Why have intelligence tests been criticized for cultural bias?

Intelligence tests have been criticized for cultural bias because their questions often assume background knowledge more common among students from affluent, White, middle-class backgrounds. This can lead to lower scores for individuals from less privileged racial, ethnic, or social groups, as the tests may not accurately reflect their native abilities.12

For example, a test question about receiving a "key to the city" might be unfamiliar to students from lower-income families who do not have the same exposure to such cultural concepts as more affluent students. Additionally, children from different cultural backgrounds may have different conceptions of intelligence. In some cultures, intelligence is viewed more collectively and emphasizes working effectively with others, or moral behavior and duty to others, rather than individual academic skills.23

These cultural differences can affect performance on conventional Western intelligence tests. Some studies suggest that children who grow up in environments that do not emphasize Western educational principles may underperform on these tests if they do not receive extended instruction on what is expected. Furthermore, a test given in one language may indicate a higher level of intelligence for a native speaker than for someone whose first language is different. Psychologists have attempted to develop culture-free tests to address these issues and more accurately measure an individual's innate ability.341