Intelligence

Question 1

What is intelligence?
Most people have a ‘folk’ concept of intelligence
They describe intelligence as focusing on the abilities that link to their specific field.

Sternberg and Detterman (1986) show psychological definitions commonly include what 3 things?

Answer 1

Higher level abilities (e.g., abstract reasoning)
Valued by culture
Executive processes (regulating the flow of info toward goal achievement= attentional control and working memory)

Question 2

Intelligence comprises the “mental abilities necessary for ……………. to, as well as shaping and selection, of any environmental context.

Answer 2

adaptation

Question 3

What is measured by an intelligence test?

-measures a narrow definition of intelligence

Answer 3

IQ
- standardised to a mean score of 100 and SD of 15.

Norming involves administering IQ test to a representative sample of a population to obtain norms or referential scores for different sub-groups (e.g., age groups).

Question 3

Neuroscience and human intelligence differences (Deary & Caryl, 1997):
Shows the different branches of IQ research (cognitive abilities)

Answer 3

Neuroscience and human intelligence differences (Deary & Caryl, 1997):
Shows the different branches of IQ research (cognitive abilities)

Question 4

Which type of Intelligence identified by Spearman includes skills and knowledge you acquire over time?

Answer 4

Crystal Intelligence (83% IQ culture-specific)

IQ tests that measure: learnt
Spelling
Writing
Oral style

Question 4

What were the 2 components of Spearman’s Psychometric IQ

Answer 4

Gc- Crystal Intelligence
learnt (83% IQ culture specific)

Gf- Fluid Intelligence
biological potential (7-17% IQ test)

Question 4

Structure of intelligence: Psychometric IQ
Spearman identified people’s performance on a particular cognitive path and suggested intelligence was hierarchal.

Answer 4

Spearman suggested I is a correlation between other comparable cognitive tasks
This led him to believe that there are common factors to do with mental ability

Question 4

Which type of Intelligence identified by Spearman is considered to be a reflection of your biological potential?

Answer 4

Fluid Intelligence (7-17% IQ test)

IQ tests that measure:
Reading speed
Piagetian Reasoning (Operative)
Inductive reasoning
Sequential

Question 5

Which type of Intelligence identified by Spearman:

Is the capacity to perceive relationships independently of previous specific practice or instruction related to those relationships

Focuses on process independent of content or knowledge domain.
Includes executive control/ working memory tasks (fluid cognition).

Seen as biologically instantiated in the pre-frontal cortex?

Answer 5

Fluid Intelligence (Gf) biological potential
-example: template in your mind about how you extract information from a source

This declines in later life!

Question 6

Which type of Intelligence identified by Spearman:

Focuses on the acquired knowledge including vocabulary tests and is increased over time?

Answer 6

Crystal Intelligence (Gc)

Gc is a product of Gf
(Footballer takes their Gf and invests it into perfecting their skills on the pitch)

Investment theory -Cattel
investment in fluid intelligence in a particular body of knowledge

Question 7

Reviews show that there is very little evidence for racial differences in IQ levels of Intelligence (G). What else does current research tell us?

Answer 7

Adaptation and evolution is a huge influence

Question 8

Behavioural genetics:
Heritability is a statistical term that captures the overlap between multiple generations’ expression of traits.
As we know some of intelligence is heritable, how much do genetics contribute to intelligence?

Answer 8

Heritability estimates:

From 48% and up to 80% of variability in IQ scores
= attributed to genetic variation

A03: Methodological Problems?
The heritability gap
It is expensive to identify one specific gene for producing one ability/ phenotype, making the variance explained by those genes very small

Irrespective of genetic components your parents have passed down, the environment can contribute massively
(eg. rich parents= higher ED opportunities)

= Gene+environment in constant interaction

Question 8

What does this graph show?

What does more recent research indicate?

Answer 8

Gfluid rises in early development of life but declines rapidly.
Gcrystal rises slower but continuously during ones lifetime.

However, researchers are challenging the idea of a general decline of intelligence over time
Instead are arguing that different forms of cognitive abilities decline at different rates than others
Individual factors impact how fast one’s Gf/Gc decline

Question 9

Name a behavioural genetics problem with accounting intelligence due to heritability in research:

Answer 9

Most reported genetic associations with general intelligence are probably false positives (problem with power) due to not having enough data to get reliable estimates to identify genes that contribute to G.

Genes that are identified to be relevant are sometimes not.

Question 9

Heritability of g (intelligence): group differences controversies

What do Behavioural genetics assume about Gf and Gc?

Answer 9

Behavioural genetics assumes independence of genes and environment. (problematic)

Also tends to assume that fluid intelligence (biological potential)
is fixed and crystallised intelligence (learnt contextualised) is less so.

But now data shows both Gs are flexible, the more you use it the more it develops

The Bell Curve (Hernstein & Murray, 1994

Question 10

What is Spearmen’s hypothesis?

Answer 10

It assumes a biological basis for racial differences in intelligence
- problematic and unjustified
- on the idea that people’s performances across multiple cognitive tasks reflect each other and are correlated to form the term intelligence

His further research suggests that intelligence is rooted in genes due to finding racial inherent differences in cognitive tasks between white / black X Americans, reflecting biological differences
(The Bell Curve 1994)

-does not take into account the role the environment plays

Question 11

If heritability is so strong and environmental effects so little, how can environmental changes produce large changes in IQ causing the trend of the Flynn effect/ The heritability paradox?

