Infant Intelligence Tests: Their Use and Misuse

Abstract

Data from a variety of infant intelligence test scores make clear that it is not possible to consider (1) that infant intelligence is a measurable, unitary construct, (2) that there is a general g factor easily discernible in infancy, (3) that there is stability of scores both within and across scales, or (4) that there is predictability across age. These facts are discussed for their implications for models of intelligence, the use of intelligence tests in infancy, and finally intervention programs. It is concluded that the implicit model of general intelligence rests upon its function for society rather than its scientific merit. An alternative model of infant development is offered which is related to the acquisition of specific skills, the learning of which is dependent upon the match between the subject and the nature of the learning experience.

Research on Developmental Psychology

“…Lewis's interest in social development and in consciousness led quite naturally to his research on emotional development, as already noted (Lewis 1973(Lewis , 1977b(Lewis , 1980Lewis and Brooks 1974;Lewis et al 1978;Lewis and Michalson 1982a, b;Lewis and Rosenblum 1978a, b). Two volumes framed this work on the development of emotional life Rosenblum 1974b, 1978b) and were the first published studies of emotional development.…”

“…Lewis's interests in development also extended to the study of infants' and children's cognitive development, including attentional processes, intelligence, and language development (Dodd and Lewis 1969;Freedle and Lewis 1977;Hale and Lewis 1979;Lewis 1971bLewis , 1973Lewis , 1975bLewis , 1976aLewis , b, 1977aLewis , 1978aLewis , 1981aLewis , 1982aLewis and Baldini 1979;Lewis and Cherry 1977;Lewis and Freedle 1977;Lewis and Rosenblum 1977;Lewis et al 1969aLewis et al , 1971McGurk and Lewis 1974).…”

Cognition and Motivation in Early Infancy

“…In accordance with a hypothesis of environmental specificity, it becomes important that these measures assess specific aspects of the environment, as done for example by the inanimate environment scale (Characteristics of the In animate Environment) developed by Yarrow et al (1975). When early interven tion programs are carried through, it seems essential to make use of what Lewis (1973) has called a 'subject-treatment interaction design', and this must be applied to the nature of the program itself, as well as to the evaluation of to what extent the program has been effective. However, it remains to be pointed out in detail how it might be possible to carry through such a design in practical life situations.…”

Developmental scales and developmental curricula: forging a linkage for early intervention

“…The inertia in this area can be traced to the ingrained criticism that traditional scales are poor predictors of later intellectual functioning (Yang & Bell, 1975;Lewis, 1973), although data on this question are in fact somewhat equivocal (Illingworth, 1970;Knobloch & Pasamanick, 1974). In overemphasizing the predictive validity question, critics have obscured the worth of traditional developmental scales as baseline skill analysis measures.…”