Human intelligence: correlations & group variations Flashcards
How did the APA task force define intelligence?
Intelligence is defined as “the ability to understand complex ideas, adapt to the environment, learn from experience, engage in reasoning, and overcome obstacles by taking thought.”
What type of intelligence do IQ tests primarily measure?
IQ tests primarily focus on measuring analytical intelligence
What factors did the APA task force emphasize as influencing intelligence?
Intelligence is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors
What additional factors did the task force consider important in studying intelligence?
role of nutrition and aimed to understand why intelligence scores vary between different groups
Why can IQ tests not be considered totally accurate?
Due to factors such as cultural bias, artificial settings, and limited theoretical basis
What are two types of validity that IQ tests are known to have?
High construct validity and external validity
Why is it inaccurate to say that intelligence cannot be tested?
Because any test item requiring cognitive effort measures intelligence to some extent (Lubinski & Humphreys, 1997)
What did Belasen & Hafer (2013) say about IQ’s predictive power?
“There is little that IQ doesn’t help predict.”
What does intelligence consist of?
Different cognitive abilities like reasoning, memory, and problem-solving that contribute to an IQ score
What is the g factor?
A shared general intelligence factor that explains about half of the differences in performance on cognitive tasks
How does the g factor impact task performance?
It influences performance across various cognitive tasks and is observed across many cultures
Does IQ capture all aspects of intelligence?
No, saying IQ measures intelligence does not imply it captures all aspects of intelligence
What are some positive correlations with intelligence?
Intelligence is positively correlated with income (Jensen, 1998), job prestige (Nyborg & Jensen, 2001), life expectancy (Deary et al., 2004), and job performance (Schmidt & Hunter, 2004)
What are some negative correlations with intelligence?
Intelligence is negatively correlated with criminal behavior (Beaver et al., 2013), long-term unemployment (Herrnstein & Murray, 1996), dementia (Deary et al., 2004), and death by automobile accident (O’Toole & Stankov, 1992)
How stable are IQ scores from early childhood onwards?
IQ scores are relatively stable from early childhood onwards, with less variability as children approach adolescence
How much can IQ scores change between ages 4 and 17?
IQ scores between ages 4 and 17 can vary by up to 13 points up or down
How much variability is there in IQ scores between ages 8 and 17?
Between ages 8 and 17, IQ scores can vary by up to 9 points
How much do IQ scores typically change between ages 12 and 17?
Between ages 12 and 17, IQ scores may vary by around 7 points
Why do IQ scores tend to stabilize by adolescence?
IQ scores stabilize as children approach adolescence because cognitive abilities begin to settle as brain development slows down
What general trend is observed in IQ score stability?
The closer in time two IQ tests are taken, the more consistent the scores tend to be
How is intelligence generally valued in academia?
Intelligence is valued across academia, but different disciplines emphasize certain skills more than others
What is the correlation between intelligence test scores and school grades?
Intelligence test scores correlate with school grades at approximately r=0.60
How well do SAT scores predict university grades?
SAT scores correlate with university grades at around r=0.50, making them useful predictors of future academic success
What effect does additional schooling have on cognitive ability?
Each additional year of education can increase cognitive ability by about 1-5 IQ points (Ritchie et al., 2017)
Does exam performance accurately measure intelligence?
Exam performance as a measure of intelligence is limited by the structure of the exam and does not test all cognitive abilities
How might exams restrict intelligent students?
Exams often focus on providing expected or appropriate answers, which may limit initiative and creativity, making some intelligent students feel restricted
What is a major limitation of exams in measuring intelligence?
Exams tend to measure crystallized intelligence (learned knowledge) rather than fluid intelligence (problem-solving and adaptability)
What cognitive abilities do traditional exams often fail to capture?
Exams may not capture divergent thinking and creativity, as they focus more on standardized answers
Why might exams be more a measure of “what do you know” than “what you can do”?
Exams are structured to assess recall and correct answers, emphasizing knowledge over practical or adaptive intelligence
How does the importance of IQ vary with educational stages?
IQ’s correlation with academic achievement (~0.54) becomes stronger as grade level increases, particularly as subject complexity rises
In which subjects does IQ most strongly influence performance?
IQ is more strongly related to performance in subjects with a clear logical structure, like math and science (Roth et al., 2015
How does intelligence relate to academic performance in ages 17-19?
At ages 17-19, fluid intelligence and high conscientiousness are both important for academic success (Di Fabio & Busoni, 2007)
What were the academic outcomes for those who scored in the top 0.1% on the SATs at age 13 according to Lubinski?
Over 50% went on to earn doctoral-level qualifications, far above the general population’s rate of ~1%
Why is socio-economic status (SES) considered an important correlate of intelligence?
SES is linked to “real-life” outcomes of intelligence, influencing factors like education, occupation, and income levels
How does intelligence predict outcomes related to SES?
Intelligence test scores are predictive of educational achievement, occupational prestige, and income (Strenze, 2007)
What percentage of variance in SES-related outcomes can intelligence explain?
Intelligence explains between 4% and 32% of the variance in education, occupation, and income levels
How do parental variables affect SES outcomes?
Parental SES factors—like education, occupation, and income—explain a similar amount of variance in SES outcomes
What did Schacter et al. (2014) imply about SES and intelligence?
They suggested that high SES might contribute to higher IQ scores: “Money can’t buy love, but it sure appears to buy intelligence.”
What is a debated explanation for the link between IQ and SES?
Some argue that IQ is a partial cause of SES, while others believe both share a common partial genetic cause (Deary et al., 2014)
What was the goal of the Scottish Mental Survey?
To test the IQ of the Scottish population and track its long-term impacts on survival and health
When did the Scottish Mental Survey begin, and who was tested?
It began in 1931, testing 87,498 children born in 1921 who were attending school in Scotland on June 1, 1932, using the Moray House Test
What was the follow-up study in Aberdeen?
Since 1997, researchers have followed 2,792 children from Aberdeen who took an IQ test at age 11 to track survival rates up to age 76