Ch 9 - intelligence and creativity Flashcards
psychometric approach to intelligence
intelligence is a trait or set of traits that characterize some people to a greater extent than others
- Goal is to identify the traits precisely and to measure them so that differences among individuals can be described
Spearman proposed a two-factor theory of intelligence
- General mental ability (g) that contributes to performance on a variety of tasks
- Special abilities (s) that are specific to particular tasks
Catell and Horn proposed two broad dimensions of intellect
- Fluid intelligence, the ability to use the mind actively to solve novel problems
- Crystallized intelligence, the use of knowledge acquired through school and life experiences
Current consensus emerging from research is that intelligence is a hierarchy that includes
- At the top, a general ability factor that influences how well people do on a range of cognitive tasks
- In the middle, a few broad dimensions, such as fluid intelligence, crystallized intelligence, memory capacity, and processing speed
- At the bottom, specific abilities such as numerical reasoning, spatial discrimination, and word comprehension that also influence how well a person performs cognitive tasks that tap these specific abilities
Test norms:
standards of normal performance expressed as average scores and the range of scores around the average
Early version of IQ test was developed by ____ and permitted ____
- Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon
- Permitted testers to describe a child’s mental age, the level of age-graded problems a child could solve
- became the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale
Scores on the Stanford-Binet and the Wechsler Scales form a
- Normal distribution
- Symmetrical bell-shaped spread around the average score of 100
Gardner argues that there are at least 8 distinct intellectual abilities
- Linguistic
- Logical-mathematical
- Musical
- Spatial
- Bodily-kinesthetic
- Interpersonal
- Intrapersonal
- Naturalist
Linguistic intelligence
– language skills
Logical-mathematical intelligence
– abstract thinking and problem-solving
Musical intelligence
– acute sensitivity to sound patterns
Spatial intelligence
– accurate perception
bodily-kinesthetic intelligence
– skillful use of the body to create, perform, etc.
Interpersonal intelligence
– social intelligence and skill, sensitivity to the motivations and moods of others
Intrapersonal intelligence
– understanding of one’s own feelings and inner life
Naturalist intelligence
– expertise in the natural world of plants and animals
Sternberg proposed a triarchic theory of intelligence – three components that jointly contribute to intelligent behavior
1) Practical or contextual component
2) Creative component
3) Analytic component
Practical or contextual component
- Varies according to the sociocultural context in which it is displayed
- Ability to adapt to the environment
Creative component includes
- Response to novelty, which requires active and conscious information processing
- Automization, or increased efficiency of information processing with practice
Analytic component
Information-processing skills that are assessed by traditional IQ tests
Flynn effect –
- during the 20th century, in all countries studied, average IQ scores increased by 3 to 4 points per decade
- Full-scale IQ scores increased by 18 points over 50 years
- Due to improved nutrition and living conditions, more focused attention from parents, and better education
Most important factors in IQ
- Parental involvement with the child
- Opportunities for stimulation - Stimulation should be responsive to the child’s behavior and matched to the child’s competencies
Intellectual disability is indicated by
- an IQ score of 70-75 and
- difficulties in meeting age-appropriate expectations in important areas of everyday functioning
