Chapter 11 This Sucks Much Flashcards
Intelligence
Mental quality consisting of the ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use knowledge to adapt to new situations
Reification
Viewing an abstract, immaterial concept as if it were a concrete thing
Factor analysis
A statistical procedure that identifies clusters of related items on a test; used to identify different dimensions of performance that underlie one’s total score
Charles Spearman
Father of factor analysis and developed the concept of general intelligence
General Intelligence
A factor that underlies all specific mental abilities and is therefore measured by every task on an intelligence test
L.L. Thurstone
This psychologist disagreed with Spearman and identified 7 clusters of primary mental abilities
Analyzed not on a single scale, weak relationship,between clusters
Howard Gardner
Supported Thurstone; studied brain damage and savant syndrome patients to identify 8 types of intelligences
Savant Syndrome
A condition in which a person otherwise limited in mental ability has an exceptional specific skill
Robert Sternberg
Agrees with Gardner; father of triarchic theory, which distinguishes 3 types of intelligences
Emotional Intelligence
The ability to perceive, understand, manage, and use emotions
Creativity
The ability to produce novel and valuable ideas
Intelligence Test
A method for assessing an individual’s mental aptitudes and comparing them with those of others using numerical scores
Alfred Binet
Developed first intelligence test for France to identify slow learners who need special education
Mental Age
A measure of intelligence performance created by Binet; the chronological age that most typically corresponds to a given level of performance
Lewis Terman
Believed that intelligence scores should be used to produce a superior human race; created the Stanford-Binet Test
Stanford-Binet
The widely used American revision, by Terman, of Binet’s original intelligence test; used for immigration laws
Intelligence Quotient
Defined originally as the ratio of mental age to chronological age multiplied by 100; average score is 100
Aptitude Test
A test designed to predict a person’s future performance; measures capacity to learn
Achievement Test
A test designed to assess what a person has learned
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)
Most widely used intelligence test; contains verbal and performance subtests
Standardization
Defining meaningful scores by comparison with the performance of a pretested group
The Flynn Effect
Average intelligence scores over time (decades) have been improving; linked to educational opportunities and nutrition
Normal Curve
The symmetrical bell shaped curve that describes the distribution of many physical and psychological attributes; average (most) scores in middle, and extremes on the end (few)
Reliability
The extent to which a test yields consistent results, as assessed by the consistency of scores on two halves of the test, on alternate forms of the test, or on retesting
Validity
The extent to which a test measures or predicts what it is supposed to
Content Validity
The extent to which a test covers the behavior that is of interest
Criterion
The behavior that a test is designed to predict; the measure used in defining whether the test has validity
Predictive Validity
The success with which a test predicts the behavior it is designed to predict; it is assessed by computing the correlation between scores and the criterion behavior
Mental Retardation
A condition of limited mental ability, indicated by an intelligence score of below 70 as well as difficulty in adapting to the demands of life
Down Syndrome
A condition of retardation and associated physical disorders caused by an extra chromosome in one’s genetic makeup
Stereotype Threat
A self-confirming concern that one will be evaluated based on a negative stereotype
