Human Mental Abilities Flashcards
1
Q
Construct
A
- Cannot be directly observed
- Something we infer from observing behaviour
2
Q
Latent Variables
A
- Variable that can not be directly measured
- E.G. Intelligence
3
Q
Manifest Variables
A
- Variable that can be directly measured
- E.G. IQ test scores
4
Q
Operationalise
A
- How you take something from being a theory to something you can measure
5
Q
Entity Theorist
A
- Mental abilities are fixed
6
Q
Incramental Theorist
A
- Mental abilities are changeable
7
Q
Learning Trajectories of 7th Graders
A
- Kids who were incremental theorist had upward trajectory in grades
- Kids who were entity theorists had flat trajectory in grades
8
Q
Sternberg (1981)
A
- What behaviours show intelligence
- Verbal intelligence
- Problem solving
- Practical intelligence
9
Q
Alfred Binet
A
- Mental age
- Emphasis on improving to catch up with peers
- HOWEVER, same age doesn’t mean same intelligence. E.G. a 18 year old and 7 year old both have a mental age of 9. One is delayed and one is advanced
10
Q
Binet’s Speculations
A
- The scores are a practical device
- The scale is rough
- Low scores shall not be used to mark children as innately incapable
11
Q
Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
A
- Ratio IQ = ( Mental Age/Chronological Age ) x 100
- HOWEVER, ratio IQ only works if mental age increases proportionally with chronological age/
- Works best for children but doesn’t work well as people get older because mental growth slows down.
12
Q
Deviation Scores
A
- IQ score doesn’t change throughout your life
- Doesn’t mean your intelligence hasn’t increased but intelligence around peers stay the same
13
Q
Stanford Binet IV
A
- Start out easy and get more difficult
- Verbal Reasoning
- Abstract Reasoning
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Short-Term Memory
14
Q
Basal Level
A
- Established before test
- Anything easier, the participant can do
- Obtained if participant can get four items right in a row
15
Q
Ceiling Level
A
- Established before the test
- Anything harder, the participant can’t do
- Obtained if participant fail 3+ items
16
Q
VERBAL REASONING: Picture Vocabulary
A
Docs
17
Q
VERBAL REASONING: Oral Vocabulary
A
Docs
18
Q
ABSTRACT REASONING: Pattern Analysis
A
- Pass: Examinee duplicates pattern within time limit
- Fail: Examinee fails to duplicate pattern
- Reversal Fail: Examinee duplicates the pattern but is turned 90 degrees or more
- Time Failure: Examinee duplicates the pattern but not within the time limit
19
Q
ABSTRACT REASONING: Copying
A
- See a picture and required to copy the drawing
20
Q
SHORT TERM MEMORY: Memory for Objects
A
- Show a set of pictures to participants in a particular order
- Now tell me the order of the objects in the same order
21
Q
Group Testing
A
- Progressive Matrices
22
Q
Factor Analysis of Intelligence
A
- All variables are positively correlated
- There are separate factors underlying performance on tests 1-3 vs. on tests 4-6
23
Q
General Fluid Intelligence
A
- Innate knowledge
- Culture free
- Rises to young adulthood, and falls off in old age
- E.G. Non-verbal abilities, inductive and deductive reasoning
24
Q
General Crystallised Intelligence
A
- Acquired knowledge
- Exposure to culture
- Rises and plateaus
- Somewhat dependent on fluid intelligence
25
Realiability
- How consistent we are producing the same results
26
Classical Test Theory
- X = T + E
- True Score: What we strive for
- Error: Random Variance
27
Sources of Error
- Test Construction
- Test Administration
- Errors in Sourcing
- Interpretation Subjectivity
28
True Score
- What we strive for
- Average of a sample of observations
29
Test-Retest Reliability
- Same group of people are measured again on same test after 2 weeks
- HOWEVER, practice effects (remember what you did last time)
- HOWEVER, people mature over 2 weeks
30
Equivalent Forms
- Two tests measuring same thing but different questions
- Correlation between their scores determines reliability
31
Internal Consistency
- If all items on a test measure the same thing, people’s answers to those items should be similar
32
Validity
- Test measuring what we are trying to measure
- Test used appropriately for its intended use
33
Race Differences in IQ
- Asian-American > White-American > African-American
- However, individuals from both groups can have similar IQ scores
34
Why are There Group Differences in IQ?
1. Genetics
- Twin studies show that intelligence is partly inherited
2. Environment
- Twin studies show that intelligence is partly due to environment
35
Bell Curve
- Proposed that society had been “dumbed down” due to people with low intelligence reproducing
- Devoting resources to help the underprivileged, means that gifted students have not been able to reach their potential
36
Bell Curve Premises
1. There has to be a meaningful single number that can be given to intelligence
- HOWEVER, we don’t have one
2. Ability to rank people in a single linear fashion
- HOWEVER, different people have different strengths and weaknesses
3. IQ has to be highly heritable
- No evidence for heritability and doesn’t translate to every race group
4. IQ has to be effectively unchangeable
37
Beliefs and Attitudes
- White groups frowned on conspicuous effort and poor achievement
- Black groups claimed high achievement as valuable but didn't mind poor achievement
- Asian groups valued high achievement and that it requires sustained effort
38
Stereotype Threat
- Gave IQ test to smart white and black students
- One half was told the IQ test was a measure of your ability and other was told this was not a measure of your ability
- Black students performed worse when the test was framed as high stakes
- Performance was similar under low-stakes conditions
39
Flynn Effect
- IQ scores have been increasing over time
- HOWEVER, the mean is always normed at 100 so it masks the increase in IQ
- Improved schooling
- Concrete to abstract thinking
