H. H. Goddard believed that feeble-mindedness was inherited. To test his theory, he administered intelligence tests to immigrants as they arrived at Ellis Island, finding that many received low scores. What was problematic with Goddard's method of testing intelligence?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Goddard's method of testing intelligence was problematic because he administered intelligence tests to immigrants who barely spoke English, which prevented them from fully understanding the questions and therefore performing poorly on the test. This meant that the test was not an accurate measure of their true intelligence, and therefore Goddard's conclusions about the inheritance of feeble-mindedness were not reliable.

H H Goddard Believed That Feeble-Mindedness Was Inherited