Unit 7: Intelligence Testing

Grades

• 9-10
• 11-12

Subjects

• Civics
• History
• Social Studies

Overview of Lesson Plan

• Henry H. Goddard, an American psychologist, was one of the pioneers of intelligence testing.  Goddard, best known for his work on the area of the inheritability of intelligence, believed that feeblemindedness was dangerous to society. He believed that it was dangerous for feebleminded people to reproduce as they were, in his view, responsible for many crimes and other social problems.  

  In this lesson, students will examine the beliefs and practices related to intelligence testing in the early 1900s and explore current criticisms of testing done in this era.

Standards

• 1. Apply concepts such as role, status, and social class in describing the connections and interactions of individuals, groups, and institutions in society.
  2. Analyze how science and technology influence the core values, beliefs, and attitudes of society, and how core values, beliefs and attitudes of society shape scientific and technology.

Objectives

• 1. To identify at least one of the pioneers of American intelligence testing.
  2. To explain the rise in the use of intelligence testing.
  3. To explore how “science” can be used and misused to develop public policy and to influence public opinion.
  

Questions to Consider

• 1. In what ways was early 20th century science used to develop public policy and influence public opinion?

Resources and Materials

• 1. Essay: Testing at Ellis Island (Kluth and Taylor, 2006).
  2. Two Immigrants Out of Five Feebleminded (September 15, 1917). The Survey.

Activities and Procedures

• 1. Class Discussion: Have students read "Two Immigrants Out of Five Feebleminded" and ask them the following questions:
• a) What were the Vineland staff members studying on Ellis Island?  What might have been the motivation for conducting such a study?
• b) Why did so many of the immigrants appear to be feebleminded?  Were these individuals indeed of "low intelligence" as Goddard contended or might there have been other explanations for the low scores?
• c) For what purpose do you think Goddard conducted these tests?  How do you think the collected data were used?
• d) In the article, the author reports that even Goddard thought the number of immigrants testing as feebleminded was "startling." He did not, however, see this as an indication that the test might be faulty or problematic.  Why do you suppose Goddard had so much faith in the tests?
• e) The author also reports that Goddard did not see the use of interpreters as a "barrier to efficient [emphasis added] testing."  How might the use of interpreters be a barrier to effective testing?
• 2. Web Search: Now pass out copies of the essay, "Testing at Ellis Island" and allow students to do a web search on the topic of Henry Goddard and Ellis Island.  The following websites are good places to begin a search:
• a) Human Intelligence: Historical Influences, Current Controversies, Teaching Resources http://www.indiana.edu/~intell
• b) The Vineland Training School http://www.vineland.org/history/trainingschool/index.html
• 3. Independent Work and Discussion: Tell students they are going to create one-minute monologues based on the experiences of the immigrants tested at Ellis Island.  Students should create a character to represent.  They should give their characters name, identity, and background (e.g., ethnicity, gender, country of origin, immigration experience).  Then the students should research what a person with such characteristics might have experienced during his or her transatlantic crossing and processing at Ellis Island. For example, if the character is Italian, the student could research the Italian immigration experience and learn about the time period in which their character might have traveled, what obstacles he or she may have faced upon arriving in America, and what job he or she was trained to perform.

  Then consider what this character might have experienced upon being tested with Goddards instruments.  What might he or she have felt or thought?  Write a one-minute monologue expressing the characters thoughts about testing and being assessed by the Vineland staff.  What did the testing look like from the perspective of the immigrants?  

  When students finish writing their monologues, have them practice delivering the speech with a partner.  Remind them the monologue must last no longer than one minute.

  When students are finished writing, editing, and practicing, have them read their stories one by one to the entire class.

• 4. Class Discussion: Conclude the lesson by having students discuss the monologues and share their thoughts on the Ellis Island testing.  Ask:
• a) How did the Vineland staff understand or "see" disability?
• b) What do you suppose was the impact of Goddards report?  How do you think his findings shaped public opinion, policy, or practices of the time?
• c) How does the immigration and citizenship processes of the past compare with those of today?  Are there practices that we employ today that might be considered bigoted?

Eras

• 1866-1920

Disability

• Developmental Disabilities
• Intellectual Disabilities
• Mental Retardation

Topics

• Feeble-minded
• Immigration
• Intelligence
• IQ Testing

Copyright

• ©Syracuse University, 2006.  All rights reserved.

Author(s)

• Paula Kluth, Ph.D.

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