Trends in discussions of intelligence: race differences.

Abstract

It is provocative to compare the treatments accorded any controversial issue in different areas of knowledge. In the field of educational psychology, there are various topics concerning which experts disagree or hold disparate views. One author treats learning as a matter of "insight"; another interprets it to be a process of strengthening neural bonds; while a third views it almost entirely as a result of conditioning. The student who obtains his concepts from reading a single textbook presentation often assumes that the position expressed is the only scientifically sanctioned view. This, of course, is not the case. If the reader were to scrutinize other books, he might become confused, but he would appreciate the diversity of opinion and interpretation concerning many psychological or educational issues. Unfortunately, however, students seldom go beyond the textbook employed in a course. For this reason, textbooks play an important role in moulding the students' attitudes and opinions. Even when other books are assigned, the instructor is often zealous to insure that the collateral reading will corroborate or reinforce the position which he or the textbook affirms.Illustrative of a controversial issue usually considered in textbooks in educational psychology is racial differences in intelligence. Very different attitudes toward this subject are exemplified by the treatments found in two recently published volumes, Carroll's Genius in the Making, 1 and Benedict's Race: Science and Politics. 2 Let us assume that the student is referred to the first book to corroborate or extend the discussion found in the textbook. One section of this book deals with the extent to which gifted children may be found in different "racial" groups.The following excerpts show that the author accepts a view which is rather unfavorable toward the Negro: Accepting a mean of 82 as being typical of the average mentality of the Negro and assuming that this is accompanied by a standard deviation of 12, an IQ becomes four standard deviations above the mean. Statistically there is but one chance in 30,000 of a score falling above plus four standard deviations. In other words, a Negro child has but one chance in 30,000 of being intellectually gifted. ... It seems that the cards of inheritance-and 584