Intelligence #1 Flashcards
What is intelligence (according to our textbook)?
The capacity to think abstractly, comprehend complex ideas, reason, plan, and solve problems, learn from experience and acquire new knowledge.
What is the benefit of using IQ tests as a definition of intelligence?
Researchers can complete research and know they are talking about the same thing
On an IQ test, what is the mean and standard deviation?
Mean = 100
Standard deviation = 15
Does Francis Galton believe that nature or nurture plays more of a role in determining intelligence?
Nature when you are in a homogenous environment
What is eugenics?
The study or belief that possibility improving the human species by means of discouraging people who have undesirable traits from procreating or encouraging reproduction by people who have desirable traits
What does Radical Behaviorism suggest about intelligence?
Intelligence is all about the environment / nurture
What is differential psychology?
Concerned with individual and group difference in psychological traits and behaviors
What’s the difference between MZ and DZ twins?
Monozygotic are identical twins, share 100% of genes - 1 egg splits
Dizygotic are fraternal twins, share 50% of genes - two separate eggs
How does comparing MZ to DZ twins help with controlling the environment
Natural experiment, genes are 50 or 100% but they have the same rearing environment. MZ will be more similar than DZ if it is nature, or if nurture they will both be similar.
Do MZ or DZ twins perform more similarly on IQ tests?
MZ
How are adoption studies important in determining the role of nature vs. nurture?
Genetically unrelated, but share 100% of rearing environment; Very little correlation for height and IQ
What are the key findings from twin studies & adoption studies?
MZ twins are more similar than DZ twins, but not perfectly similar
Twin similarity for psychological traits is not very different from similarity for physical traits
Adopted siblings are only slightly similar
What is the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart (MISTRA)?
Studied twins that were raised separately
Jim twins / firefighter twins - many odd similarities
Share 100% of genetics, but none of the rearing environment
What are the findings of the differences between MZ twins reared apart versus together?
Genes are contributing a lot because correlations are similar between those reared together vs. separately
MZ twins are very similar even when reared apart, not perfectly similar
MZ twins reared apart vs. together are not that different in terms of similarity.
