Chapter 13 - Implications for Cross-Cultural Research in Assessment

Abstract

This chapter discusses the implications for cross-cultural research in assessment. Standardized assessment is inappropriate for children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. There are research findings that are supportive of the cultural dependency of cognition, language, and personality. It is inconceivable that an assessment measure can be reliable and valid if its conceptual foundation is faulty. Standardized tests rest on a flawed understanding of human development and behavior as it pertains to intelligence, language, academic achievement, and personality. The assessment practice of making comparative judgments among culturally distinct groups is premature because insufficient research attention has been given to the impact of cultural differences on the development and expression of behavior in these realms. More systematic research about these constructs is needed, particularly for children socialized beyond the pale of U.S. mainstream culture.