Child Topic 1: Intelligence Flashcards
Van Leeuwen study aim
To separate the effects on intelligence of having shared genes as opposed to a shared environment. Also investigate why similar spouses have a similar IQ score to each other.
Van Leeuwen study sample
-112 families
-Each had either MZ or DZ twins and a sibling aged 9-14 and 2 parents
-From the Netherlands
-mean age of twins was 9.1, mean age of siblings was 11.9
Van Leeuwen study method
-To confirm zygosity they did cheek swabs at home + questionnaire
-To assess intelligence children did Raven’s standard progressive matrices and parents did Raven’s advanced progressive matrices
-Testing was done over a 5 hour period, the Rasch model was used to control for the difficulty levels
Van Leeuwen study results
-No significant sex difference was found
-Correlations were higher in MZ twins that first degree relatives
-Significant correlation in estimated levels of intelligence between spouses, 0.33
-Additive genetic effects account for 67% of intelligence whilst environmental factors explain the rest
-For lower IQ groups, environment has more of an influence
Van Leeuwen study conclusions
-Main influence on intelligence is genetics
-Genes can interact with the environment to influence IQ scores, and this is relatively more important in explaining individual differences for lower and higher IQ groups
-Children with higher predisposed IQ seek out stimulating environments
-The most parsimonious explanation for the correlation between spouses was phenotypic assortment
Raven’s Progressive Matrices
-One of the most popular non verbal intelligence tests in use
-Measured objectively
-Test is easy to administer and interpret
-Measures the ability to work out an answer based on what you have in front of you
-Participants select the missing piece of a stimuli
Gardner- Multiple Intelligences
-His test shows you your most suited intelligence out of the 7 he proposes we have
-Answer a series of questions based on yourself and what you enjoy doing
-Having a high score on one intelligence type does not mean you will have a high score on all intelligence types
-People will differ in how they learn based on which intelligence is their strongest
Schoenthaler- Vitamins improving intelligence
-615 school children examined on multiple measures of intelligence and randomly assigned to one of 4 treatment groups
-One group received placebos whilst the other 3 were given different strength vitamin-mineral supplements
-Lasted 12 weeks and they were later tested on the same measures of intelligence
-Triple blind study
-They found that non-verbal Wechsler tests has a highly significant improved IQ; verbal tests did not
Goodenough-Harris- draw-a-person test
-Child is asked to draw the best picture of a person they could anad given as long as they need to perfect it
-Picture is then scored based on features including or missing
-Picture gains a point for every core feature and additional points for details like eyes and nose
-More details = higher test score
-Score is then used to indicate the child’s mental age
3 evaluative points for reduction v holism
-Reductionist to assume intelligence is just due to genetics
-Reductionist to assume intelligence is only due to one environmental factor
-Can be seen as holistic if you’re looking at a range of intelligence types
3 evaluative points for socially sensitive research
-Can be socially sensitive if it seemed to be blaming parents for children’s genetic intelligence levels
-Less socially sensitive if it looks at a range of intelligences that people have different strengths in
-Less socially sensitive if it suggests you can take action to improve IQ
3 evaluative points for psychology as a science
-Research into intelligence is scientific if it’s falsifiable
-Research into intelligence is scientific if it’s replicable
-Research into intelligence is not scientific if it’s more subjective
