Measuring Intelligence: Facts and Fallacies [Paperback]

David J. Bartholomew (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521544785 | ISBN-13: 978-0521544788 | Publication Date: September 20, 2004 | Edition: 1

This book penetrates the thicket of controversy, ideology and prejudice surrounding the measurement of intelligence to provide a clear non-mathematical analysis of it. The testing of intelligence has a long and controversial history and whether intelligence exists and can be measured still remains unresolved. The debate about it has centered on the "nurture versus nature" controversy and especially on alleged racial differences and the heritability of intelligence.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'This book represents a step forward in the debate on measuring intelligence. It is essential reading for anyone concerned with the 'intelligence debate'. It will also make excellent reading for anyone learning about factor analysis, and provides a perfect illustration of the Bartholomew school of measurement models.' International Statistical Institute

'... unquestionably well researched and very thorough.' Significance

'... the author manages to present his ideas in a way that is both accessible to the general reader and useful to scholars in the relevant fields.' Science Direct

'... commendable for its thoughtfulness and good judgment.' Intelligence 33

Book Description

The testing of intelligence has a long and controversial history. It is not even agreed whether intelligence exists and, if it does whether it can be measured. The debate about it has centred on the nurture versus nature controversy and especially on alleged racial differences and the hertitability of intelligence. This book aims to penetrate the mists of controversy, ideology and prejudice which surround the measurement of intelligence and to provide a clear, non-mathematical treatment drawing on familiar everyday ideas.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 186 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (September 20, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521544785
• ISBN-13: 978-0521544788
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #977,354 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars David J. Bartholomew's "Measuring Intelligence.", February 12, 2005

By 

Marvin McConoughey "dieselsmoke" (Corvallis, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Measuring Intelligence: Facts and Fallacies (Paperback)

I read this book as an interested amateur, thus later reviews may reflect more knowledgeable reviewers. Dr. Bartholomew is a respected researcher into social science statistics and a published author in that and related fields.

The author has written a lucid and careful discussion of intelligence and the factorial way of approaching it. In the process of so doing, he casts an informed light on past efforts by other researchers and commentators in the field. At all times, his writing is cautious, qualified, and presented with a prudence and lack of bombast not always found in this field.

I read every page and all the footnotes carefully and found the book to be a joy to read. Where analogies would be helpful, they were provided. The lack of math in the book did not forestall discussion of some of the mathematical complexities involved. And the bibliography is a concise treasure of references for further reading. The author is a careful writer who is considerate of his readers and leads one step-by-step through some of the complexities and controversies involved in this contentious subject. The use of g is presented as a superior way of assessing intelligence but not as a panacea. The book mercifully distinguishes between "intelligence" "IQ" and "g".

My prior acquaintance with the topic of intelligence consisted of having read "The Bell Curve" by Herrnstein and Murray, several of the books written in rebuttal, dozens of the papers written in response, Stephen J. Gould's "The Mismeasure of Man" in the original 1981 version, Arthur R. Jensen's "The g Factor, and several other books and journal reports whose titles do not come readily to mind. This book provides an expert's insight into the field of intelligence.