The effect of social reinforcement contingencies on the predictive validity of IQ test scores

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Nancy S. Grebenkemper (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Marilyn Erickson

Abstract: One important use of intelligence testing is to predict future academic success. The achievement test is one measure of academic success. If intelligence tests are to be useful, they must demonstrate good predictive validity. It was hypothesized that contingent social reinforcement for administration of both tests would maximize predictive validity. Sixty-four kindergarten and first grade white males were administered the Slosson Intelligence Test and the Reading Test of the Wide Range Achievement Test. Half of the subjects were given the intelligence test under the contingent social reinforcement condition in which praise was presented contingently for correct responses. The remaining half of the subjects were administered the intelligence test under the noncontingent social reinforcement condition in which praise was presented after every other response regardless of accuracy. Half of each of the two groups received contingent social reinforcement and half received noncontingent social reinforcement during the administration of the achievement test. Thus, there were four experimental groups.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 1976
Subjects
Children $x Intelligence testing
Praise
Learning, Psychology of

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