Being Intelligent with Zimbabweans: A Historical and Contemporary View

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511616648.014

13 - Being Intelligent with Zimbabweans: A Historical and Contemporary View

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012

Elias Mpofu

Edited by

Robert J. Sternberg

Show author details

Elias Mpofu: Affiliation:
Pennsylvania State University
Robert J. Sternberg: Affiliation:
Yale University, Connecticut

Book contents

Get access

Summary

Conceptions of intelligence and associated practices vary widely across societies and are influenced by the unique socio-cultural histories of those societies. For example, differences in perspectives on intelligence between nations or communities have been linked to differences in (1) cultural beliefs about human abilities (Cole,1998; Serpell & Boykin, 1994, 2000), (2) availability and accessibility of formal education to the general public (Oslon, 1984), (3) the social and economic goals that people in different nations or communities seek to achieve (Serpell & Boykin, 1994; Vernon, 1969; Whyte, 1998;), (4) level of industrialization (or development) of nations or communities and the values underpinning the achieved or aspired developmental statuses (Azuma, 1984; Serpell, 2000; Vernon, 1969), and (5) the availability of human and material resources for the study of intelligence (Mpofu & Nyanungo, 1998). These differences in socio-cultural contexts are important for an understanding of the psychology of human intelligence across nations. For example, developed countries with their more complex socio-technical systems may place a higher premium or value on technical and bureaucratic efficiency than do developing countries, which tend to have simpler socio-technical systems (Serpell, 2000).

This chapter presents an overview of perspectives and research on intelligence in modern Zimbabwe as well as related practices. To begin with, I present a brief outline on the historical and demographic context of Zimbabwe as background to subsequent discussion. The historical and demographic summary is followed by a discussion of definitions and theories of intelligence in Zimbabwe.

Type: Chapter
Information: International Handbook of Intelligence , pp. 364 - 390

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511616648.014 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Book purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Azuma, H.(1984). Psychology in a non-Western country. International Journal of Psychology, 19., 45–55CrossRef Google Scholar

Berry, J. W., van de Koppe, J. M. H., Annis, R. C., Senechal, C., Bahuchet, S., Sforza-Cavali, L. L., & Witkin, H. A. (1986). On the edge of the forest: Cultural adaptation and cogntive development in central Africa. Location: Swets, North America

Bourdillon, M. F. C. (1987). The Shona peoples: An ethnography of the contemporary shona. Gwetu, Zimbabwe: Mambo Press

Chapains, A. (1963). Men, machines, and models. American Psychologist, 16, 116–131Google Scholar

Chimhundu, H. (Ed.). (2001). Dura manzwi guru rechiShona. Harare: College Press

Cole, M. (1998). Cognitive development, culture and schooling. In M. Cole, Cultural psychology: A once and future discipline (pp. 69–97). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press

Glick, J. (1975). Cognitive development in cross-cultural perspective. In F. D. Horowitz (Ed.)., Review of child development research (Vol. 4., pp. 595–648). Chicago, IL: Chicago University Press

Greenfield, P. M., Reich, I. C., & Oliver, R. R. (1966). On culture and cognition. In J. S. Bruner, R. R. Oliver, P. M. Greenfield, J. R. Hornesby, H. J. Kenney, M. Maccoby, N. Modiano, F. A. Mosher, D. R. Oslon, M. C. Potter, L. C. Reich, and A. M. Sonstroem (Eds.), Studies in cognitive growth (pp. 270–318). New York: Wiley

Grigorenko, E. L., Geissler, P. W., Prince, R., Okatcha, F., Nokes, C., Kenny, D. A., Bundy, D. A., & Sternberg, R. J. (2001). The organization of Luo conceptions of intelligence: A study of implicit theories in a Kenyan village. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 25, 367–378CrossRef Google Scholar

Hadebe, S. (Ed.). (2001). Isichamazwi. Harare: College Press

Irvine, S. H. (1966). Towards a rationale for testing abilities and attainment in Africa. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 36, 24–32CrossRef Google Scholar

