Intelligence and culture
Instructor: Dr. Robert Serpell
Course description:
The course will focus on the relations between intelligence and culture,
including conceptualization of intelligence and related aspects of human
cognition in psychological theory, in everyday discourse,
and in professional practices such as clinical and educational assessment, with
special reference to developmental change, inter-cultural communication,
and public policy.
Prescribed / Recommended texts:
Students are requested to reserve about $30 for photocopying the readings
that will be assigned for this course. The following items are available
in a filing drawer in the Psychology Department copying room.
Additional items will be prescribed in the light of student research,
as the course progresses.
AAMR (American Association on Mental Retardation) (1992)
Mental retardation: the new definition.
Dasen, P.R. (1984). The cross-cultural study of intelligence:
Piaget and the Baoule. International Journal of Psychology, 19, 407-434.
Gardner, H. (1983, 1993). Frames of mind:
Chapter 1: the idea of multiple intelligences;
Chapter 4: What is an intelligence ?;
Chapter 13: The education of intelligences.
Introduction to the 10th anniversary edition.
Gould, S. (1981). The real error of Cyril Burt.
Chapter 6 in The mismeasure of man.
Harry, B., Allen, N. & McLaughlin, M. (1995).
Communication versus compliance: African-American parents' involvement
in special education. Exceptional children, 61, 364-377.
Helms, J.E. (1992). Why is there no study of cultural equivalence
in standardized cognitive ability testing ?
American Psychologist, 47, 1083-1101.
Howard, A. & Scott, R.A. (1981). The study of minority groups
in complex societies. In Munroe, R.H., Munroe, R.L. & Whiting, B.
Handbook of cross-cultural human development.
LCHC (1982). Culture and intelligence. In R.J.Sternberg (Ed.).
Handbook of human intelligence.
Miller-Jones, D. (1991). Informal reasoning in inner-city children.
In J.F.Voss, D.N.Perkins, & J.W.Segal (Eds). Informal reasoning and education.
Schliemann, A.L., Carraher, D. & Ceci, S. (1997). Everyday cognition.
In J.W.Berry, P.R.Dasen, & T.S. Saraswathi (Eds)
Handbook of Cross-cultural psychology (Second Edition), Vol.2.
Serpell, R. (1993). Wanzelu ndani ? A Chewa perspective on child development
and education. Chapter in The significance of schooling:
life-journeys in an African society.
Serpell, R. (1994). The cultural construction of intelligence. In WJ Lonner
& R Malpass (Eds) Psychology & Culture.
Sternberg, R.J. (1984). A contextualist view of the nature of intelligence.
International Journal of Psychology, 19,
Super, C. & Harkness, S. (1986). The developmental niche:
a conceptualization at the interface between child and culture.
International Journal of Behavioural Development, 9, 545-569.