ABSTRACT
The following are some of the main irrelevances which the tester should seek to avoid:
Inability of the testee to understand the instructions, whether given in printed form or orally. Particular words or phrases may mislead or convey the wrong ‘set’ towards what he is supposed to do. Such misunderstandings arise not only from lack of facility in the language, or from differences in pronunciation between tester and testee, but also from insufficient attention or interest, or from anxiety.
With rare exceptions (notably most of the Stanford-Binet) western tests are couched in a somewhat artificial form, mainly for ease and reliability of scoring. Group tests largely employ multiple-choice, odd-man-out or even more complex item-forms, which certainly don't resemble the way we usually think, nor even how we are required to work in schools (outside the USA). Performance tests often have to be started at a signal, or other restraints are imposed. The sophisticated testee has become used to this artificiality. In printed tests he can cast his thinking into the appropriate mould, e.g. he will often read the answers before the question, and will be aware that the longest or most qualified answer is often the correct one. He develops a know-how which helps him to tackle more difficult items than when he first met this type. In much the same way the crossword addict becomes familiar with the style of clues set by the crossword author in his daily newspaper, but finds greater difficulty in tackling the puzzles in another paper. Moreover such sophistication is certainly not confined to verbal tests. The practice effects on retesting or taking parallel forms of Kohs Blocks, Formboards, Matrices and other non-verbal tests tend to be larger than with conventional intelligence or attainment tests. *
In timed tests particularly, the sophisticated testee does not waste time on items to which he sees no immediate solution. He knows that he can probably score more by going on and returning to them if there is time at the end. He is aware of the importance of spending time on reading the instructions carefully, so as to avoid errors of Type 1. He knows that he will probably gain by guessing. But in other cultural groups there may be no stress on doing things in a set time, and the giving of answers of which one is not sure may be discouraged.
The western school-child has had plenty of experience of doing written work on his own, and keeping his attention on the job for quite long periods; also of competing against his fellows, or of trying hard to answer just because the teacher says so, even if the questions seem pointless. He wants to do his best to please, or to avoid criticism from teachers and parents, and he readily transfers these motivations and attitudes to the psychological test situation. In other ethnic groups, particularly when testees have not been exposed to schooling, the culture pattern may be entirely different, and the whole test situation meaningless. Competition for personal gain may be frowned upon. Important problems are discussed cooperatively with the elders of the tribe, not left to individual initiative. Even the habit (or possibly instinct) of paying attention to unfamiliar stimuli may be undeveloped.
The testing situation, whether individual or group, is a social situation, and often the tester is a stranger — sometimes, in western schools, a psychologist from outside with an unfamiliar accent — sometimes, in other countries, a person of different nationality or colour. Even if he is working through an interpreter or native supervisors, he is obviously the person in charge. All of us are wary of strangers and need convincing of their friendliness and trustworthiness before committing ourselves to doing what they ask. Africans, Arabs, Asians and Australian aboriginals are particularly likely to have engrained attitudes of distrust for whites, which must interfere with their cooperation and understanding of his instructions. Also the foreign tester is naturally handicapped in understanding their attitudes and reactions, or in knowing how to appeal, or explain, to them.
Elements in the test materials can easily stimulate different associations in different cultures. A word or phrase, diagram or picture, may carry unintentional meanings. For example pictorial representation as such is discouraged among Moslems, so that even apart from the unfamiliarity of most Arab children with pictures, there may be inhibitions against recognising the objects portrayed.