Irvine, S. H.(1969). The factor analysis of African abilities and attainments: Constructs across cultures. Psychological Bulletin, 71, 20–32CrossRef Google Scholar

Irvine, S. H.(1970). Affect and construct: A cross-cultural check on theories of intelligence. Journal of Social Psychology, 80, 23–30CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Irvine, S. H. (1972). The African contribution to new thinking about intelligence. In S. H. Irvine & J. T. Sanders (Eds.), Cultural adaptation within modern Africa (pp. 97–102). New York: Teachers College Press

Irvine, S. H. (1988). Constructing the intellect of the Shona: A taxonomic approach. In J. W. Berry, S. H. Irvine, & E. B. Hunt (Eds.), Indigenous cognition functioning in a cultural context (pp. 156–176). Dordrecht: Martinus NijhoffCrossRef

Irvine, S. H., & Berry, J. W. (1988). The abilities of mankind: A revaluation. In S. H. Irvine & J. W. Berry (Eds.), Human abilities in cultural context (pp. 3–59). New York: Cambridge University PressCrossRef

Kasfir, N. (1983). Introduction: Relating state to class in Africa. Journal of Commonwealth and Comparative Politics, 21, 3–8CrossRef Google Scholar

Kathuria, R., & Serpell, R. (1999). Standardization of the Panga Muntu Test – a nonverbal cognitive test developed in Zambia. Journal of Negro Education, 67, 228–241CrossRef Google Scholar

Kendall, I. M., Verster, M. A., & Von Mollendorf, J. W. (1988). Test performance of blacks in Southern Africa. In S. H. Irvine & J. W. Berry (Eds.), Human abilities in cultural context (pp. 299–339). New York: Cambridge University PressCrossRef

Latif (1980). Performance of Zimbabwean students on the WISC-R. Unpublished manuscript

Lazarus, A. A.(1993). Theory, subjectivity and bias: Can there be a future?Psychotherapy, 30, 674–677CrossRef Google Scholar

Makanza, M. (1988). A comparative study of pupils' profiles on the WISC-R. Unpublished masters thesis, University of Zimbabwe Location

Mandaza, I. (1986). Zimbabwe: The political economy of transition. Dakar: Codresia

Ministry of Education, Sport, and Culture (2001). Report on the national budget. Harare, Zimbabwe: Author

Mpofu, E. (1993). The context of mental testing and implications for psychoeducational practice in modern Zimbabwe. In W. Su. (Ed.)., Proceedings of the second Afro-Asian psychological conference (pp. 17–25). Beijing: University of Peking Press

Mpofu, E.(1994a). Exploring the self-concept in an African culture. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 155, 341–354CrossRef Google Scholar

Mpofu, E.(1994b). Children's interpretive strategies for class inclusion tasks. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 64, 77–89CrossRef Google Scholar

Mpofu, E.(1994c). The British Ability Scales Similarities sub-test's content and construct bias for a sample of Zimbabwean school children: A replication and extension study. Zimbabwe Journal of Educational Research, 7, 89–113Google Scholar

Mpofu, E. (1995). Antecedents of children's performance on class inclusion tests: Some Zimbabwean evidence. International Journal of Psychology, 30, 19–34CrossRef Google Scholar

Mpofu, E. (2001) Verbal facilitation effects on class inclusion response salience Zimbabwean children. Unpublished manuscript

Mpofu, E., & Khan, N.(1996). Regulations for psychological licensure in Zimbabwe: Procedures, problems and prospects. World Psychology, 31, 211–226Google Scholar

Mpofu, E., & Nyanungo, K. R. L.(1998). Educational and psychological testing in Zimbabwean schools: Past, present and future. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 14, 71–90CrossRef Google Scholar

Mpofu, E., & Vijver, F.(2000). Taxonomic structure in early to middle childhood: A longitudinal study with a sample of Zimbabwean children. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 24, 204–212CrossRef Google Scholar

Mpofu, E., & Watkins, D. A. (1994). The Similarities subtest of the British Ability Scales: Content and construct bias for a sample of Zimbabwe school children. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 54, 728–733CrossRef Google Scholar

