Spearman's hypothesis not supported? Three meta-analyses of Black and White prisoners, Northeast Asians, and Arabs and Jews. (15th October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: te Nijenhuis, Jan; van den Hoek, Michael; Metzen, Daniel; David, Hanna
• Is Part Of: Personality and individual differences. Volume 117(2017)
• Page Start: 52
• Page End: 59
• Publication Date: 2017-10-15
• Subjects: Spearman's hypothesis -- Intelligence -- Prisoners -- Northeast Asians -- Arabs -- Jews; Personality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Personality Development -- Periodicals; Personnalité -- Périodiques; Individualité -- Périodiques; 155.205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2017.05.032
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0191-8869

Abstract

Abstract: Spearman's hypothesis states that differences between groups on the subtests of an IQ battery are a function of the g loadings of these subtests, and it is virtually always supported. There are anomalies: comparisons for which Spearman's hypothesis shows no supporting evidence. What they all have in common is an unusual Verbal/Performance profile. We carried out meta-analyses for these comparisons: Black and White prisoners, Asians and Whites, and Arabs and Jews in Israel. We carried out three meta-analyses based on, respectively, 2 data points and a total N = 575; 15 data points and a total N = 8100; 5 data points and a total N = 730. In all three meta-analyses Spearman's hypothesis showed no supporting evidence with sample-size weighted correlations with values of, respectively, −.18, .01 and −.24. Correcting for reliability led to similar outcomes. Bypassing the unusual V/P profile by testing Spearman's hypothesis separately on Verbal subtests and Performance subtests led to a confirmation in approximately half of the comparisons. So, it could be that the unusual V/P profile obstructs support for Spearman's hypothesis in approximately half of the cases. We conclude that the anomalies appear to be more in line with Spearman's hypothesis than previously thought. Highlights: Spearman's hypothesis: group differences are a function of g -loadedness of subtests. Spearman's hypothesis is tested on prisoners, Northeast Asians, and Jews and Arabs. Three meta-analyses do not support Spearman's hypothesis. Spearman's hypothesis appears to be supported half of the time at level of scales.