Dr. Detterman's intelligence bytes: On the history of IQ tests and theories

This is the second in the Dr. Doug Detterman's intelligence bytes. Below is a direct excerpt.

The point of view is simple to state: Intelligence tests arose because they filled a social need and still do. Through history, important decisions about peoples' lives were made by the subjective decisions of others. The history of intelligence tests is one of replacing subjective decisions of biased observers where bias was often based on family position and political influence with objective measures from more objective tests. Tests became important tools for a developing meritocracy.

This brief history will also make clear that though we know a lot about intelligence, we do not yet know exactly what it is. There are good reasons we do not know as much as we would like to about intelligence. These reasons lie in the history of the development of the intelligence test and the parallel history of the theory about intelligence. An appreciation of what we do and do not know about intelligence requires an understanding of that history.

intelligence IQ IQ tests Doug Detterman Dettermans bytes


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Historical timeline of death penalty

procon_org: Historical Timeline of the Death Penalty from 1700 BC to
present
http://deathpenalty.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=003096
Original Tweet: http://twitter.com/procon_org/status/17436756109
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FYI: Past, Present an Future of Death Penalty from Tennesse Law Review

For those who want more information on the history of the death penalty (to today and beyond), check out the post from the DPIC blog.  The Tennessee Law Review recently published a number or articles from its colloquium "The Past, Present and Future of the Death Penalty" (Feb 2009).  Visit the DPIC link for more info.

I hope to track down copies of the articles mentioned in the Tennessee Law Review that may be most relevant to Atkins cases.

Tip of the hat to DPIC for the post.

Technorati Tags: psychology, forensic psychology, criminal psychology, criminal justice, death penalty, capital punishment, Tennessee Law Review, Atkins cases, mental retardation

Book: Intellectual disability and civil rights in 20th century America

Yet another interesting book to put on my reading wish list - On the Margins of Citizenship:  Intellectual Disability and Civit Rights in Twentieth-Century America.  Soo much to read...so little time.

Technorati Tags: psychology, developmental disabilities, MR, mental retardation, book, disability rights, civil rights, intellectual disability, IQ, intelligence, IQ tests

Book review: A life for a life--The American Debate Over the Death Penalty

I received an FYI email from the Death Penalty Information Center regarding a new book about the death penalty in America. I do not have a copy nor have I read the book. This is an FYI post only...not a pro or con endorsement by the blogmaster.

From the DPIC web page the following book description:

In the book, A Life for a Life: The American Debate Over the Death Penalty, author Michael Dow Burkhead, a psychologist who has worked with criminal offenders for 25 years, explores the various trends in public opinion that influence crime prevention efforts, create public policy, and reform criminal law. He examines eight core issues about the use of executions: cruel and unusual punishment, discrimination, deterrence, due process, culpability, scripture, innocence, and justice. The book provides a brief history of capital punishment in the United States from the earliest known execution in1608 to the present time. Additional topics include the regionalization of capital punishment sentences, the spiritual and scriptural debate over the death penalty, the role of DNA evidence in modern death sentences, and the ongoing effects recent court rulings. The appendix includes recent state commission reports on the death penalty from Maryland, California, New Jersey, and Tennessee.

Technorati Tags: psychology, criminal law, justice, death penalty, capital punishment, book review, forensic psychology, neuropsychology, developmental psychology, clinical psychology, MR, AAIDD, mental retardation, Supreme Court