The intersection of examiner race and stereotypes on examinee performance of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - 4th Edition.
详细信息
文摘
Standardized intelligence assessments are used for a wide variety of purposes for both children and adults, including classroom placement for students, employee selection, predicting employee success, adjudication of aid and specialized learning disability services, and accommodation evaluations. Despite their prevalence, little research has been conducted on the effect of stereotype threat (STT) and the race of the examiner on intelligence scores on a standardized assessment. This study aimed to investigate the influence of examiner race and stereotype activation on intelligence scores using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale -- Fourth Edition (WAIS--IV； Wechsler, 2008). White female participants were given five subtests -- Arithmetic, Digit Span, Similarities, Vocabulary and Visual Puzzles - of the WAIS--IV by either a Black female examiner (BE) or a White female examiner (WE). The intersection and mutual influences of stereotype threat and the race of the examiner were explored through covert activation of stereotype threat in half of the participants. Thus, a 2 (race of the examiner) x 2 (stereotype threat vs. control) design was created. Findings showed that White female participant scores were lower when tested by a Black examiner as compared to a White examiner. Specifically, White female participants scored significantly lower on the Similarities subtest (p ＝ .01) and demonstrated similar differences at a trend level on the Vocabulary subtest (p ＝ .58). Moreover, when combined to create a mock Verbal Comprehension Index (composed of Similarities and Vocabulary subtests), results demonstrated a significant score difference between BE and WE groups (p ＝ .01). When all five subtests were combined to create a mock FSIQ, results trended toward significance ( p ＝ .08). No significant score differences were found between participants who were in the stereotype threat versus the control condition nor in the interaction between the conditions (race of the examiner and STT manipulation). These results are proposed to be due to resource depletion of executive functioning caused by increased evaluative concerns, emotion regulation, and response inhibition during an interracial interaction. Implications and possible methods to reduce this effect are discussed.