ABSTRACT
In an endeavour to overcome some of the shortcomings of prior investigations of ethnic group differences in intellectual ability, Marjoribanks examined relations between a refined family environment measure and ethnic group differences in the levels and profiles of a set of mental ability test scores. When the relations between the eight process variables and the four mental abilities were examined, a significant canonical correlation of 0.77 was obtained. In a principal component analysis of the eight environment variables, the six press measures loaded strongly on a factor which was labelled the learning environment of the family. Thomas and Znaniecki developed a general conceptual framework linking social organization and social personality. Relationships between family environment, attitudes, and achievement within each social group were investigated further using regression surface analysis. The findings from regression surface analysis provide only partial support for theoretical framework, which suggests that children's attitudes are related to academic performance at different levels of learning environment of the family.
