Chapter 9 Flashcards
Approaches to Intelligence Testing
Alfred Binet
Defined intelligence as the ability to think, understand, reason, and adapt. Developed the concept of mental age (the intellectual ability for a child of a certain age).
Example: A 7-year-old with a mental age of 7 is average, but a 10-year-old with a mental age of 8 is below average.
Approaches to Intelligence Testing:
Lewis Terman
Created the Stanford-Binet test, aimed at measuring innate intelligence (genetic intelligence).
Different Approaches to Intelligence Testing: William Stern
Developed the IQ formula:
intelligence quotient
IQ = MentalAge/ChronologicalAge × 100
Example: A 10-year-old with a mental age of 7 would have an IQ of 70. IQ is seen as mostly stable over time.
Approaches to Intelligence Testing:
Sir Francis Galton
Focused on anthropometrics (study of physical and mental traits).
Galton developed methods to measure people’s physical characteristics, such as head size, reaction times, and sensory acuity, believing these could indicate intelligence or other mental abilities.
Eugenics: Galton was a strong proponent of eugenics, the belief that society could improve its population’s genetic quality by encouraging those with “superior” traits to reproduce.
Raven’s Progressive Matrices
Intelligence test based on pictures, not words, making it relatively unaffected by language
or cultural background
The Checkered Past of Intelligence Testing:
In the early 20th century, IQ testing was used to measure people’s intelligence
Social Darwinism: This was a belief that some people or groups were naturally superior to others based on “survival of the fittest.” It influenced how IQ tests were used.
Eugenics: This movement aimed to improve the human race by encouraging “superior” people to reproduce and preventing “inferior” people from doing so. IQ tests were misused to label certain groups as less intelligent, leading to harmful practices like forced sterilizations.
Two Beliefs About Intelligence
Entity Theory: This belief holds that intelligence is fixed and unchangeable. People who believe in this theory tend to think that their ability is set, so they may give up easily when faced with challenges, believing they can’t improve.
Incremental Theory: This belief suggests that intelligence can grow and improve with effort and learning. People who believe in this theory are more likely to embrace challenges and persist, which can lead to better test scores over time.
Intelligence as a Single General Ability:
Savant
A person with low mental ability in most areas but has extraordinary talent in one specific domain, like math, music, or art.
Spearman’s General Intelligence (“g”):
Spearman believed that a single general intelligence (“g”) makes some people better at thinking and problem-solving in many areas. If you’re good at one thing, you’re likely good at others because of this general brain power.
Spearman’s Two-Factor Theory:
Spearman proposed that intelligence includes two factors:
“g”: General intelligence that influences performance across many tasks.
“s”: Specific abilities or skills needed for particular tasks, like math or language abilities. This means you could excel in some areas due to “s” while still having a general level of “g.”
Thurstone’s 7 Primary Mental Abilities:
Thurstone believed intelligence isn’t just one general ability (“g”), but is made up of seven distinct mental abilities, such as:
Verbal comprehension
Numerical ability
Spatial relations
Perceptual speed
Word fluency
Memory
Reasoning
Hierarchical Model of Intelligence:
suggests that intelligence is organized in layers, combining both general and specific abilities.
General Intelligence (“g”): At the top of the hierarchy, “g” represents overall cognitive ability that affects performance across various tasks.
Broad Abilities: Below “g” are broader categories of intelligence, like verbal reasoning, mathematical ability, or spatial skills. These are influenced by “g” but represent more specific domains.
Narrow Abilities: At the bottom are specific skills within each broad category, such as vocabulary knowledge under verbal reasoning or arithmetic ability under math skills.
Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence:
Fluid Intelligence (Gf):
The ability to solve new problems, adapt to new situations, and think on your feet without relying on past knowledge.
Example: solving a new puzzle you’ve never seen before. figuring out how to navigate a complex maze or assembling a jigsaw puzzle without instructions requires you to use reasoning and problem-solving skills, rather than relying on prior knowledge or experience.
Crystallized Intelligence (Gc):
Knowledge and skills you’ve acquired through experience and learning, which tend to be more stable over time.
Example: Knowing facts like the names of countries or historical events.
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)
A brain condition linked to repeated head injuries, often seen in athletes like NHL players. CTE can lead to memory loss, mood changes, and cognitive decline.
ImPACT:
A testing system used to monitor players for cognitive issues. It regularly checks for declines in abilities like memory, attention, and reaction time to spot potential head injury effects.
