Ch. 8 Definitions

Question 1

Intelligence

Answer 1

Ability to solve problems and adapt to and learn from experiences

Question 2

Mental age

Answer 2

An individual’s level of mental development relative to that of others

Question 3

Intelligence quotient

Answer 3

An individual’s mental age divided by chronological age multiplied by 100 (Stern, 1912)

Question 4

Normal distribution

Answer 4

A symmetrical, bell-shaped curve with a majority of the cases falling in the middle of the possible range of scores and a few scores appearing toward the extremes of the range

Question 5

Triarchic theory of intelligence

Answer 5

Intelligence consists of analytical, creative, and practical intelligence (Sternberg)

Question 6

Emotional intelligence

Answer 6

The ability to perceive and express emotions accurately and adaptively, to understand emotion and emotional knowledge, to use feelings to facilitate thought, and to manage emotions in oneself and others

Question 7

Stereotype threat

Answer 7

Anxiety regarding whether one’s behavior might confirm a negative stereotype about one’s group

Question 8

Culture-fair tests

Answer 8

Intelligence tests that are designed to avoid cultural bias

Question 9

Bayley Scales of Infant Development

Answer 9

Cognitive, language, motor, social-emotional, and adaptive scales administered to infant and caregiver to assess infant development (Nancy Bayley)

Question 10

Crystallized intelligence

Answer 10

An individual’s accumulated information and verbal skills, which continues to increase with age

Question 11

Fluid intelligence

Answer 11

The ability to reason abstractly which begins to decline in middle adulthood

Question 12

Cognitive mechanics

Answer 12

The “hardware” of the mind, reflecting the neurophysiological architecture of the brain as developed through evolution, involving the speed and accuracy of processes involving sensory input, visual/motor memory, discrimination, comparison, and categorization

Question 13

Cognitive pragmatics

Answer 13

The culture-based “software” of the mind, including reading and writing skills, language comprehension, educational qualifications, professional skills, and the self-knowledge and life skills that help mastery/coping with life

Question 14

Wisdom

Answer 14

Expert knowledge about the practical aspects of life that permits excellent judgment about important matters

Question 15

Intellectual disability

Answer 15

A condition of limited mental ability in which an individual has a low IQ, usually below 70, and has difficulty adapting to the demands of everyday life

Question 16

Giftedness

Answer 16

Having above-average intelligence (IQ over 130) and/or superior talent for something

Question 17

Creativity

Answer 17

The ability to think in novel and unusual ways to come up with unique solutions to problems

Question 18

Divergent thinking

Answer 18

Thinking that produces many answers to the same question, characteristic of creativity

Question 19

Convergent thinking

Answer 19

Thinking that produces one correct answer, characteristic of the kind of thinking required on conventional intelligence tests

Question 20

Brainstorming

Answer 20

Technique in which individuals are encouraged to come up with creative ideas in a group, play off each other’s ideas, and say practically whatever comes to mind that is relevant to a particular issue