In defending tests of cognitive abilities, knowledge, or skills (CAKS) from the skepticism of their "family members, friends, and neighbors" and aiding psychologists forced to defend tests from "myth and hearsay" in their own skeptical social networks (p. 215), Sackett, Borneman, and Connelly focused on evaluating validity coefficients, racial or…

We are pleased that our article prompted this series of four commentaries and that we have this opportunity to respond. We address each in turn. Duckworth and Kaufman and Agars discussed, respectively, two broad issues concerning the validity of selection systems, namely, the expansion of the predictor domain to include noncognitive predictors of…

The definition of test bias--the inventory of the ways in which the term is used--has many widely disparate aspects frequently stemming from entirely different universes of discourse. This article attempts a review of the status of each of these. (Author)

Findings of this survey indicate that important differences exist between experimenters and students on various issues of human research--psychologists expressing views much more ethically stringent than those by their most typical human subjects. (Authors)

Reviews the approaches that have been used to detect cultural, content, predictive, and selection bias in mental tests. Argues that questions of bias are fundamentally questions of validity. Concludes that although much has been learned about the technical details of test bias, social policy questions remain to be resolved. (Author/GC)

Examines the legal issues concerning (1) cultural bias in educational tests; (2) the validity of employment tests; and (3) the disclosure of test materials. Discusses the legal interpretations of psychometric concepts that have arisen from recent litigation. (Author/GC)

Suggests that psychological and educational testing of members of linguistic minority groups should take into account the diverse social, political, and economic realities moderated by educational opportunities, which in turn are closely linked to standardized testing. Discusses conceptual and operational issues in the area of minority group…

The present social and political climate is marked by an increasing appreciation of human diversity and of society's need to accommodate such diversity. The social context for testing is thus fundamentally different from that in which standardized testing developed. Testing should now be more concerned with facilitating equal opportunity.…

C. M. Steele and J. Aronson (1995) showed that making race salient when taking a difficult test affected the performance of high-ability African American students, a phenomenon they termed stereotype threat. The authors document that this research is widely misinterpreted in both popular and scholarly publications as showing that eliminating…

Intelligence tests deserve careful examination before continuing to blindly promote their use as instruments of power over the lives of many Americans. (DM)

Discusses issues of validity and fairness in the use of intelligence tests for job selection. Expands set of constructs used to predict job performance and sets of performance criteria used to quantify job performance. Presents an agenda for research and practice in job selection and training for the future. (MMU)

Psychologists and educational specialists with expertise in areas related to intelligence testing responded to a questionnaire dealing with possible racial and socioeconomic bias of IQ tests. Overall, experts hold positive attitudes about the validity and usefulness of intelligence and aptitude tests. (Author/LHW)

Argues that because widely used multiple choice tests do not measure more complex cognitive skills, such skills are not taught. Suggests that greater costs of tests in other formats can be justified by their value for instruction--to encourage teaching of higher level cognitive skills and provide practice with feedback. (CMG)

Subgroup differences are expected on traditional knowledge, skill, ability, and achievement tests. Considers actions to reduce differences and fairly assess individual attributes. Suggests that selection materials assess the full range of relevant attributes using a format that minimizes verbal content as much as is appropriate. Recommends using…

Argues that the typical psychometric model of human intelligence is limited because the database fails to take account of the many manifestations of intelligent behavior that are displayed in the world outside the testing room. Suggests that cognitive processes are influenced by test situation or setting and examiner's level of expertise. (PS)