Culture in Assessment Webinar Series: History of Cultural Bias in Assessment

Description

Presenter: Philip Sayegh, Ph.D., MPH

Philip Sayegh, Ph.D., MPH, is an Associate Adjunct Professor in the UCLA Department of Psychology and the Associate Director of the UCLA Psychology Clinic. He is a licensed psychologist and clinical neuropsychologist involved in direct clinical service, teaching/education, clinical supervision, and research. 

Dr. Sayegh earned his Ph.D. in Psychology (Clinical Geropsychology Track) from USC and his Master in Public Health (MPH) from the USC Keck School of Medicine’s Department of Preventive Medicine. He then completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in clinical neuropsychology at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior in the David Geffen School of Medicine. Dr. Sayegh’s clinical activities are primarily focused on neuropsychological assessment, and he developed and supervises the Dementia Screening Service in the UCLA Psychology Clinic. 

Overview:         

Learning about the history of cultural bias in psychological assessment is critical in light of the historical link between intelligence testing and eugenicist and racist ideology (e.g., Sayegh et al., 2023). Some of the earliest attempts to measure intellectual functioning in the United States and Europe emphasized physical attributes that demonstrated clear bias in favor of non-Latine White men, and findings from such assessments were frequently utilized to oppress individuals from minoritized groups (Allen, 2006; Hunt, 2009). The initial contemporary efforts to assess intelligence were conducted in France and largely focused on aiding in identifying students who may have benefited from special education or remedial studies services (Allen, 2006). However, in the US, the majority of tests of intelligence were initially utilized or developed in the early 1900s with the sole intention of demonstrating non-Latine White supremacy over people from other racial and ethnic groups and other minoritized groups such as immigrants from select countries (Franklin, 2007; Guthrie, 2004). These attempts have resulted in and continue to contribute to injustice, inequities, and harm in and via numerous contexts, including academic, immigration, military, public policy, popular literature, medical-legal, and research contexts, as well as among sexual and gender minoritized persons (e.g., Keo-Meier & Fitzgerald, 2017; Wright, 2024). Although there have been some successful efforts within psychology and legal rulings aimed at decreasing cultural bias in assessment and its negative consequences, there is still an urgent need for substantial improvement (e.g., Sayegh et al., 2023) 

Learning Objectives: Intended Audience: Intermediate

1. Distinguish between earlier and contemporary efforts to assess intellectual functioning.
2. Describe how the assessment of intelligence has been used to oppress minoritized groups both historically and more recently across various contexts.

Attendees must complete the Evaluation and Knowledge Test sent after the program.   CE Certificates will be processed and emailed within 5 – 10 business days from receipt of Knowledge Test Results.