Answer 11

Due to impact of:

Social multipliers
Averaging
Gene-environment matching

Question 11

Generation after generation is rising in IQ
by average of 10 percentage points (range 5 – 20 points) across at least 14 countries.
This is known as which effect?

Answer 11

The Flynn effect
-The heritability paradox

It is more substantial for Gfluid (biological) than Gcrystal (context).
Suggests our genes are changing over time.

Stronger among adults than children which is strange because Gf is supposed to be declining in adults.

Question 12

The Flynn effect/ The heritability paradox:

Environmental factors potentially contribute to an increase in IQ due to Internet and access to information readily available
Education!
Better nutrition!
Group learning and studying
Rising standards of living

This is known as which factor of the environment?

Answer 12

Social Multipliers

Question 13

The Flynn effect/ The heritability paradox:

What is the term used to describe people seeking out environments that match their phenotype and is the process by which the ability and the environment are ……….?

When you have the optimal environment, genes will be expressed.

Answer 13

Matching
- Gene-environment correlation
- When matched it increases their initial ability

eg. smart people will stay in school, also shown in generational changes

Question 13

The Flynn effect/ The heritability paradox:

As individuals’ ability rises, this will also influence those around them.
Small effects over time will influence the population more widely.

This is known as which factor of the environment?

Answer 13

Averaging
- The population average will increase

eg. through social disapproval of smoking, this influenced the general population to stop smoking making it a minority

Question 13

What type of Socio-Economic Status families have a higher heritability score for intelligence
h2 = 72%?

Answer 13

Higher Socio-Economic Status families

-argued it is due to more funds for better ED and diet/ nutrition to allow whatever genes to have the best opportunity to express themselves

-research on stability of family unit show that lower ses families will have more intelligent children if their stability is strong

Question 13

Why does heritability increases with age
(40% in childhood, 60% in adulthood and 80% in old age)

Answer 13

• due to gene-environment correlation
  genes will thrive in environments that allow their expression

eg. someone who is musically orientated will most likely be good at playing instruments as your genes allow you to be cognitively inclined to do so

Question 14

What is the term used to describe one’s biological potential promoting them to seek out environments that allow it to express itself?

eg. select specific job that allows particular gene to thrive

Answer 14

Gene-environment correlation

Question 15

What is the term used to describe one’s biological potential responding to the environment that it finds itselve in?

eg. born into a family you don’t choose it

Answer 15

Gene-environment interaction

Question 16

QUESTION TIME:

What may account for environmental effects on heritability of IQ?

Answer 16

AGE
- effect may represent a gene-environment correlation. Genes need the appropriate environment to express. High IQ people will seek out high IQ contexts and as they get older their intelligence will show

SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS (SES)
- effect may reflect a gene-environment interaction. More resources in high SES to allow genes for IQ to express.

Question 17

Is Heritability the same as genetic influence?

Answer 17

NO

Some traits are genetically determined with low heritability:

Heritability of number of human fingers is next to zero.
Main predictors of variance are environmental
(e.g., traumatic amputations, birth defects).

Some traits are highly heritable but are not genetically determined:

In the US, heritability of voting is 53% and heritability of voting specific parties (the same as your parents) is 46%.
- but this is purely environmental
Due to gene-environment interplay, IQ is more malleable than previously assumed and that’s why group differences in performance on IQ tests reflect cultural rather than biological effects.

Question 18

IQ tests undermine how much is actually influenced by which factor?

Answer 18

By culture
(Gc)

Question 19

What has research shown is correlated with IQ?

Answer 19

Brain volume

big head= more brain volume= more capacity for IQ (G)?

Question 20

Brain volume and IQ:
What does the P-FIT theory (Jung & Haier, 2007) represent?

Answer 20

Step 1: Sensory processing:18,19 Extra striate Cortex
Step 2: Symbolic processing. 40 = Supramarginal gyrus

Question 21

Knowledge influences interests and this is mediated by personality leading personality to be a factor contributing to IQ.

Chamorro-Premuzic & Furnham, 2008 Examined FFM traits and IQ to predict university exams a year later. What 2 personality traits did they find were linked to significantly higher exam performance above IQ?

Answer 21

People with the Trait Conscientiousness:
Invest more time into the quality of their work thoroughly
27% increase in better grades (Gf) is controlled for

People with the Trait Openness to change:
Are more open to new ideas and new experiences
4% increase in grades

Question 22

Howard Gardner was concerned by the tendency to focus only on linguistic and logical-mathematical symbolism in educational settings.
He argued that g (general intelligence) is most closely aligned with linguistic and logical mathematical intelligences
(2 out of 8 forms of intelligence he proposed).

What theory did he develop?

Answer 22

Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences

-Developed as an alternative to IQ

Question 23

Which definition of intelligence recognises biological and cultural influences?

Answer 23

Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences

Question 24

Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences argues that if we match teaching to students’ multiple intelligences this can enhance learning.

What were his 8 dimensions?

Answer 24

An eighth dimension – naturalistic intelligence was added later. This refers to human perceptiveness of and sensitivity to the natural world.

Question 25

info slide extra: Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences

Answer 25

Gardner’s 8 intelligences show distinct neural correlates