cycle 16, day 6

Two crucial criteria for accepting psychological tests, especially intelligence tests:
- Reliability
- Validity

Definition of Reliability: The consistency of a test. A reliable test yields similar scores consistently over time.
Illustrative Example:
- Measuring the width of a desk with a tape measure that gives varying results would be considered unreliable.
Learning Context:
- Similar reliability can be expected when students revisit material over time; ideally, they should obtain similar grades if they know the material well.
- However, this is often not the case as many students forget content after testing. This raises concerns in critical fields, such as medicine.
Importance of Retesting:
- Test-Retest Reliability: Compares scores of the same individual on the same test taken at different times.
- Example Tests: Stanford-Binet test and Wechsler scales demonstrate high reliability.
- Application: Taking a Stanford-Binet IQ test in high school and again in college should yield similar results, albeit not identical.
- Variability can arise from:
  - Changes in emotional or mental state during testing (e.g., state-dependent memory)
  - Familiarity with the test format which can provide an advantage in retaking the test.
Changes in Intelligence:
- Intelligence is not static; it can fluctuate with age and experience, which may affect test scores.

Definition of Validity: A test is valid if it accurately measures what it is supposed to measure.
Verification of Validity:
- Validity is evaluated by comparing test scores with external standards or norms.
- Examples:
- A musical aptitude test should predict one's ability to learn an instrument.
- Intelligence test scores should correlate with academic performance (e.g., an IQ of 130 should correspond to high grades).

Intelligence test scores moderately predict academic success and job performance.
Disagreement exists concerning the definition of intelligence and success, complicating the assessment of IQ test validity.

Socioeconomic Status:
- Low-income children score 10-15 points lower on IQ tests than their middle and upper-class peers.
- Potential Reasons:
- Limited access to educational resources, activities (like puzzles), and books can hinder skill acquisition that correlates with IQ.
- Nutritional and environmental factors also affect cognitive development (e.g., adequate sleep, stable home environment).
Motivation:
- Motivation to succeed plays a crucial role in performance.
- Students with a history of failing may enter tests expecting to fail, resulting in lower performance.
- Motivation may drive success even more than intelligence in some instances.

Some intelligence tests are criticized for cultural bias, favoring specific groups, e.g., the Stanford-Binet test tends to favor certain ethnicities.
Manifestations of Bias:
- Language used in tests can advantage or disadvantage certain cultural groups.
- Cultural context influences the interpretation of questions, which can make tests unfairly challenging for those from different backgrounds.
Difficulties in Creating Unbiased Tests:
- Test makers inherently bring their cultural perspectives into the design, complicating the quest for fair testing.

The Black Intelligence Test of Cultural Homogeneity (BITCH Test):
- Designed to highlight cultural bias in intelligence testing.
- Example questions require cultural knowledge that may not be universally understood, illustrating disadvantages for non-black test takers.

Students were assigned questions to be answered in Cornell notes to reinforce the learning of concepts discussed.
Exit Ticket Question:
- What is the difference between validity and reliability?