The structure of abilities of Japanese children is analysed in terms of the
Burt-Vernon hierarchical model of intelligence. The data are derived from the
Japanese standardisation of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale for
Intelligence. It is found that Japanese children do not differ significantly from
white American children on Spearman's g, are significantly inferior on the group
verbal factor and superior on the group perceptual factor. On the primary abilities,
Japanese children are inferior on verbal comprehension, not significantly different
on perceptual speed, and superior on number and spatial ability. It is
suggested-that this pattern of Japanese cognitive strengths and weaknesses helps to
clarify a number of conflicting findings on Japanese intelligence.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Blaha, J.
&
Wallbrown, F. H.
(1984).
Hierarchical analyses of the WISC and the WISC-R: Synthesis and clinical implications
. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 40,
556-571
.
2.
Burt, C.
(1949).
The structure of the mind: A review of the results of factor analysis
. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 19,
100-111
.
3.
Carlson, L.
&
Reynolds, C. R.
(1981).
Factor structure and specific variance of the WPPSI Subtests at six age levels
. Psychology in the Schools, 18,
48-54
.
4.
Cattell, R. B.
(1971). Abilities.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin
.
5.
Ekstrom, R. B.
,
French, J. W.
, &
Harman, H. H.
(1976). Manual for kit offactor-referenced cognitive
tests.
Princeton, N.J.: Educational Testing Service
.
6.
Eysenck, H. J.
(1979). The structure and measurement of intelligence.
Berlin: Springer-Verlag
.
7.
Flynn, J. R.
(1984a).
The Mean IQ of Americans: massive gains 1932-78
. Psychological Bulletin, 95,
29-51
.
8.
Flynn, J. R.
(1984b).
IQ gains and Binet decrements
. Journal of Educational Measurement, 21,
283-290
.
9.
Gustafsson, J. E.
(1984).
A unifying model for the structure of intellectual abilities
. Intelligence, 8,
179-203
.
10.
Hilger, S. M. I.
,
Klett, W. G.
, &
Watson, C. G.
(1976).
Performance of Ainu and Japanese six year olds on the Goodenough-Harris
drawing test
. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 42,
435-438
.
11.
Jensen, A. R.
(1980). Bias in mental testing.
London: Methuen
.
12.
Jensen, A. R.
(1983).
Effects of inbreeding on mental ability factors
. Personality and Individual Differences, 4,
71-88
.
13.
Kaiser, S. M.
&
Reynolds, C. R.
(1985).
Sex differences on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence
. Personality and Individual Differences, 6,
405-408
.
14.
Kaufman, A. S.
(1973).
Comparison of the performance of matched groups of black children and white
children on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence
. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 41,
186-191
.
15.
Kaufman, A. S.
&
Hollenbeck, G. P.
(1974).
Comparative structure of the WPPSI for blacks and whites
. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 30,
316-319
.
16.
Lynn, R.
(1977).
The intelligence of the Japanese
. Bulletin ofthe British Psychology Society, 30,
69-72
.
17.
Lynn, R.
(1982).
IQ in Japan and the United States shows a growing disparity
. Nature, 297,
222-223
.
18.
Lynn, R.
&
Hampson, S.
(1986a).
The rise of national intelligence: evidence from Britain, Japan and the
United States
. Personality and Individual Differences, 7,
23-32
.
19.
Lynn, R.
&
Hampson, S.
(1986b).
Intellectual abilities of Japanese children: An assessment of 24-8i year
olds derived from the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities
. Intelligence, 10,
41-58
.
20.
Majeres, R. L.
(1983).
Sex differences in symbol-digit substitution and speeded matching
. Intelligence, 7,
313-327
.
21.
Misawa, G.
,
Motegi, M.
,
Fujita, K.
, &
Hattori, K.
(1984).
A comparative study of intellectual abilities of Japanese and American
children on the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale
. Personality and Individual Differences, 5,
173-182
.
22.
Stevenson, H. W.
,
Stigler, J. W.
,
Lee, S.
,
Lucker, G. W.
,
Kitamura, S.
, &
Hsu, C.
(1985).
Cognitive performance of Japanese, Chinese and American children
. Child Development, 56,
718-734
.
23.
Stigler, J. W.
,
Lee, S.
,
Lucker, G. W.
, &
Stevenson, H. W.
(1982).
Curriculum and achievement in mathematics: A study of elementary school
children in Japan, Taiwan and the United States
. Journal of Educational Psychology, 74,
315-322
.
24.
Thurstone, L. L.
(1983). Primary Mental Abilities.
Chicago: University of Chicago Press
.
25.
Ueda, R.
(1978).
Standardisation of the Denver Developmental Screening Test on Tokyo children
. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 20,
647-656
.
26.
Vernon, P. E.
(1950). The structure of human abilities.
London: Methuen
.
27.
Vernon, P. E.
(1982). The abilities and achievements of orientals in North
America.
New York: Academic Press
.
28.
Wallbrown, F. H.
,
Blaha, J.
, &
Wherry, R. J.
(1973).
The hierarchical factor structure of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary
Scale of Intelligence
. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 41,
356-362
.
29.
Wechsler, D.
(1967a). Manual of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale
of Intelligence.
New York: The Psychological Corporation
.
30.
Wechsler, D.
(1967b). Japanese Manual for the Wechsler Preschool and
Primary Scale of Intelligence.
Tokyo: Nihon Bunka Kagakusha
.
