Intelligence tests, such as the WISC-IV, are often used to identify gifted children. However, Dousson critiques these tests in Chapter 2 of her thesis, emphasizing that they are more influenced by educational and social logics than by an objective measure of intelligence. She writes: "These tests are designed within a specific educational framework and favor certain skills over others, thereby reflecting cultural and social biases." This critique aligns with the work of Stephen Jay Gould, who in The Mismeasure of Man argues that intelligence tests are often biased and do not measure an innate ability but rather a conformity to cultural norms.

Intelligence tests, like the WISC-IV (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children), are frequently used to identify gifted children based on high IQ (Intelligence Quotient) scores. However, Léa Dousson criticizes these tests in Chapter 2 of her thesis, arguing that they are more influenced by educational and social logics than by a true objective measure of intelligence. She notes that these tests are not neutral or universal, but are designed within a specific educational framework that favors certain skills over others, introducing significant cultural and social biases.

Dousson points out that the WISC-IV, like other intelligence tests, primarily values verbal and logical-mathematical skills, which are generally nurtured in privileged social environments, where exposure to formal and informal educational activities is more common. As a result, children from these backgrounds are often better prepared to answer the types of questions posed in these tests, which can give them an unfair advantage over children from less privileged backgrounds.

For example, the vocabulary or verbal comprehension questions found in the WISC-IV may reflect a familiarity with academic language or concepts that are more common in families where parents have a high level of education. These parents are often able to provide an environment rich in intellectual stimulation, such as complex discussions, advanced readings, and exposure to cultural activities, all of which are experiences valued by these tests.

Dousson also criticizes the fact that these tests are normed on specific populations, often from urban, Western, and economically advantaged backgrounds, which reinforces cultural biases. Children who grow up in different cultural contexts or who speak a different language at home may be disadvantaged not because they lack intelligence, but because the skills they have developed do not align with those valued by the test.

Furthermore, Dousson mentions that tests like the WISC-IV are built around school norms that reflect what the educational system values. As a result, these tests are more an assessment of conformity to school expectations than a true measure of innate intellectual abilities. This is particularly problematic as it creates an artificial correlation between academic success and intelligence, which can overlook or underestimate other forms of intelligence or talent, such as creativity, practical skills, or social abilities, which are not measured by these tests.

This critique echoes the concerns of several psychologists and educators who have argued that intelligence tests, far from being neutral tools, can actually perpetuate inequalities by reinforcing narrow conceptions of what intelligence is. Howard Gardner, for example, proposed the theory of multiple intelligences, suggesting that there are several forms of intelligence (linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic), and that traditional IQ tests capture only a fraction of these abilities【Gardner, 1983】.

This critique also resonates with the work of Stephen Jay Gould, a paleontologist, biologist, and historian of science, who in his book The Mismeasure of Man (1981) deeply explores the biases inherent in psychometric tests. Gould argues that these tests, far from being objective and neutral instruments, are actually deeply rooted in cultural and social prejudices. He demonstrates that IQ tests, often perceived as measures of innate and fixed intelligence, are in fact a reflection of the cultural norms of the society that designed them.

Gould outlines several critical points:

1. Cultural and Social Biases: Gould shows that the questions posed in IQ tests are often biased in favor of dominant social classes, which have greater familiarity with the cultural and linguistic references used. For example, a child from a disadvantaged social background may score lower not because they are less intelligent, but because the test does not account for their different cultural and educational context.
2. The Myth of Objectivity: He challenges the idea that IQ tests can measure a "pure" or "objective" intelligence. According to Gould, these tests are built on erroneous assumptions about the nature of intelligence, reducing it to a series of easily quantifiable capacities. He emphasizes that this approach oversimplifies a complex and multidimensional phenomenon.
3. History of Scientific Manipulation: Gould also demonstrates how, historically, intelligence tests have been used to justify eugenic policies and racist theories, claiming to measure innate differences between human groups. These tests were manipulated to support discriminatory ideologies, highlighting the danger of using such tools without a critical understanding of their limitations.
4. Intelligence as a Social Construct: Finally, Gould argues that intelligence cannot be understood solely as an innate biological capacity, but that it is also the product of social and historical contexts. IQ test results are therefore as much a measure of adaptation to a particular cultural environment as they are an indication of intellectual capacities.

In summary, Gould's critique of intelligence tests highlights that these tools are far from being neutral and objective measures. They reflect specific cultural norms and can perpetuate social inequalities by claiming to legitimize "natural" differences that are actually socially constructed. This perspective is essential to understanding the limitations of tests like the WISC-IV, and to questioning their role in categorizing children as gifted.

References

1. Dousson, Léa. How Is a "Gifted" Child Shaped? An Analysis of the Socialization at Work in Families of Children Categorized as "Intellectually Gifted". Doctoral Thesis, Université Lumière Lyon 2, 2022. URL: https://hal.science/tel-04653863
2. Gould, Stephen Jay. The Mismeasure of Man. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1981.
3. Gardner, Howard. Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic Books, 1983.
4. Wechsler, David. The Measurement and Appraisal of Adult Intelligence. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1939.
5. Binet, Alfred, and Simon, Théodore. The Development of Intelligence in Children (The Binet-Simon Scale). Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1916 (Original work published 1905).