How can language background, schooling, poverty, and test anxiety affect intelligence-test scores?

The significance of intelligence test scores can vary depending on an individual's background and experiences. Factors such as language, schooling, socioeconomic status, and test anxiety can all influence performance on these assessments.

Language Background

For individuals whose first language is not English, taking an intelligence test in English may indicate a higher level of intelligence than it would for a native English speaker. This is because the test may not accurately capture the full range of their cognitive abilities if they are not fluent in the language of the test.1

Schooling and Poverty

A person's upbringing and educational opportunities can also affect test scores. An intelligence test score might suggest a higher level of intelligence for someone who grew up in poverty and attended an inadequate school compared to someone from an affluent background with access to a productive learning environment. Children in certain cultures may also perform better on skills tests when given extended instruction, as they may not initially understand the demands of conventional Western tests.12

Test Anxiety

Test anxiety, characterized by feelings of tenseness and worry before an exam, can negatively impact performance on standardized tests. Individuals who experience high levels of test anxiety may not perform as well as they otherwise would, regardless of their actual intelligence.13

It is crucial to interpret intelligence test scores carefully and on an individual basis, considering these various environmental and personal factors.1