Considering Language and Culture in Test Accuracy
In Daniel Nettle’s Personality: What Makes You the Way You Are, he posits that there are five main measurable factors that determine who we are [1]: extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness. Nettle ensures that personality, as measured by these five factors, are relatively stable through time.[2] In the second chapter, Nettle continues by delving into the hereditary and experiential acquisition of personality. Ultimately, the author makes clear that he believes “a great deal of what happens in our interests, careers, relationships, romantic lives, and health follows from where we fall along these [the big 5 personality dimensions] continua”.[3]
Understanding one’s personality seems helpful. To be aware of our own tendencies, desires, and motivations gives us power to redirect negative behavioral patterns[4] and to lean into our strengths. As part of a larger community, identifying one’s personality can be helpful in delegating tasks that need to be done or roles that need to be performed. For church staff and ministry leaders, this should echo Paul’s exhortation in 1 Corinthians 12 about being members of one body. Different personalities are useful when they come together. It’s helpful to have different likes and dislikes when it comes to tasks. It’s helpful to have different dispositions when it comes to encouraging and for accountability. The ability of a community to adapt and survive seems like it is predicated on recognizing and embracing differences.
One note that I found interesting is Nettle’s statement that “there is strong evidence for heritability in intelligence…”[5] I do not intend to dispute Nettle or the studies he most like draws upon, but I did get to wondering about the tests that measure intelligence and personality.
As a school psychologist, my partner specializes in considering cultural and linguistic differences when evaluating students for special education. This came from an understanding that the school district she works for has been disproportionately identifying certain students of color with corresponding learning disabilities. One reason for the disparity is in the inaccuracy of standardized IQ tests when administered to English language learners (ELLs).[6] Even tests like the Woodcock-Johnson III Cognitive Culture-Language Interpretive Matrix, that have been created to take this into account, are flawed and have low accuracy.[7]
There is a basic underlying conclusion that can be made: standardized tests are set up to adequately measure subjects that are of similar culture and language because language and culture influence meaning.[8] While I’m unsure if the impacts of language and culture are as profound in testing for personality as they are for identifying learning disabilities, I believe it’s worth considering. If understanding one’s personality is important and as helpful as we say it can be, how can we aid in accurate personality identification for a broader audience than those who identify with dominant culture and for whom English is their first and primary language?
[1] Daniel Nettle, Personality What Makes You the Way You Are (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007), 29.
[2] Ibid, 31
[3] Ibid, 234
[4] Ibid, 239
[5] Ibid, 59
[6] Lee Gunderson and Linda S. Siegel, “The Evils of the Use of IQ Tests To Define Learning Disabilities in First- and Second-Language Learners,” Reading Teacher 55, no. 1 (September 2001): 48-55, https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ632237
[7] Carlos O. Calderon, John Kranzier, Kara M Styck, and Desiree Vega, “Evaluating Cultural and Linguistic Load of IQ Scores for English Language Learners,” International Journal of School and Educational Psychology, (July 2020), https://doi.org/10.1080/21683603.2020.1803164
[8] Ming-Mu Kuo and Cheng-Chieh Lai, “Linguistics across Cultures: The Impact of Culture on Second Language Learning,” Journal of Foreign Language Instruction, no. 1 (November 2006), https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED496079.pdf
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Caleb Lu
11 responses to “Considering Language and Culture in Test Accuracy”
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Hey Caleb,
Fascinating observation! I, not surprisingly, did not even consider how English as a second language could factor into the personality testing. Great work, as always! I am grateful I get to learn from you.
Thanks for the encouraging words David!
Caleb, Great questions and strong post! Thank you so much for sharing your insights, observations, and wonderings. That is very interesting to hear about your partner’s work in considering cultural and linguistic differences when evaluating students for special education.
I like your conclusion: “If understanding one’s personality is important and as helpful as we say it can be, how can we aid in accurate personality identification for a broader audience than those who identify with dominant culture and for whom English is their first and primary language?” I have wondered a similar thing about the Gallup Strength’s Finder assessment. I would love to hear what you find regarding resources that look at these issues through a different cultural lens. I will be looking for these resources to bring to the conversation, as well.
Hope you’ve had a good two weeks!
Jenny, thanks for the encouragement! I’m not sure, I’ll have to look into it some more. These musings really came as something that struck me as I was reading the book and as my partner talks about her work.
I appreciate you even taking time to mention you will also be looking for these resources! While these thoughts and questions pop up in my mind, I usually don’t have a list of resources to turn to immediately. It makes it less daunting to know that others are willing to join in this endeavor.
Caleb,
I never even considered how English as a second language affects these tests. Do they do these types of tests in other languages that you know of? Just wondering? You always have the most fascinating insights. Thanks!
Tonette, I’m by no means an expert, but in a quick question to my partner, she let me know that they do give these tests in other languages. However, they are standardized for monolingual learners (so they would give it to a student who might have just immigrated to the U.S.) Her concern is that they aren’t standardized for multilingual learners.
Caleb,
Incredible post, I always appreciate your care and gentleness in how you present your writings and yourself. Well done!
Caleb,
Man I loved your post! Specifically “inaccuracy of standardized IQ tests when administered to English language learners (ELLs)”
Standardized tests in general are ALWAYS going to have exceptions. I wish peoples would start to recognize this for learners, specificalIy ELL… I wish we didn’t do them at all to give a baseline of ones ability to do anything.
My son is not an ELL but he failed a standardized test in the first semester of this school year. I got called in to the school to talk about it and when I asked how the test was given and if I could see what it looked like I was in absolute disbelief. My son is legally blind, and they gave him a test full of 10 point type and expected great things…. NEVER. GOING. TO. HAPPEN.
Since then he has had his font increased to size 40, as well as audibly and actually tested out of kindergarten completely in December. We have to meet kids and adults where they are at! Great things will happen!
Alana, what a bummer that that happened to your son! I’m so glad he got the accommodations he needed. It’s wild that something that seems so obvious needed to be hashed out in a meeting.
Caleb, I love the perspective that you bring and the questions that you raise. These are so important and things that can be over looked and missed. Thank you for bringing these to the forefront.
Thank you for pointing this out. Not only are those test skewed, the test taken in higher education are skewed as well. Do you think this has the power to change a Childs future?