The Story of Different Minds  ·  The Invention of IQ and Its Misuse

Testing as Support or Control

How the same tool can help or harm depending on who uses it.

A test can open a door or close a life.

Simple version

Intelligence testing began partly as a way to identify educational need, but was quickly used to rank, exclude and control people.

Why it matters

The danger is not assessment itself. The danger is when assessment becomes judgement of human worth.

Awareverse lens

Awareverse treats assessment as a tool for support, never a replacement for the person.

Question to ask

When looking at testing as support or control, ask: who had power, who was being labelled, and what would have changed if the human being had been seen first?

Other topics from this chapter