Origin of differences between Serbian and Roma children in social intelligence test's achievement Cover Image

Izvori razlika u postignuću srpske i romske dece na testu socijalne inteligencije
Origin of differences between Serbian and Roma children in social intelligence test's achievement

Author(s): Gordana Đigić
Subject(s): Psychology, Educational Psychology, Methodology and research technology, Inter-Ethnic Relations
Published by: Društvo psihologa Srbije
Keywords: interethnic differences; cultural equivalence of tests; social intelligence; Serbian and Roma children;

Summary/Abstract: The goal of the presented research is to identify the origin of differences between Serbian (N=166) and Roma children (N=169) of primary school age in achievement on Modified Rosenzweig Test, used as a measure of social intelligence (Roma children had lower results than Serbian children). Results show that these differences can be partly explained with extreme inviolable socio-economic and cultural status of Roma children. Social intelligence test’s scores are significantly correlated with socio-economic and cultural status; this correlation is more apparent in Roma than in Serbian sample. Differences between Serbian and Roma children become less apparent when we control the influence of socio-economic and cultural status. Parent’s educational level is recognized as the most important indicator of socio-economic and cultural status. Another way to identify the origin of differences was directed to investigation of adequacy of used test as a measure of social intelligence of Roma children. Our assumption that some items make whole test unfair for Roma children is not confirmed. However, results concerning the relation between experience with particular social situations and success in particular test items, and results concerning the different structures of implicit understanding of social intelligence by Serbian and Roma parents, point out that test key favours responses that Serbian people accept as optimal in task situation, while the responses according to Roma implicit understanding of social intelligence are less valued.

  • Issue Year: 41/2008
  • Issue No: 3
  • Page Range: 327-342
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Serbian