Cattell Culture Fair Intelligence Test

Dr. Raymond Cattell and the Cattell Culture Fair Intelligence Test: 

Raymond Cattell, a British-American psychologist developed the Cattell Culture Fair Intelligence Test (CCFIT).

Cattell aimed to develop an intelligence assessment tool that provided equitable entry to learners across all socioeconomic, linguistic, and racial backgrounds. According to Cattell (1968), CCFIT was developed to be” indifferent to cultural experiences that might differentially influence examinees’ responses to its items.” (p. 61)

Like many psychologists before him, Cattell believed in multiple forms of intelligence. He coined them fluid intelligence (Gf) and crystalized intelligence. Cattell viewed Gf as innate, biological reasonings while Gc was knowledge collected over time through experience. 

Does CCFIT Solve the issue of cultural bias in assessments?

Mostly yes, but also no.

Several studies attempt to measure how culture unboundness ofCattell’s intelligence test.

For example, researchers Nenty and Dinero (1981) found CCFIT to be mostly unbiased. Nenty and Dinero administered a 46 item assessment to Nigerian high school students and American high school students. They found six question items favored the American students, specifically the questions associated with geometric forms. While five questions favored the Nigerian students, specifically those related to progressive matrices.

While Cattell’s intelligence test’s strength is being closer to assessment equity, there are still areas of bias within the exam.

Sources: 

Cattell Family. (2008, April 22). Raymond Cattell. [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raymond_Cattell.jpg.

Nenty, H. J., & Dinero, T. E. (1981). A Cross-Cultural Analysis of the Fairness of the Cattell Culture Fair Intelligence Test Using the Rasch Model. Applied Psychological Measurement, 5(3), 355–368. https://doi.org/10.1177/014662168100500309

The School of Ireland. (2020, June 14). PSYCH: FLUID & CRYSTALLIZED INTELLIGENCE [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDHk04QAfPk