIQ sub= -group showed significant gain from the, preschool . ) enrichment nroc'ram, arid sustalpeA this gain.
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