What arguments were offered in opposition to the contention that intelligence tests were measuring one, innate, factor of intelligence (g)?
Yerkes suggested that psychologists should help in the War (WWI) effort. He believed that mental testing was an important tool in determining the character and personality of a human being and it measures the “innate intelligence” of soldiers.
During the First World War, the American Army gave Robert Yerkes the permission to carry mental testing of the new recruits to the American Army. This was known as the Army Testing Program.
Deterioration of National Intelligence - It was observed that the European immigrants, who came to America from Eastern and Southern parts of Europe, had a comparatively lower innate intelligence level.
It was observed and believed by Yerkes that by allowing immigrants into America, they were weakening the level of intelligence and intellect of the masses.
In opposition to this contention that intelligence tests were measuring one, innate, factor of intelligence, several psychologists and scientists challenged the Eugenicists that the measurement of the intelligence of a person also holds into account the circumstances and personal achievements.
Gould (1981) criticized the Army Testing Program, saying that, the questionnaire of the Tests consisted of questions regarding baseball players, branded names and food products, sports such as bowling, tennis and even about phonographs.
Gould inferred that the more privileged and upper class army recruits among the 1.75 men could have possibly answered these questions and thus, the test results were full of fallacies.