A group of 2-year-old infants are selected for a special program because their IQ scores are very low. Five years later, most of them have improved. One possible explanation is that the special program produced great benefits. Another explanation is that

A) the validity of the test decreased over time.
B) the low scores had nowhere to go but up.
C) the mean IQ score is higher for 7-year-olds than for 2-year-olds.
D) the utility of the test increased over time.

Question

semere tsegaye · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : B, Explanation :  The phenomenon known as regression to the mean suggests that extreme scores on a measure are likely to be less extreme on a subsequent administration of the measure. This means that individuals whose IQ scores were very low at age 2 would be expected to have higher scores at age 7 simply due to chance. Therefore, the improvement in IQ scores may not be solely attributed to the special program.

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