Title: Influence of the language in which a test is presented on test performance
(De invloed van de factor taal waarin een test wordt afgenomen, op testprestaties)
January 2000, University of Groningen, internal publication
Authors: Breeman, L.D.; Keet, E.W.; Leijenaar, A.H.; Santema, J.K.; Schwachofer,
M.
Supervisor: dr. P.J. Tellegen
Summary by: drs. K.P.A. Huysman-Boosman
This study describes whether the factor language in which a test is presented, influences
the performance on an intelligence test. In response to an article of Evers and te
Nijenhuis (1999), in which they conclude that language- and cultural-bound factors are
not of importance by the interpretation of test results of non-native speaking immigrants,
the research questions were formulated.
The study is carried out by Dutch second-year students. A reasoning test was
constructed, including three clusters: Verbal, Logical Reasoning and Figures. The test
included a Dutch and an English section (NL/EN) divided in two parts of equal difficulty
(A/B). To check for learning effects the sequence of NL/EN and A/B was varied (4
conditions).
The test was administered to 102 students from the 3rd, 5th and 6th year of the
VWO (higher secondary education). Each student made both Dutch and English section.
It was assumed that the level of English comprehension is lower for students from the 3rd
year than for students from the 5th and 6th year.
Three hypotheses were formulated. First, it was expected that the results on the
English section would be significantly less than the results on the Dutch version. This
expectation is confirmed by the results of this study (see Table 1, t=-5.59, p=.00).
Secondly, it was expected that the difference in scores between the two sections would
be larger in the 3rd year of the VWO than in the 5th and 6th year. The results confirm this
expectation (see Table 1, English section t=-3.59,p=.00, Dutch section t=-.96, p=.34). It
can be concluded that a better comprehension of language results in better test
performance. The third hypothesis suggests that the difference in test results on the
Dutch and the English section will be larger on the language related clusters (Verbal and
Logical Reasoning) than on the non-language related cluster (Figures). In this study the
differences on the Verbal cluster are the largest, followed by the differences on Logical
Reasoning. On Figures no significant differences were found between results on de
Dutch and the English section.
Studies on the effect of language comprehension on test performance on intelligence
tests are mostly based on non-native speaking immigrants. This study shows another
perspective i.e. the performance of Dutch students on a test in a non-native language.
The authors conclude that this study shows that the level of language comprehension
influences test performance. It seems reasonable that also for non-native speaking
immigrants not only the factor intelligence takes part in the performance on intelligence
tests, but also the factor of language comprehension.
Table 1. Total score on English and Dutch questions, divided by year
N
Mean
St. Dev.
English
3-VWO
5/6-VWO
total
66
36
102
11.58
13.50
12.25
2.72
2.34
2.74
Dutch
3-VWO
5/6-VWO
total
66
36
102
13.58
14.28
14.00
2.04
2.37
2.16
References
Evers, A. & te Nijenhuis, E. (1999). Liever speciale dan traditionele cognitieve
capaciteitentests voor allochtonen? Een vergelijking. De Psycholoog, 34, 250-255.