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The years between the two world wars saw the rise of psychologists who claimed to have developed a scientific theory of merit and a technology for measuring it. These psychologists identified ‘merit’ with ‘mental ability’, ‘mental ability’ with ‘intelligence’ and, in the case of the most influential group among them, ‘intelligence’ with a single quality, ‘general ability’ or ‘g’. They claimed to have developed the IQ test as a device for identifying and measuring this invaluable natural ability. However, the bold attempts to reinterpret merit as inborn intelligence and to measure innate intelligence with IQ tests encountered opposition from critics who argued that the tests were shoddy and that intelligence is only loosely correlated with success in life. The psychometrists, or the psychologists who developed the IQ test, responded to this criticism through a war of propaganda and position, defending their new science in the public presses and acquiring powerful positions in government. Soon, their tests were being used in education, vocational guidance, and even selection for the military. The earliest forms of testing intelligence involved measuring the size and shape of the head or the brain, but these methods were quickly discredited. Alfred Binet, a psychologist, developed the first modern intelligence test in the 1890s and later devised the idea of assigning an age level to intellectual operations based on the typical age at which children reach their milestones. This test caught on rapidly and was soon adapted for schoolchildren and used across Europe and the United States. IQ testing received a major boost during World War I when the US army commissioned psychologists to test and classify soldiers using IQ tests. This led to a widespread use of IQ tests in schools and other areas of society. The argument against IQ testing is that it allows for the classification and tracking of individuals based on an arbitrary and unreliable test that does not measure a fixed trait. Critics argue that intelligence is complex and cannot be accurately measured by a single test. They also argue that IQ tests are biased and favour certain groups over others. Supporters of IQ testing argue that it provides an objective way to measure intelligence and can help identify individuals with potential for success in certain areas. They also argue that it can help identify individuals in need of extra support or intervention. Overall, the debate over IQ testing continues to this day, with critics and supporters offering differing viewpoints on its accuracy and usefulness.

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