Intelligence

Question 1

What are the educational implications of intelligence? (Why do you need to know about it?)

Answer 1

• Because important curriculum and testing decisions are made based on competing theories
• Because all educators have implicit theories of intelligence that affect how they teach, interact with students, and create policy that that affects student learning
• Because it’s interesting! A forever debated topic with multiple perspectives

Question 2

Perkin’s 3 Intelligence theories

Answer 2

• Neural theory
  o Intelligence is determined by a person’s hardware; neural efficiency
• Experiential theory
  o Intelligence is determined by knowledge gained through practice; expertise in a particular domain
• Reflective theory
  o Intelligence is metacognitive and strategic; general intelligence

Question 3

What is the basis of the Neural theory?

Answer 3

Cognitive speed and working memory are the foundations of the neural theory.

Question 4

What is general intelligence?

Answer 4

• General ability typically measured via standardized tests – symbolized as “g”
• Predictive power strongest when facing novel tasks or beginning competence
• Considered to be reasoning ability (typically inductive) that is highly dependent upon working memory – making transformations in your head

Question 5

What is the Experiential theory of intelligence?

Answer 5

• Based primarily on studies of expertise
• Built upon the premise of intelligence as reflected by deep, intricate, and connected domain knowledge
• Domain specific knowledge: Knowledge that individuals have about a particular field of study. High predictor of expertise in a given area.

Question 6

What is the Reflective theory of intelligence?

Answer 6

• The metacognitive aspect of intelligence

- Involves strategy use, flexible thinking, monitoring, and planning across domains

Question 7

Specific theories of importance: Spearman vs. Thurstone

Answer 7

• Spearman believed that intelligence is more than just what can be tested, and was the first to use statistics (correlation, etc.) to examine it. He believed you had to measure multiple abilities to determine overall intelligence (g)
• Thurstone examined psychometric intelligence, and is responsible for the standardized mean and standard deviation of IQ scores used today. Opposed the idea of a singular general intelligence (g) that factored into the scores of all psychometric tests.

Question 8

What are Crystalized & Fluid intelligences?

Answer 8

• Crystalized intelligence/knowledge: Semantic or procedural knowledge; can be thought of as knowledge that tends to accrue/increase over the lifespan through experience.
• Fluid intelligence/reasoning: Deductive reasoning abilities in novel problem-solving, can be developed through schooling. Tends to decline with age.

Question 9

What is Sternberg’s triarchic theory of intelligence?
(1. What are the components of the theory? 2. What do they each include or involve? 3. What is the end result of each?)

Answer 9

• Three components:
  o Componential subtheory – Includes metacomponents, performance components, and knowledge acquisition components. Metacomponents are used to decide what to do, monitor it while it is being done, and evaluate it after it is done. Performance components are used to get things done. Knowledge acquisition components are used to learn how to get things done. The result of the componential part of the theory is analytical abilities – the abilities to analyze, judge, evaluate, compare, and contrast.
  o Experiential subtheory – Involves solving relatively novel problems, and automatization. The result of the experiential part of the theory is creative abilities; the abilities to create, discover, invent, imagine, and explore.
  o Contextual subtheory – Involves adaptation to existing environments, shaping of existing environments to modify them, and selection of different environments. Results in abilities to put into practice, apply, use, and implement.

Question 10

What does MI offer?

Answer 10

• Hope/self-esteem. Educators see more possibilities for every student to be considered intelligent.
• Excitement. A new curriculum that invigorates teachers and students alike.
• Has offered an explanation of academic failure in which the blame lies with the method of measurement and not the student.

Question 11

Why should educators be wary of MI?

Answer 11

• Emphasis upon preprogrammed/genetic determinance.
• Lack of empirical support; only descriptive
• All “intelligences” are given equal importance
• The theory is greatly misused
• The theory does not account for any general intelligence or reflective intelligence that cuts across “intelligences”
• The “intelligences” correlate with one another
• The “intelligences” are broad domains
• Pigeonholing and stereotyping all over again
• Calling it “intelligence” or “talent,” rather than knowledge, supports innate origins
• Long-term effects of MI curriculum???