Measuring Intelligence: Facts and Fallacies

Description

The testing of intelligence has a long and controversial history. Claims that it is a pseudo-science or a weapon of ideological warfare have been commonplace and there is not even a consensus as to whether intelligence exists and, if it does, whether it can be measured. As a result the debate about it has centred on the nurture versus nature controversy and especially on alleged racial differences and the heritability of intelligence - all of which have major policy implications. This book aims to penetrate the mists of controversy, ideology and prejudice by providing a clear non-mathematical framework for the definition and measurement of intelligence derived from modern factor analysis. Building on this framework and drawing on everyday ideas the author address key controversies in a clear and accessible style and explores some of the claims made by well known writers in the field such as Stephen Jay Gould and Michael Howe.

David J. Bartholomew is Emeritus Professor of Statistics, London School of Economics, Fellow of the British Academy and a former president of the Royal Statistical Society. He is a member of the editorial board of various journals and has published numerous books and journal articles in the fields of statistics and social measurement.

'This book represents a step forward in the debate on measuring intelligence. It is essential reading for anyone concerned with the 'intelligence debate'. It will also make excellent reading for anyone learning about factor analysis, and provides a perfect illustration of the Bartholomew school of measurement models.' International Statistical Institute '... unquestionably well researched and very thorough.' Significance '... the author manages to present his ideas in a way that is both accessible to the general reader and useful to scholars in the relevant fields.' Science Direct '... commendable for its thoughtfulness and good judgment.' Intelligence 33