2.8d AP PSYCH

What mainly causes group differences in intelligence test scores?

Environmental factors like education, culture, and opportunity

Are intelligence tests completely fair for all groups?

Not always — they can reflect cultural experiences or biases.

What is stereotype threat?

When fear of confirming a negative stereotype lowers performance.

Who scores higher in verbal and reading skills?

Females — better at spelling, reading, and verbal fluency.

Who scores higher in spatial and complex math reasoning?

Males — stronger in visual-spatial and advanced math skills.

Which gender shows greater score variation?

Males — more at both very high and very low ends.

Are IQ group differences genetic or environmental?

Mostly environmental — not due to genes.

What does the Flynn Effect show?

IQ scores rise over generations from better education and living conditions.

How much can schooling increase IQ?

About 1–5 points per year of education.

Is race biological or social?

Social — humans are genetically very similar.

Where is more genetic variation found: within or between races?

Within races — we share most genes across populations.

Are intelligence tests scientifically biased?

No — they predict performance equally across groups.

Are intelligence tests culturally biased?

Yes, sometimes — they may favor certain cultural knowledge. (e.g. english)

What happens under stereotype threat?

People underperform due to fear of confirming a stereotype.

Example of stereotype threat?

Women perform worse on math tests after being reminded of gender stereotypes.

How can stereotype threat be reduced?

Encouraging self-confidence, diverse role models, and supportive environments.

What did Janet Shibley Hyde conclude from her meta-analyses?

Males and females are similar on most psychological traits; differences are minor.

What did Steven Pinker argue about gender differences?

Evolutionary and biological factors (like hormones) explain small differences in risk-taking and spatial skills.

How do culture and opportunity influence gender gaps?

More gender-equal societies (like Sweden) show smaller math and science gaps.

What trend has been seen in U.S. SAT math gender ratios since the 1970s?

The boy-to-girl ratio for high scores dropped from 13:1 to 3:1 as equality improved.

Can group averages predict individual intelligence?

No — differences between individuals are much larger than group averages.

What is one major environmental factor affecting group IQ differences?

language & culture : tests reflect dominant culture → unfair to outsiders

socioeconomic factors: wealth, nutrition, schooling

education: +1 year of school = +1-5 IQ points

generational effects: modern populations score higher due to better living & education, NOT GENES