Intelligence

Question 1

Spearmans 2 Factory Theory

Answer 1

A brilliant man, Charles Spearman created a model of intelligence 100 years ago that
is still very popular. It divides intelligence into two factors and is known as the
theory of “g”:
“G”- global intelligence
“s”- specific abilities
Global intelligence is defined as “the pool of mental energy” from which all
intelligent behavior originates. Specific abilities refers to anything that might be a
product of g: math skills, athletic ability, the ability to get along with others, or
anything else we can observe. His point was that if you have a “high” g, than your
specific abilities would be high too (or at least your potential abilities), but if you
have a low g, then you’re probably not going to be intelligent in any specific ability
either. Others took this idea and ran with it, first by operationalizing
g as math and verbal skills, and predicting that s would be related to g in a positive
correlation. From these ideas came this very famous one:
Intelligence Quotient
Mental age= Scores on math and verbal tests (Alfred Binet)
“Mental age”
“Chronological age”
x 100= IQ
How influential is this construct? Spearman’s theory underlies all tests of
intelligence, in the Western world anyway. If you’re using the term IQ, you are
referencing Spearman’s theory!

Question 2

Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences

Answer 2

How can we explain the existence of savants? If Spearman is right, then savants like
Dane (the amazing artist with the 2-year-old “personality”) are anomalies to the
theory. If his artistic “s” is so huge, then his “g” must be too, and so there is no
explanation for the complete absence of math and verbal skills. His IQ would be 0,
because he would never sit down long enough to allow a test of his mental age.
Howard Gardner has a “better” explanation. Intelligence isn’t a single thing (g) but
is a series of different things (and again, notice I didn’t say “IQ.”). Though he adds to
the list occasionally, we’ll settle on the below for now:
1. Math
2. Verbal
3. Spatial- the ability to predict the location/position of objects in “space.” A great
pool player, for example.
4. Kinesthetic- great dancers, athletes.
5. Musical
6. Social (self)- Looking within myself as a method of understanding
7. Social (others)- Knowing how to get along with others; to be able to persuade
others.
8. Naturalist
But why do we have different forms of intelligence? Because they solved problems
for our distant ancestors. There’s no such thing as G, because there are no “general”
problems- just specific ones that can be solved by math intelligence, verbal, spatial…
So, who’s right, Spearman or Gardner?
The answer is…….Robert Sternberg.

Question 3

Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory

Answer 3

Sternberg thinks that both Spearman and Gardner are missing the point. The
question isn’t What is Intelligence, but What does Intelligence do? The answer to
Sternberg is: solve problems. His theory is an examination of three aspects of the
problem-solving process.
Triarchic- “Three parts”
1. Analytical
a. Meta components- Plan, monitor and evaluate our solutions to problems
b. Performance components- Putting Meta components into action. Too
stressed to focus on the test? Sternberg thinks it doesn’t matter how smart you are
if you can’t “perform” when necessary.
c. Knowledge Acquisition components- The skills measured by traditional IQ
tests (math and verbal.)
2. Creative
Finding novel and appropriate solutions to problems.
So, best test of intelligence is something you have never done before.
3. Practical
Smartest person in any culture is the person who has solved the problem of
“practical living.” So, “street smarts” are as important as anything else. I could go to
any village anywhere and ask the question who’s the most successful person in your
(tribe, village, neighborhood, country), and the answer would tell me who is the
person who has excelled in practical living.
The most intelligent person is the person best able to solve problems, and the only
valid and reliable form of intelligence test is to give someone a task that they have
never completed before. Why? Because, unlike IQ tests, it wouldn’t just be a test of
what you’ve learned up to now, but would force you to find creative and practical
solutions to a problem that you couldn’t “study” for or practice beforehand. To
Sternberg, that is what intelligence is all about.

Question 4

Insight

Answer 4

the sudden realization of the solution to a problem.
Exs.- Karl Gauss, Sultan the genius ape