Intelligence & IQ Testing Flashcards
What does Galton’s theory of intelligence suggest?
Better senses acquire more knowledge
What did the first intelligence test by Binet and Simon focus on?
Higher mental processes like reasoning, understanding, and judgement
Most people who see intelligence in abstract thinking are related to what?
Adapting to novel environmental circumstances, ability to acquire knowledge and benefit from experience
What does Spearman’s theory of intelligence suggest?
Positive correlations among all items on IQ tests led to development of general intelligence (g) and specific abilities (s)
In Spearman’s development of g & s, what do they stand for?
G - general intelligence accounts for overall differences in intellect among people
S - our particular skills are reflected in our specific abilities
Cattell and Horn theorized that intelligence was a mix of two capacities. What were they?
- Capacity to learn new ways of solving problems, fluid intelligence
- Accumulated knowledge, or crystallized intelligence
What did Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory suggest?
Different “frames of mind” are different ways of thinking about the world, different types of intelligence
Why is Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory controversial scientifically?
Virtually impossible to falsify, no good evidence the intelligences are independent of each other, unclear why certain abilities classify as intelligences
What does Sternberg’s Triarchic Model suggest?
There are 3 largely distinct types of intelligence that may or may not overlap:
1. Analytical (book smarts)
2. Practical (street smarts)
3. Creative (creativity)
What is intelligence related to as a central theme?
Related to efficiency or speed of processing
What is the Dunning-Kruger effect?
The double curse of incompetence and metacognitive skills
Binet’s concept of mental age lead to the development of what?
The intelligence quotient (IQ) –> formula is mental age/chronological age * 100 = IQ
Modern IQ tests use some techinique to eliminate age effects. What is this called?
Deviation IQ
How were IQ tests abused?
Led to worry about “low IQ”, eugenics movement, forcible sterilization and immigration laws
What is the most commonly used IQ test for adults?
The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)
What are culture-fair IQ tests?
IQ tests that consist of abstract-reasoning items that don’t depend on language, uses Raven’s Progressive Matrices
In children and adults, how stable are IQ scores over long periods of lime?
Children younger than 3 - highly unstable
Adults - very stable
How valid are IQ scores?
Moderately successful, but not totally as success depends on motivation, curiosity, effort, and mental energy
What is intellectual disability defined as?
Onset prior to adulthood, IQ below 70, inadequate adaptive functioning
The more severe the intellectual disability, how likely is it to run in families?
Less likely
Of over 200 difference causes, what are the 2 most common for intellectual disability?
Fragile X syndrome and Down syndrome
What does mental giftedness refer to?
The top 2% of IQ scores, many of which are doctors, lawyers, engineers, professors
What makes a genius (mental giftedness)?
Genetic factors but also practice and dedication
Why might schooling exert a causal influence on IQ?
Early intervention programs or head starts produce short-term increases
Results in lower rates of dropouts and being held back in school
Small impact of expectancy effects by teachers
Why might poverty lead to lower IQ scores?
Lack of proper nutrition and exposure to lead
What is the Flynn Effect?
Refers to the average IQ rising over time, about 3 points per 10 years
What are 4 possible explanations through environmental changes that might explain the Flynn Effect?
- Increased test sophistication
- Increased complexity of modern world
- Better nutrition
- Changes at home and school
How do IQ scores compare between men and women?
Little to no average differences between males and females, but males are more variable in their scores
What are some consistent differences in terms of specific mental abilities between males and females?
Males succeed more in spatial ability tests
Females succeed more in verbal tasks or recognizing emotions
There are racial differences in IQ, leading to some ethnicities scoring higher or lower than others. Why is racial superiority NOT the answer?
IQ differences appear to be shrinking, substantial overlap in IQ distribution, largely or even completely based on environment
Which area of the brain has a slower development in gifted children?
Cerebral cortex
Which part of the brain is especially active during highly “g-loaded”, or general intelligence loaded tasks?
Prefrontal cortex
