Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - 20493161
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED179579 AUTHOR: Williams, E. Belvin
TITLE: Ability Testing and Affirmative Action: Some
Theoretical and Practical Considerations.
YEAR PUBLISHED: 1979
NOTE: 34 p.; Paper presented at the annual meeting of the
American Psychiatric Association (Chicago, IL, May 14-18,
1979)
ABSTRACT: Issues related to ability testing and affirmative
action are discussed, including the fair use of tests in
academic and occupational selection, the effects of testing
upon the tested individual, and implications of the issues
for the major participants. Types and functions of ability
tests, both aptitude and achievement, are described.
Studies of test fairness or bias or adverse impact are
cited, generally indicating similar patterns of prediction
for various ethnic and socioeconomic groups, in spite of
differences in mean scores. A number of different models of
fair selection are contrasted. The use of test scores by
institutions to make decisions about individuals is
discussed and contrasted with the possibility of the use of
test scores by individuals for the enhancement of self
understanding and self respect. The implications of the use
of these selection instruments and selection procedures are
discussed as they refer to the test maker, the test user,
and the test taker. (CTM)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: Achievement-Tests; Aptitude-Tests;
Decision
Making; Educational-Testing; Measurement-Objectives;
Personnel-Selection; Racial-Differences; Socioeconomic
Influences; Test-Interpretation; Test-Validity
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Ability-Identification; *Competitive
Selection; *Culture-Fair-Tests; *Occupational-Tests; *Test
Bias; *Testing-Problems
This is an ERIC database document. ERIC is the National
Education Information Network for providing ready access
to the literature of education -descriptions of exemplary
programs, research and development efforts, and related
information that can be used in developing more effective
educational programs. The ERIC database is currently
available on CD-ROM in the main library (ground floor of
the west wing) at Michigan State University. To locate
ERIC documents in the library identify the first line of
each record (i.e., the field ERIC TITLE NUMBER). ED
following ERIC TITLE NUMBER indicates an ERIC document,
an unpublished research study. Most of these items are
available in the Microforms library, located on the 3rd
floor of the west wing. All you need is the six digit ED
number. If EJ follows ERIC TITLE NUMBER the item is a
journal article. The complete journal name is listed after
the code JOURNAL.
This information is for educational purposes only. References
to commercial products or trade names does not imply
endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not
mentioned. This information becomes public property upon
publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU
Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise
a commercial product or company.
This file was generated from data base DP on 06/25/02.
Data base DP was last revised on 12/95/ .
For more information about this data base or its contents please contact
cook@msue.msu.edu . Please read our
disclaimer for important
information about using our site.