Joan Aubrey

E-Portfolio

Entry #4

1. Are IQ tests fair to those from different cultures, those whose first language isnt
English and/or those from lower SES backgrounds? Why or Why Not?
IQ tests are not fair to those whose first language is not English and those with lower SES
backgrounds. (Week 4:Cultural/SES Impact of IQ), my takeaways were;
Tests may not be equally relevant in different cultures
Cultural values and experiences may affect performance
Cultural stereotypes may affect motivation to do well
Poor families do not have the resources that are available to the average families, that
make it conducive to academic achievement. For example, a poor family may have one
book for the household whereas an average family may have 52 books. Children who
have not had a meal find it difficult to concentrate and learn at school, and parents who
themselves are uneducated may find it challenging to motivate their children to go to
school and even more difficult to assist the children in problem solving and school
activities such as homework.
A Canadian example is that First Nations children were taken from their families and put in
group homes or placed with white families. Justification was that their parents were not
competent enough to raise them, so they were taken away from their culture and everything
they knew. This story some of the children was one that I followed with interest (CBC News,
n.d.)
.
 Figure 1: Utube video, The Sixty's Scoop

2. How is poverty (Low SES) related to intelligence? Do you think the differences in IQ for
poor children are true differences (poor people pass on their low IQ to their children),
differences in the environment/experiences of poor children (refer to examples from
class), or both?
Someone raised in poverty lacks the resources that are available to other families and therefore
when tested may appear to have lower IQ, however studies have proven that early intervention in
poor families where children are given resources, meals and a more positive environment have
been known to improve academic success as these factors are beneficial in improving study habits
(it is said that the public-school system is designed around a learnt model for middle class
students). Early intervention in SES families result in an overall general increase in intelligence
over time. Poor people do not genetically pass on low IQ to their children, however, lack of
resources, finances, quality family life, food, shelter, clothing, affordable childcare, and lack of
education in parents themselves, causes a domino effect that gives the illusion that poorer families
are less intelligent, once the condition changes there is a general increase in intelligence which
proves this fact (SES and intelligence).

3. Thinking about your own intelligence, would you say it is mostly inherited from your family,
mostly shaped by your environment, or a bit of both? What evidence do you have to
support your beliefs?
I inherited my intelligence to both my parents who although they only attained a primary school
education are both considered to be street smart. My personal experience confirms my belief
 that both genes and environment play a part in our intelligence. I grew up in a third world country
where higher education was only for the wealthy. There was a time that my school had a Spelling
Bee Competition and although I wanted to participate, I could not afford to pay the nominal fee for
the booklet. I got that booklet from my friend and I went on to become my primary school
champion, the divisional champion and the first runner up in the National Spelling Bee
Competition that year. That is a classic example of making resources available. Changing one or
more of the conditions that blocks learning in an individual can make a difference. My learning
journey continued to expand when I moved to Canada (Intelligence and Poverty/ Factors
affecting Intelligence for lower SES children).

4. Explain the Flynn Effect by referring to what he has to say about abstract problem solving.
What evidence do you see that this kind of abstract thinking is increasing in our society?
Per James Flynn, we have had to adopt new mental habits to adapt to our environment. The
introduction of technology for example has meant that we have more access to information on a
global scale. Access to information has a relation to the fact that we do better on tests than did
the generations before us. We have learnt how to condition our responses (Week 4 video The
Flynn Effect).

Part B/ Entry 4
1. What did you learn about intelligence by completing this entry?
In this entry, intelligence is many things. Intelligence is impacted by poverty. Someone raised in
poverty lacks the resources that are available to other families and therefore when tested may
appear to have lower IQ, however studies have proven that early intervention in poor families
where children are given resources, meals and a more positive environment have been known to
improve academic success as these factors are beneficial in improving study habits (it is said that
the public-school system is designed around a learnt model for middle class students). Studies
show that early intervention in SES families result in an overall general increase in intelligence
over time.

2. What did you learn about yourself by completing this entry?

I am a product of a low SES environment and I have proven that intelligence that our level of
intelligence can be positively impacted by a positive change in environment. Changing the
environment means removing areas of stress (i.e. hunger, lack of food, improper housing, abuse).
That leaves more time to focus on activities that are conducive to concentration on academic
studies. I know a lot of people like myself and many of them have gone on to have successful
careers.

3. What challenges did you face in completing the entry?

I found myself being very emotional while studying the presentation on Eugenics. It was
unimaginable that people would treat a fellow human being with such total disregard.
4. What did you do well in completing this entry? What were your successes?
I could relate the topics to my own personal experiences and my knowledge which made the
material easier to digest. Making notes as I went along made it easier to complete the
presentations, video, and different activities.