Intelligence and educational attainment Flashcards
What is the definition of intelligence
-intelligence is not only very difficult to define but its meaning is also strongly contested.People have different capacities and abilities to different degrees.
What are the types of intelligence according to Gardner (1999)
-There are at least 7 different types of intelligence ;
-conventional linguistic
-mathematical and spatial abilities
-musical intelligence
-interpersonal intelligence/emotional intelligence
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How is intelligence measured?
-an intelligence quotient (IQ), a score of 100 is the average
Mackintosh (2011)
Mackintosh argues that ‘there is no agreed definition of the nature of intelligence’.
Validity of IQ tests/importance of IQ tests to those who support it
-They claim to be objective tests of natural intelligence and reliably and validly measure intelligence they do so independently of cultural influences like class, gender, age or ethnicity.
Criticisms of IQ tests
Although IQ tests claim to be culture free or culture neutral , they actually measure cultural learning.
Where IQ tests are timed , children familiar with the question formats are likely to perform better than those who are not. Students who practice answering iq tests have an advantage, so children who are coached for them either by parents, school or private tutor are likely to score higher than those who are not prepared.
-Kaplan (1998) argued that how well a person performs on an IQ test depends on a variety of factors , not just intelligence;
-Education
-Reading habits
-Experience with and attitudes towards taking tests
-Mental and physical health
Flynn (1987) that what IQ tests measure are two possible types of intelligence, those that involve linguistic and mathematical abilities.
Why is IQ testing a process of cultural reproduction ?
-It can be argued that they measure those abilities most valued by powerful social groups, IQ testing is part of a process of cultural reproduction in which the power to define and objectively measure intelligence is a valuable resource. for two reasons;
1 Intelligence is defined in ways that reflect the particular class, gender or ethnic interests of powerful groups.
2 If lower-ranking (subordinate) social groups accept, or are unable to challenge, this definition it both cements their lower position (they are ‘less intelligent’) and justifies any differential treatment they receive. Children of the upper and middle classes, for example, are seen as achieving more not because of their privileged position but because they are simply ‘more intelligent’ and so more deserving.
-From this perspective, IQ tests and the concepts of intelligence they embody are part of the ideological state apparatus. Convincing people that natural intelligence differences exist and can be objectively measured, is a powerful form of social control.
intelligence as an influence on eduactional attainment
What are the explanations of the relationship between intelligence and educational attainment
-Agnostic
-Positive
-Negative
what does the agnostic explanation argue
The agnostic explanation argues that we do not know if there is a real relationship between intelligence and achievement for two reasons:
1 There is no generally agreed definition of intelligence so we do not know what is being measured.
2 Even if we select a subset of intelligence that can be quantified, there is no general consensus about how it
can be reliably and validly measured.
-Further problems arise if intelligence is conceptualised as a relationship. This means that intelligence is seen as something fluid and dynamic, created by individuals as they go about their lives and expressed in different ways and contexts, rather than as a permanent quality.
-This position suggests that intelligence develops through cultural practices and ways of learning, rather than being something we are born with. People can be intelligent without necessarily being able to demonstrate their intelligence by passing exams.
what does the positive explanation argue?
-The positive explanation argues that we can assume IQ tests measure significant aspects of intelligence in the form of cognitive skills. These include the ability to solve mathematical problems or understand logical arguments. Because these skills are very similar to those valued in both education and the workplace, it makes sense to test the relationship between intelligence and achievement in this way.
Saunders (2002) “intelligence differs between social classes”
-In the UK, Saunders (2002) argues that intelligence, while not determined at birth, differs between social classes.
-Social and developmental factors mean that middle-class children are, on average, significantly more intelligent than their working-class peers.
-According to Saunders, social selection ensures that those who are the most academically able rise to the top of the class structure. Intelligent working-class children are educationally successful and rise into the middle class.
- Middle-class children who fail to capitalise on their social advantages fall back into the working class. This process means that middle-class children will, on average, always be more intelligent than working-class children.
What does the negative explanation argue?
The negative explanation suggests that educational achievement is not related to intelligence but related to a range of cultural factors inside and outside the education system that allow some students to do well, while severely limiting the ability of others to do the same.
-This achievement is simply validated by higher measured levels of IQ. In other words, cultural factors relating to class, gender and ethnicity explain higher IQ and achievement levels.
The Robbins Report (1963) - evidence that social class is a factor in achievement
The Robbins Report (1963) argued that social class was a significant factor in achievement: of UK students with a similar IQ - more than twice as many middle-class students went on to study at degree level than their working-class peers.
Evidence that IQ is not needed for eduactional achievement
Murayama et al.’s (2012) German study of mathematical achievement found that IQ was only important in the initial development of mathematical competence. In the long term, measured intelligence showed no relationship to mathematical achievement. One conclusion was that ‘students’ abilities to learn in maths involves factors, such as motivation and study skills, that can be nurtured by education
