Measuring Intelligence (OCR GCSE Psychology): Revision Note

IQ tests as a measure of intelligence

• Intelligence refers to our ability and potential to learn, think, and solve problems

• Psychologists have long tried to measure intelligence using IQ (Intelligence Quotient) tests, which aim to give a numerical score representing a person’s cognitive ability

• Alfred Binet was one of the first psychologists to design a test to measure intelligence in the early 1900s

  • The French government asked Binet to identify children who might struggle in school so that they could be given extra help

  • Working with Theodore Simon, Binet created tests that measured memory, attention, and problem-solving skills

  • Binet concluded that while these tests could measure certain abilities, intelligence was far more complex than a single score

IQ tests today

• Modern IQ tests, such as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), are used with children aged 6–16 to assess a range of abilities

  • E.g. verbal reasoning, working memory, and processing speed

• Uses of IQ tests:

  • To identify children who need extra educational support or challenge (e.g. gifted students)

  • To compare intellectual ability across individuals or groups

  • To identify learning difficulties such as dyslexia or ADHD

Psychological testing as a form of social control

• While IQ tests can help support individuals, they have also been misused as tools of social control

• A well-known example is the work of psychologist Robert Yerkes during the First World War in the USA

  • He developed three IQ tests to screen recruits for the US Army, some of whom were recent immigrants and knew little about American culture

Yerkes’ army IQ tests

• Over 1.75 million US Army recruits were tested using three versions:

  • Alpha test: written test for literate recruits

  • Beta test: pictorial test for illiterate recruits

  • Individual test: spoken version for those who failed the Beta test

• Yerkes claimed that these tests were fair, reliable, and not affected by education or cultural background

Criticisms of Yerkes' IQ tests

• The tests were culturally and linguistically biased, relying on knowledge of American culture, language, and lifestyle (e.g. U.S. brands or sports figures)

• Illiterate and non-English-speaking recruits were unfairly disadvantaged, as many were given the written Alpha Test, which they could not complete effectively

• The tests measured language ability and education rather than true intelligence

• Results were misinterpreted to claim that Southern and Eastern Europeans and Black Americans were less intelligent, reinforcing racial prejudice

  • The findings were misused to justify restrictive immigration policies, such as the 1924 Immigration Act, which limited entry to certain ethnic groups

• These policies had tragic consequences, preventing many refugees — including Anne Frank’s family — from escaping persecution