The Problem of Bias in Psychological Assessment

Much the impetus for the current debate about bias in psychological testing is based on well-documented, consistent, and substantive differences between IQ scores of Whites, Hispanics, and Blacks in the U.S.A. Various explanations are offered for these differences including the idea that IQ tests are inherently biased against Blacks, Hispanics, and possibly other ethnics groups, or what is commonly known as the Cultural Test Bias Hypothesis (CTBH). Because tests are used to make many different and important decisions about people, lack of fairness in testing resulting from test bias is of grave concern. This chapter traces the historical roots of the CTBH to the present day, provides important distinctions regarding different definitions of test bias that are critical for empirical examination of the issue, presents common objections to the use of psychological testing, and describes how test authors and publishers detect bias in psychological tests. The chapter concludes by noting that while more research is necessary, the current evidence largely supports the proposition that most commercially developed widely use tests of achievement and aptitude are not culturally biased.