You see an advertisement for a new intelligence test in a professional publication aimed at clinical psychologists. The ad proclaims that the test is "culturally fair." You have already read the "Intelligence" chapter in your psychology text. Which of the following best captures your reaction to the ad?
A) You are dismissive. There are no core components to intelligence that are universal across cultures, making a culture-fair test impossible.
B) You are excited. Finally someone has designed a culture-fair test of intelligence!
C) You are unimpressed. Culturally fair tests of intelligence have existed for a while now.
D) You are skeptical. Even the way problems are arranged on the page may have a cultural component to it.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The statement in the advertisement claiming a test to be "culturally fair" is doubtful since even seemingly trivial things like the layout of a test might have a cultural bias. Therefore, it is best to be skeptical and critically evaluate the claims of the test. Option A is not accurate because research has suggested that some core components of intelligence like problem-solving skills are universally relevant. Option B is not entirely appropriate because the concept of a completely "culture-fair" test is questionable. Option C is the closest alternative to D, but it suggests that culturally fair tests have existed for a while, which is not entirely accurate. While there have been attempts to develop culture-fair tests in the past, the idea of a completely culture-fair test is still a matter of debate.

You See an Advertisement for a New Intelligence Test in a Professional