Chapter 9 - Theories Of Intelligence And Binet

Question 1

Alfred Binets Definition

Answer 1

Tendency to take and maintain a definite direction; the capacity to make adaptations for the purpose of attaining a desired end, and the power of auto criticism

Question 2

Spearmans Definition

Answer 2

Ability to deuce either relations or correlates

Question 3

Freeman’s Definition

Answer 3

Adjustment or adaptation of the individual to his total environment, the ability to learn, the ability to carry on abstract thinking

Question 4

Das’s Definition

Answer 4

The ability to plan and structure ones behaviour with an end in view

Question 5

H Gardner’s Definition

Answer 5

The ability to resolve genuine problems or difficulties as they are encountered

Question 6

Sternbergs Definition

Answer 6

Mental activity involved in purposive adaptation to, shaping of, and selection of real-world environments relevant to ones life

Question 7

Anderson’s Definition

Answer 7

Two dimensional and based on individual differences in information processing speed and executive functioning influenced largely by inhibitory processes

Question 8

TR Taylor

Answer 8

Man identified 3 independent research traditions that have been used to study nature of human intelligence

• Psychometric approach
• information processing approach
• cognitive tradition

Question 9

Psychometric Approach

Answer 9

• examines elemental structure of a test
• we examine properties of tests through an evaluation of its correlates and underlying dimension
• oldest Approach

(One of three traditions identified by TR Taylor)

Question 10

Information Processing Approach

Answer 10

Examines processes that underlie how we learn and solve problems

(One of three traditions identified by TR Taylor)

Question 11

Cognitive Tradition

Answer 11

Focuses on how humans adapt to real world demands

One of three traditions identified by TR Taylor

Question 12

Binet Definition Intelligence

Answer 12

Capacity to

1. Find and maintain definite direction or purpose
2. Make necessary adaptations -strategy adjustments -to achieve that purpose and
3. To engage in self-criticism so that necessary adjustments in strategy can be made

Question 13

Binets two most profound contributions

Answer 13

She differentiation and mental ability

Question 14

Age Differentiation

Answer 14

One can differentiate older children from younger by their greater capabilities

• Binet found tasks that could be complete by up to 75% of children in age group and by smaller percent in younger age group
• could estimate mental ability of a child in term so this completion of tasks designed for child of particular age
• capability eventually called MENTAL AGE

Question 15

General Mental Ability

Answer 15

Binet measured only total product of various separate elements of intelligence - general mental ability

• freed himself from burden of identifying each element and finding relation of each element to whole
• judges value of tasks in terms of their correlation to combined total score of all tasks
• this tasks with low correlation could be eliminated

Question 16

Psychometric g

Answer 16

Spearmans notion of general mental ability based on phenomenon called “positive manifold’

Thought g could be conceptualized in terms of mental energy

Question 17

Positive Manifold

Answer 17

Phenomenon that when set of diverse ability tests are given to large unbiased population samples, almost all correlations are positive
-supported Spearmans notion of general mental ability

Question 18

Factor analysis

Answer 18

Method for reusing set of variable or scores to a smaller number of hypothetical variables called factors

Developed by spearman to support g

Through FA one can determine how much variance a set of test or scores has in common

Question 19

gf-gc Theory

Answer 19

Recent theories suggest intelligence best thought of as multiple intelligences

-two basic types of intelligence: fluid (f) and crystallized (c)

Fluid intelligence: abilities that allow us to reason, think, gain knowledge
Crystallized intelligence: knowledge that has been gained

Question 20

1905 Binet Simon Scale

Answer 20

Meant to identify disabled children on three levels

• idiot: most severe impairment
• imbecile: moderate impairment
• moron: mild impairments

-30 items increasing difficulty

Fell short

• no measuring unit
• shitty normative data
• rude classifications
• little to document scales validity
• norms based on 50 normal kids

Question 21

1908 Binet Simon Scale

Answer 21

An age scale with items grouped according to age level rather than one set of items with increasing difficulty

Two major concepts: age scale and mental age

Main improvement concept of mental age
-attempt to solve problem of expressing results in unit

Did little to meet big criticism: Scale produced only one score mainly related to verbal/language ability

• at expense of other factors like visual and motor
• Binet claimed single score consistent with notion of g