L3: Eugenics, Psychology, and intelligence testing

This module describes the eugenics movement and socio-historical context around early research into cognitive abilities and psychology.

Goals

  • Provide overview of the Eugenics movement
  • Elaborate on psychology’s role in the Eugenics movement
  • Introduce the research on intelligence testing

Instructions

Work through each of the following Read, View/Watch/Listen, and Engage sections. You have the full week to complete any quizzes or assignments for this module.

Read

25 minutes

Textbook Chapter: Eugenics and Psychology

Describes the eugenics movement and socio-historical context around early research into cognitive abilities and psychology.

Read

30 minutes

Chapter 4: Intelligence testing

Discusses early intelligence tests and historical examples of how the tests were used in the context of the eugenics movement.

Read

Video + APA Chronology

Watch the video on Galton’s connection to Eugenics and skim through APA’s historical chronology of events related to the eugenics movement.

View/Watch/Listen

There is one slide deck for this module.


L3: Slides

Engage

When you are ready complete any or all of the following assignments.

  1. QUIZ: Complete the L3: Eugenics, Psychology, and intelligence testing quiz (on Canvas)
  2. WRITING: There are three reading/writing assignments to choose from (instructions below, submit on Canvas).
  3. REFLECT: Submit a meme for the Memer of the Semester contest on Canvas (1 extra credit point for winner at the end of the semester)

Submit your work before the due date posted on Canvas. Then, move on to the next learning module.

Note: You have the option to do L2 and L3 quizzes/assignments this week. You can choose to do both or either. Ultimately, your goal is to accumulate 30 points from ALL the weekly assigments so you have some flexibility in how many assignments you do.


Writing Option 1: The formation of ABPSi

This assignment involves reading a paper about the formation of the Association of Black Psychologists, and then completing a writing activity. The citation for the paper is:

Williams, R. (1974). A History of the Association of Black Psychologists: Early Formation and Development. Journal of Black Psychology, 1(1), 9–24. https://doi.org/10/gg3hq4

You can obtain the paper through the library, or download it from this assignment on Canvas.

This is a fairly open-ended writing assignment. Your task is to read the paper, and then describe what you learned from the paper in at least 250 words using full sentences (feel free to write more if you want). Submit your writing to this assignment posted on Canvas.

Writing Option 2: APA’s apology

In October 2021, the American Psychological Association issued an apology to People of Color for APA’s Role in Promoting, Perpetuating, and Failing to Challenge Racism, Racial Discrimination, and Human Hierarchy in U.S.

https://www.apa.org/about/policy/racism-apology

The above website contains the apology, and additional information providing context for the apology.

This is a fairly open-ended writing assignment. Your task is to visit and read through the above website. Then describe what you learned from this process in at least 250 words using full sentences (feel free to write more if you want). Submit your writing to this assignment posted on Canvas.

Writing Option 3: Stanford-Binet IQ test

For this assignment, you will take the long version of the Stanford-Binet IQ test and then reflect on your experience of taking the test and whether or not it reflects aspects of “intelligence”.

  1. Take the long/full version (24 minutes) of the test and record your score.
  2. You do not need to report your score in the assignment, but reflect on how you felt about:
  • Taking the test: Were the questions easy or difficult?
  • The final score: Did it reflect your test-taking experience?
  • The “intelligence” aspect: Did you feel as though your intelligence was being tested? Which aspects of intelligence were highlighted vs. underemphasized in the assessment?
  1. Finally, reflect on how someone who does not come from the same background as you may perform on this test. Do you think this test could be useful or harmful in different situations?

Your response should be at least 250 words and use full sentences (feel free to write more if you want). Submit your writing to this assignment posted on Canvas.