Final answer:
True, intelligence tests are often norm-referenced, requiring a representative sample for standardization. These tests allow comparisons against established norms to interpret individual scores accurately, though they are sometimes criticized for potential biases.
Step-by-step explanation:
Many intelligence tests are indeed norm-referenced, which is a true statement. These tests are designed to be compared against a large sample of previously tested individuals to establish a baseline or 'norm'. For a test to be considered both normed and standardized, it must be administered to a representative sample. This is not just any group of individuals, but a diverse cross-section that represents the entire population the test is intended to measure. The process of norming collects data from different groups to set referential scores, without setting expectations of what these groups should know, but rather showing what they do know in actuality.
The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, a well-known IQ test, exemplifies this process. It was standardized by testing a representative sample, establishing an average score for each age that fits a bell curve distribution. This standardization ensures that test results are reliable and consistent.
Conflict theorists, however, argue that IQ tests can be biased because they may not account fairly for individuals with learning disabilities. Still, these tests are a widely used tool in psychology to measure intellectual abilities.