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A comparative study of general intelligence in Spanish and Moroccan samples
Amelia Diaz1, Khadija Sellami, Eugenia Infanzón
1Universidad de Valencia, Spain. amelia.diaz@uv.es
The Spanish Journal of Psychology
|July 11, 2012
Summary
This study compared average IQ in Morocco and Spain using Raven
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Cross-cultural Research
Background:
- Intelligence research often lacks data from diverse populations.
- Understanding average IQ across different countries is crucial for comparative psychology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present average IQ data for adult samples in Morocco and Spain.
- To investigate the relationship between intelligence factors and socioeconomic variables in these populations.
- To compare cognitive performance between Moroccan and Spanish samples.
Main Methods:
- Adult participants from Morocco and Spain were assessed using the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM).
- Scores were analyzed for the total test and three sub-factors: gestalt continuation, verbal-analytical reasoning, and visuospatial ability.
- Reliability of the SPM and its factors was confirmed.
Main Results:
- In Morocco, intelligence factors correlated significantly with education and income; these factors were independent in Spain.
- The Spanish sample scored significantly higher than the Moroccan sample across all assessed factors, even when controlling for education level.
- Moroccan participants made more errors on all test items, indicating a higher perceived difficulty level.
Conclusions:
- Significant differences in average IQ and cognitive performance exist between Moroccan and Spanish adult samples.
- Socioeconomic factors appear to influence intelligence differently in Morocco compared to Spain.
- The Raven SPM may present a higher difficulty level for Moroccan individuals, suggesting cultural or educational influences on test performance.
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