Mpofu, E., Zindi, F., Oakland, T., & Peresuh, M. (1997). School psychological practices in East and Southern Africa. Journal of Special Education, 31, 387–402CrossRef Google Scholar

Oslon, A. R. (1984). Intelligence and literacy: The relationships between intelligence and the technologies of representation and communication. In R. J. Sternberg & R. K. Wagner (Eds.), Practical intelligence. Location: Cambridge University Press

Patterson, C. H., & Watkins, C. E., Jr. (1996). Theories of psychotherapy (5th ed.). New York: Harper Collins

Rogers, T., & Macguire, T. (1990). Short course: Test norming and equating in urban areas in Zimbabwe. Harare, Zimbabwe: June 24 – July 5

Serpell, R. (1977). Estimates of intelligence in a rural community in eastern Zambia. In F. M. Okatcha (Ed.)., Modern psychology and cultural adaptation (pp. 179–216). Nairobi; Kenya Swahili Language Consultants and Publishers

Serpell, R. (1988). Childhood disability in the sociocultural context: Assessment and information needs for effective services. In P. R. Dasen, J. W. Berry, & N. Sartorius (Eds.)., Health and cross-cultural psychology: Toward applications (pp. 256–276). Newbury Park: Sage

Serpell, R. (1993a). Wanzelu ndani? A Chewa perspective on child development and intelligence. In The significance of schooling: Life-journeys in an African society (pp. 24–71). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Serpell, R. (1993b). Interface between sociocultural and psychological aspects of cognition. In E. Forman, N. Minick, & A. Stone (Eds.), Contexts for learning: Sociocultural dynamics in children's development (pp. 357–368). New York: Oxford University Press

Serpell, R. (2000). Intelligence and culture. In R. Sternberg (Ed.)., Handbook of intelligence (pp. 549–576). Cambridge University PressCrossRef

Serpell, R. & Boykin, A. W. (1994). Cultural dimensions of cognition: A multiplex, dynamic system of constraints and possibilities. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.)., Thinking and problem solving (pp. 369–408). New York: Academic PressCrossRef

Sternberg, R. J.(1981). People's conceptions of intelligence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41, 37–35CrossRef Google Scholar

Sternberg, R. J.(1985). Implicit theories of intelligence, creativity and wisdom. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 49, 607–627CrossRef Google Scholar

Sternberg, R. J.(1998). A balance theory of wisdom. Review of General Psychology, 2, 347–365CrossRef Google Scholar

Sternberg, R. J.(1999). The theory of successful intelligence. Review of General Psychology, 3, 292–375CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Sternberg, R. J., Conway, B. E., Ketron, J. L., & Bernstein, M. (1991). Peoples conceptions of intelligence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41, 37–55CrossRef Google Scholar

Sternberg, R. J., Nokes, C., Geissler, P. W., Prince, R., Okatcha, F., Bundy, D. A., Grigorenko, E. L.(2001). The relationship between academic and practical intelligence: A case study in Kenya. Intelligence, 29, 401–418CrossRef Google Scholar

Vernon, P. E. (1969). Intelligence and cultural environment. London: Methuen

Watkins, D., Akande, A., & Mpofu, E.(1996). Assessing self-esteem: An African perspective. Personality and Individual Differences, 20, 163–169CrossRef Google Scholar

Whyte, S. R. (1998). Slow cookers and madman: Competencies of heart and head in rural Uganda. In R. Jenkins (Ed.), Questions of competence (pp. 153–175). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Wober, M. (1974). Towards an understanding of the Kiganda concept of intelligence. In J. W. Berry & P. R. Dasen (Eds.), Culture and cognition: Readings in cross-cultural psychology(pp. 261–280). London: Methuen

Zimbabwe Central Statistical Office (1992). National census data. Harare, Zikmbabwe: Author

Zimbabwe Central Statistical (1992). Population Census. Harare, Zimbabwe: Author

Zvobgo, R. J. (1994). Colonialism and education in Zimbabwe. Harare: Sapes Books