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The reversal of Spearman's Hypothesis in incarcerated populations and the role of non-shared environmentality

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Woodley of Menie, Michael A., Peñaherrera-Aguirre, Mateo, Sarraf, Matthew A.·2025·Intelligence & Cognitive Abilities
DOI 10.65550/001c.140843
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Abstract

White-Black (W-B) cognitive performance differences tend to be more pronounced on more g -loaded subtests, a phenomenon posited by, and sometimes denoted by the term, Spearman’s Hypothesis (SH). But SH might not be confirmed in all circumstances. The current study aims to investigate particular conditions under which it might fail. Exploratory factor analysis employing vectors of subtest-level effects as the unit of analysis is used to examine the relationships between non-shared environmentality ( e 2 ), g and culture loadings, and W-B differences in two incarcerated and three normative samples, all evaluated using Wechsler series cognitive tests. Parallel analysis recommended a two-factor solution. Factor 1 was associated with negative clustering for the g and culture loading vectors, but positive clustering for both the incarcerated W-B difference and e 2 vectors. The three normative W-B difference vectors clustered with respect to Factor 2 onto which the g and culture loading vectors also weakly, but positively, cross-loaded. These results suggest that when racialized sources of environmental harshness are high (such as in incarceration settings) SH reverses, with e 2 variance (which captures environmental harshness) and non- g sources of performance variance being generative of these group differences.

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  • Among incarcerated and institutionalized (carceral) populations, Spearman's Hypothesis appears to be reversed.

    “Of relevance are findings from incarcerated and institutionalized (carceral) populations, amongst whom SH appears to be reversed (Woodley of Menie et al., 2025).”

    From A Meta-Analysis of Spearman’s Hypothesis in the United States (2026) · cites this paper as Woodley of Menie et al., 2025

  • Woodley of Menie et al. (2025) found that carceral W-B difference vectors cluster positively with vectors of non-shared environmentality, whilst g and culture-loading vectors show the opposite (negative) clustering pattern.

    “Precisely in line with this, Woodley of Menie et al. (2025) found that carceral W-B difference vectors cluster positively with vectors of non-shared environmentality, whilst g and culture-loading vectors show the opposite (negative) clustering pattern.”

    From A Meta-Analysis of Spearman’s Hypothesis in the United States (2026) · cites this paper as Woodley of Menie et al. (2025)

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Authors
Woodley of Menie, M. A., Peñaherrera-Aguirre, M., & Sarraf, M. A.
Affiliations
  • Independent Researcher
  • University of Arizona
  • Independent Sector (US)
ORCID
Woodley of Menie, Michael A.
Venue
Intelligence & Cognitive Abilities
Publisher
Finulus, Inc
Published
2025-06-30
Volume
1
Issue
1
ISSN
3069-6488 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.65550/001c.140843
OpenAlex
W4417042524
Cited by
2
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 2
Type
dissertation
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
Intelligence & Cognitive Abilities (publishedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
  • Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Intergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies
Keywords
Spearman's hypothesis, general intelligence, incarceration, environmental harshness, Wechsler intelligence tests

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