5a - intelligence, health and well-being Flashcards
Intelligence (Mental Ability) definition on 4 points
A latent construct defined as:
- ability to carry out abstract thinking - Terman
- ability to learn / adjust to environment - Calvin
- global concept including acting purposefully, thinking rationally, dealing effectively - Weschler
IQ: Intelligence Quotient
Originally a measure of deviation of mental age from chronological age:
IQ = (mental age / chronological age) X 100
Wechsler (1975): redefined as a standardised score showing deviation from average score (of 100).
Scores normally distributed with an SD of 15.
Intelligence Test Items
- digit span
- letter number sequencing
- proverb test making
- trail making
G (general) Intelligence
Charles Spearman (1863-1945)
Common ‘mental energy’ underlying performance on all tests
Indifference of the indicator: common on all mental ability tests to type of test used doenst matter
4 domains of heierarchy of intelligence
verbal: verbal tests, synonyms
working mem: digit span, letter-n sequencing
visuospatial reasoning: box folding, hidden figure
processing speed: reaction time, trail making
Intelligence and Health + cognitive epidemiology
Chamorro-Premuzic (2013): IQ correlates with academic achievement, job performance, and longevity.
Cognitive epidemiology: the examination of cognition/ IQ as a correlate of health and mortality (Deary & Batty, 2007)
- reverse causation )poor health can influence IQ)
confounding effects of SES
The Moray House Test
71 items
Scores correlate with Raven’s Matrices and Stanford-Binet.
Valid measures of age 10/11 IQ.
Can investigate the influence of early life IQ on health and mortality/longevity.
Age 11 IQ and Longevity
Whalley and Deary (2001)
Whalley and Deary (2001)
Compared childhood IQ scores of survivors (age 76yrs) vs. non-survivors.
SES estimated by ‘overcrowding’ in childhood and father’s occupation.
Significant correlation between age-11 IQ and age of death after controlling for childhood SES (r=.19)
Cognitive Epidemiology: Cohort Study summary + IQ and bio indicators of mortality
Batty, Deary and Gottfredson (2007): systematic review
The 9 studies show that higher IQ in first 20 years of life is linked with lower mortality, even after adjusting for childhood SES.
Deary : “Intelligence can predict mortality more strongly than body mass index, total cholesterol, blood pressure or blood glucose, and at a similar level to smoking”
IQ-Health: Causal Mechanisms - 2 routes
1) IQ -> edication -> employment prospects -> adult SES status
adjusting for adult SES reduces IQ-longevity association
2) IQ-> health literacy and health behaviours:
- medical adherence
- healthy eating/physical activity
- wearing seatbelts
- hangover frequency
IQ and health - 3 and 4
3) suboptimal neural development -> IQ & psychiatric burdens:
- lower IQ associated w psychiatric disordera
- controlling for birthweight does not eliminate IQ-longevity links
4) body system integrity -> IQ and health problems
- body symmetry associated w IQ
Contribution of each mechanism may vary by cause of death.
Intelligence and Happiness
Ali et al:
Mixed results from previous studies
Measured Happiness.
Verbal IQ measured with National Adult Reading Test (NART).
Measured potential mediating variables that may account for any IQ-happiness relationship.
mediation model: potential causal factors. see if introducing mediating variablke reduces link between og association
Ali results: Relationship between IQ and happinedd mediated by
High IQ predicted likelihood of being happy.
Relationship mediated by:
Dependency in Activities of Daily Living
Income
Neurotic Symptoms
Self-reported Health
Marital status
Social participation
Further studies needed to test mechanisms longitudinally.
