schlichting@NUSC.ARPA.UUCP (03/23/87)
From: VNSMRL::BRYANT 20-MAR-1987 11:18 To: V702M::SCHLICHTING Subj: RE: SATS FROM APPLENET PRETTY HOT STUFF. CERAINLY NOT THE ETS PARTY LINE. THERE ARE PERSONALITY CORRELATES OF SAT AND IQ SCORES, THESE ARE GENERALLY CALLED INTELLECTUAL EFFICIENCY (IE) AS FOUND ON THE CALIFORNIA PSYCHOLOGICAL INVENTORY. THE ITEMS COMPOSING THESE PERSONALITY SCALES ARE OFTEN RELATED TO VALUING AESTHETIC ACTIVITIES (VISITING MUSEUMS-READING POETRY) AS WELL AS HAVING MODERATE CORRELATIONS WITH SES (APPROXIMATELY .25). IN A RECENT STUDY STUDENTS WERE PROVIDED WITH ANSWERS TO TEST ITEMS ON ACTUAL SAT TESTS AND THEN GIVEN A CHANCE TO TAKE A VERY SIMILAR TEST. THERE WAS NO APPRECIABLE INCREASE IN SAT SCORES FOR THE GROUP BEYOND THE STANDARD ERROR OF THE MEASURE. HOWEVER, THE INCREASE WAS CONSISTANTLY UPWARD (ABOUT 20-30 POINTS). THERE WERE SEVERAL LARGE INCREASERS (50+) POINTS, THESE INDIVIDUALS HAD ADDITIONAL PERSONALITY CORRELATES, PRIMARILY ACHIEVEMENT ORIENTATION, THEY DID PUT IN SOMEWHAT MORE STUDY TIME THAN THE OTHER STUDENTS BUT NOT MUCH MORE ON A DAILY BASIS OF THE ANSWERS THAT WERE PROVIDED. (BY THE WAY THERE WERE ALSO INDIVIDUALS THAT PERFORMED MORE POORLY). ON THE WHOLE THE TESTS ARE REMARKABLY WELL CALIBRATED, THEY DO NOT HOWEVER MEASURE INDIVIDUALS AT EITHER A VERY LOW OR VERY HIGH RANGE. THERE MAY BE MEDIATING FACTORS SUCH AS TEST WIZENESS (KNOWING HOW TO ELIMINATE DISTRACTORS) BUT IT IS MORE LIKELY THAT FAMILIARITY AND CONTROL OF ANXIETY WITHIN THE TEST SITUATION HAS A GREATER EFFECT. IN ADDITION ONE SHOULD PERHAPS WORRY MORE ABOUT THE PARENTS OF INTER URBAN SCHOOL CHILDREN WHO DO NOT EVEN GIVE THE KID THE MONEY TO TAKE THE TEST OR SIGN A PERMISSION FORM TO ALLOW THEM TO TAKE THE PSAT THAN GETTING INTO A PRESTIGIOUS COLLEGE. ------