Question- What are limitations of intelligence tests ?

Answer-

Limitations of Intelligence Tests

(1) Creating Complexes : Intelligence tests label some students as superior and the others as inferior. When pupils realize that they are slow to learn, they develop inferiority complex. On the other hand, those who know that they have little higher I.Q. develop over-confidence and may become problem children.

(2) Teachers Bais : When teachers see students through I.Q., and form a baised idea, they try to discourage or to create over-confidence pupils according to the level of their intelligence, announced by these tests.

(3) Diagnosis : The knowledge of the intelligence of students, may result in slackness on the part of a teacher. While he may put the entire reponsibility of a students failure on his inferior intelligence. He may think that a bright student will be able to do everything without his teacher’s help.

(4) Segregation and Conflicts : The results of intelligence tests have been misused to uphold the theory of royal blood and segregation. In USA, it led to a conflict between the Black and White individuals.

(5) Limited Scope : I.Q. tests touch only mental domain of the child. They do not touch his interests, attitudes and motives etc.

(6) Limited Reliability : These tests have no absolute reliability. Crow and Crow have said, “The result of such tests may be affected by many factor inherent in the testing conditions, the child’s background of experience and other favourable or unfavourable elements.” Hence, results of intelligence test should not be accepted as the only measure of an individual ability to learn. It is not proper to give undue weightage to intelligence tests.

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