Speed and practice: Effects on Negro and white test performances

Abstract

Investigated the hypotheses that extra pretest practice, extra testing time, and extra practice and extra testing time would improve the mental ability test performances of Negroes more than whites. The Ss, 235 Negro and 232 white high school Ss in the higher and lower socioeconomic classes, were administered parallel forms of several ability tests. Some Ss took the tests under speeded conditions, others under power conditions. Although both races and both socioeconomic classes improved their performances as the testing procedures became more lenient, all groups profited to a comparable extent; the 3 hypotheses were rejected. Implications are that the testing procedure itself does not discriminate between racial groups nor between culturally advantaged and disadvantaged Ss. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)