The intelligence of American children of Mexican parentage.

Abstract

American children of Mexican parentage were found to have consistently lower mean IQ scores than the American children of white non-Mexican parentage. In view of certain uncontrolled environmental factors no final statement of the relative native superiority can be made. The adequacy of the non-language score of the California Test of Mental Maturity was questioned. The appropriateness of recording an index of intellectual brightness for a child who is not a member of the cultural group upon which the test was standardized is doubted. 26-item bibliography.

Rehumanizing the “Other”

“…Social scientists attributed the typically lower scores of non-European children to natural, hereditary differences in intelligence. This interpretation both naturalized differences among races and ethnicities and supported arguments for the inherent intellectual superiority of European children (Burlew, Banks, McAdoo, & Azibo, 1992; Carlson & Henderson, 1950; Garth & Johnson, 1934; Kagan & Zahn, 1975). Francis Galton (1869), whose methodology was rooted in eugenics, offered a 15-point scale of “grades of ability,” calculating that the “Negro races” were on average two grades below the “Anglo-Saxon.” These calculations were the first attempt to quantify psychological racial differences.…”

Variables Affecting Achievement of Middle School Mexican-American Students

“…These differences were shown to become increasingly more pronounced from the first grade throughout their school careers as reported by Carlson and Henderson (1950). In reporting these results, Carlson and Henderson stated that these differences could possibly be attributed to hereditary factors, but since there were many uncontrolled factors in many studies, this could not be ascertained.…”

Repeating the same mistakes: A century of research interested in the effects of bilingualism on non-linguistic cognitive functions

“…Instead, researchers controlled for rural-urban differences, as Saer (1923) had done. Carlson and Henderson (1950), for example, controlled for the 'urban-rural factor' and attempted to control socio-economic background by including only children 'who lived in a fairly homogenous, restricted, and older section of Los Angeles' (p. 544). Their study aimed to assess intelligence of Mexican pupils but 'the bilingualism factor, unfortunately, could not be controlled' (p. 545), which means it is not certain if the Mexican children were bilingual or if the control group was monolingual throughout.…”