Human Abilities In Cultural Context

Description:
Originally published in 1988, Human Abilities in Cultural Context constituted a major development in conceptualising and studying human abilities. It formed a unique reference frame. This study offers a re-evaluation of ability theory by the editors, S. H. Irvine and J. W. Berry, and strong individual statements by H. J. Eysenck, Arthur R. Jensen, Joseph R. Royce, and Robert J. Sternberg, who represent markedly different approaches to the measurement of intelligence. It also focuses on contexts in which the limits of assessment by psychological tests are defined: in minority native groups in North America, in migrants to Britain, in lower-caste enclaves in India, among African minorities, and among Australian Aborigines. Written by long-term residents of the regions in question, these chapters presented a wealth of fresh data in relation to Western formulations of theory and practice.

Review:
'...this book will help set the research agenda for another generation of psychologists...' Contemporary Psychology

Table of Contents:
Preface; Acknowledgements; Part I. Human Abilities in Theoretical Cultures; Section 1. Holistic Theories: 1. The abilities of mankind: a revaluation S. H. Irvine and J. W. Berry; 2. A triatchic view of intelligence in cross-cultural perspective Robert J. Sternberg; Section 2. Biometric Fundamentalism: 3. The biological basis of intelligence H. J. Eysenck; 4. Speed of information processing and population differences Arthur R. Jensen; Section 3. Structural Psychometrics: 5. The factor model as a theoretical basis for individual differences Joseph R. Royce; 6. The meaning of item bias in ability tests Ype H. Poortinga and Henk van der Flier; Part II. Cultural Responses to Ability Measurement; Section 4. Europe and North America: 7. The British 'cultural influence' on ability testing Paul Kline; 8. Cultural influences on patterns of abilities in North America Philip Anthony Vernon, Douglas N. Jackson and Samuel Messick; 9. Human abilities in the Eastern Mediterranean Cigdem Kagitcibasi and Isik Savasir; 10. The Norwegian tests and measurements in cultural context Knut A. Hagtvet and Johan O. Undheim; Section 5. Africa, Asia, and Australia: 11. Human assessment in Australia Daphne M. Keats and John A. Keats; 12. Test performance of blacks in Southern Africa I. M. Kendall, Mary Ann Vester, and J. W. Von Mollendorf; 13. Individual differences among the peoples of China J. W. C. Chan and Philip E. Vernon; 14. Japanese abilities and achievements Saburo Iwawaki and Philip E. Vernon; Part III. Cultural Limits Upon Human Assessment; Section 6. Minorities and Enclaves: 15. Native North Americans: Indian and Inuit abilities Damian McShane and J. W. Berry; 16. Aboriginal cognition and psychological nescience L. Z. Klich; 17. Testing Bushmen in the Central Kalahari Helmut Reuning; 18. Caste and cognitive processes J. P. Das and Amulya Kanti Satpathy Khurana; 19. Educational adaptation and achievement of ethnic minority adolescents in Britain Gajendra K. Verma; 20. The diminishing test performance gap between English speakers and Afrikaans speakers in South Africa J. M. Verster and R. J. Prinsloo; Author index; Subject index.