Question 1

You work at your dorm cafeteria and notice that your supervisor occasionally weighs the portions of food you are serving. The supervisor is concerned with the issue of

Accepted Answer

The supervisor is likely concerned with standardization, ensuring that each portion of food is consistent in weight and size for fairness and quality control.

Question 2

Unicorns have an average IQ score that is 10 points higher than centaurs. Given this information, what is the most accurate statement about the intelligence of a particular unicorn and a particular centaur?

Accepted Answer

While unicorns, on average, have a higher IQ than centaurs, we cannot make any conclusions about the intelligence of a particular unicorn and a particular centaur without further information or testing. It is possible that the individual centaur may have a higher IQ than the individual unicorn. Therefore, the most accurate statement is that we cannot make any conclusions about their intelligence.

Question 3

Researchers are in the process of developing a new college entrance exam. They want to ensure that wherever the test is given, it will be administered, scored, and interpreted in the same manner. In other words, the researchers are concerned with

Accepted Answer

The researchers' concern with administering, scoring, and interpreting the test in the same manner regardless of location indicates a concern for standardization.

Question 4

Morgan was adopted as a newborn and has always lived with his adoptive family. Now, at age twenty, he discovers that he has an identical twin brother. According to research, Morgan's IQ score will be most similar to his

Accepted Answer

IQ scores are significantly influenced by genetic factors, so Morgan's IQ score is likely to be most similar to his biological twin's IQ score.  His adoptive family's IQ scores are not likely to be as similar to his own since they do not share the same genes.

Question 5

David wants to look at genetic influences on IQ, so he administers a battery of tests to Frank and Fred, who are fraternal twins; Sidney and Sheldon, who are identical twins; and Larry and Harry, who are non-twin brothers. David's supervisor asks him to make a guess about which set of siblings will most likely have the most similar IQs. David's best guess would be

Accepted Answer

Identical twins (Sidney and Sheldon) share 100% of their genes, so they are likely to have the most similar IQs compared to fraternal twins and non-twin siblings who share only about 50% of their genes.

Question 6

Ebony took the Aptitude to Succeed in College (ASC)test when she was a high school senior and scored very low. She went to college anyway and graduated with an A average. For kicks, she took the ASC again during her senior year in college. Again, she scored very low on it. The ASC has good statistical __________ but poor statistical __________.

Accepted Answer

The ASC test has good reliability because Ebony's scores were consistently low both times she took it. However, it has poor validity because it did not accurately predict her college success, as she graduated with an A average.

Question 7

Which of the following is still a problem faced by modern IQ tests?

Accepted Answer

Many modern IQ tests still have items that reflect the vocabulary and experiences of the dominant middle-class culture, which can disadvantage individuals from different cultural or socioeconomic backgrounds.

Question 8

Katrina received a 740 on her math SAT. She decided to take the SAT again and received a 720. The reason the scores are so similar is because the SAT has high

Accepted Answer

Statistical reliability refers to the consistency of a measure. Katrina's similar scores indicate that the SAT is a reliable test, as it produces consistent results over repeated administrations.

Question 9

Amber and Lisa are identical twins. They were separated at birth and raised to adulthood in completely different families without contact with one another. Greg and James are fraternal twins separated at birth and raised to adulthood in completely different families without contact with one another. Based only on this information, you would expect the difference in adult IQ scores between Lisa and Amber to be __________ the difference between Greg and James.

Accepted Answer

The difference in adult IQ scores between Lisa and Amber would likely be less than the difference between Greg and James because Lisa and Amber are identical twins, meaning they have the same genes and genetic predispositions, while Greg and James are fraternal twins, meaning they only share about 50% of their genes. Environmental factors can also play a role in IQ scores, but genetic factors are generally considered to be more important. Therefore, the similarity in genes between Lisa and Amber would likely result in a smaller difference in IQ scores compared to Greg and James.

Question 10

Noah is outlining a paper on the fairness of intelligence tests. He has come up with several possible titles and has asked for your opinion. You tell Noah that all of the following would be accurate titles except for

Accepted Answer

The title "Only One Scale on IQ Tests: Limitations to Fairness" suggests that IQ tests only measure intelligence on a single scale, which may not accurately reflect the multifaceted nature of intelligence and could lead to unfair assessments. However, this is not a commonly recognized issue with IQ tests, as they typically include multiple subtests to measure different aspects of intelligence. The other titles accurately reflect known issues that can affect test performance, such as anxiety, unfamiliarity with the test environment, and fear of making mistakes.

Question 11

Which of the following statements is false ?

Accepted Answer

A test cannot be valid without being reliable. Reliability is a prerequisite for validity; if a test is not consistent (reliable), it cannot accurately measure what it is supposed to measure (valid).

Question 12

Riley believes that fingernail length is a strong predictor of intelligence, and that cutting one's nails will lead to decreased intellectual skill. He enlists twenty participants to let their fingernails grow for six months and he gives them IQ tests every eight weeks. His data most likely have ________ statistical reliability and ________ validity.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Riley believes that fingernail length is a...

Question 13

If intelligence were determined solely by heredity, the correlation of the IQ scores of identical twins would be

Accepted Answer

Identical twins share 100% of their genetic material. Therefore, if intelligence were determined solely by heredity, the correlation of their IQ scores would be perfect, or +1.00.

Question 14

Nowhere State University depends primarily on shoe size, rather than the SAT, for admissions purposes. Its dropout rate is rather high. Shoe size is probably not an effective predictor of success in college because it lacks

Accepted Answer

Shoe size lacks statistical validity as a predictor of success in college because it does not logically or empirically relate to academic performance or potential.

Question 15

Which of the following is not a valid criticism of intelligence tests?

Accepted Answer

Intelligence tests are generally designed to predict academic success, so option A is not a valid criticism. The other options are valid criticisms as they address potential biases, impacts on self-image, and the influence of non-intelligence factors on test scores.

Question 16

Murray is studying the effects of heredity and environment on IQ test scores. He thinks that heredity is the most important factor in determining IQ. Which finding would support his argument most strongly?

Accepted Answer

Identical twins reared apart tend to have similar IQ scores would support Murray's argument that heredity is the most important factor in determining IQ because identical twins share 100% of their genetic material, and if they have similar IQ scores despite being raised in different environments, it suggests that genetics play a significant role in IQ.

Question 17

In the year 2525, people are separated into groups. A standardized "Group A" IQ test has been developed, and results indicate that as a group, Group A people have an average IQ score that is 25 points higher than the Group B people. Which of the following statements is an incorrect conclusion?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the year 2525, people are separated...

Question 18

Alexandria wants to use a personality test as part of her honors thesis. She knows that existing tests provide many benefits, such as having established norms. A norm is important because it is a

Accepted Answer

A norm is a description of the frequency of particular scores in a population, which allows for comparisons to be made between individuals or groups. This is important for personality tests because it allows for interpretation of individual scores and comparison to a larger population.

Question 19

You are baffled about how to untangle the influence of heredity and environment on intelligence. According to the textbook, you should

Accepted Answer

Comparing the IQs of identical twins, fraternal twins, and siblings reared together or separately helps to distinguish the effects of heredity and environment on intelligence. Identical twins share the same genes, so differences in their IQs when reared apart can highlight environmental influences.

Question 20

Dr. Sandifer administers her test to a large group of high school seniors. She then administers the same test two weeks later to the same group and finds a high correlation between the first and second scores. This means that her test

Accepted Answer

The high correlation between the first and second scores indicates that the test is consistent and reliable in measuring the same construct.

Quiz 7: Thought, Language, and Intelligence