Introduction to Psychology Chapter 10 (Reasoning and Intelligence)

Question 1

What does the IQ test “really” measure

Answer 1

1. abstract reasoning
2. problem solving
3. Ability to aquire knowledge

Question 2

What’s an analogy in psychology

Answer 2

It is any percieved similarity between otherwise different objects, actions, events or situations, ecpecially in behaviour, function or realtionships.

For example baseball glove and butterfly net

Question 3

What’s the advantage of using analogies

Answer 3

Using analogies involves analytical thinking (which is important for critical thinking), and it is the basis for finding new ideas and bases.
It can also be convincing in discussions, which is why it is often used in jidical and political situations.

Question 4

What brain parts are involved when using analogical reasoning

Answer 4

Multiple areas of the prefrontal cortex

Question 5

What is inductive reasoning

Answer 5

Inductive reasoning is reasoning that is founded on percieved analogies and other similarities. It is an attempt to make up a new proposition or rule from observations or facts that serve as clues, which why it is also called hypothesis construction.

Question 6

Explain how the availability bias is often involved in inductive reasoning

Answer 6

Availability heuristic bias: giving too much weight to information that comes easily to mind (more deaths in murders instead of diabetes) (often problematic in diagnosises)

Question 7

Explain how the confirmation biases is involved in inductive reasoning

Answer 7

It’s is when you tend to look at information that proves your theory.
It happens to low IQ as much as high IQ people

Question 8

Explain how the predictable world bias is invved in inductive reasoning

Answer 8

Seeing patters and predicting results in random and independent events.
Happens very often in gambeling

Question 9

What is deductive reasoning and it’s difference to inductive reasoning

Answer 9

Deduction is the making of conclusions from proved data. Induction is the making of conclusions from guessed patterns.
Deduction is when saying that when you are 188 cm, you are taller than one meter fifty.
Mathematics is deductive reasoning

Question 10

What is a syllogism

Answer 10

It is a deduction from several arguments which belong together. It can be faulty.

All dogs have 4 legs. All cats have for legs. Therefore all cats are dogs.

Question 11

What is insight

Answer 11

Insight is solving a difficult problem by looking at it in a different way. It involves induction and deduction most of the time. A good example is the candle light problem.

Question 12

What is functional fixedness in insight

Answer 12

It is when seeing things and tools only in one way, which may be good in a more efficient use of the tool, but will reduce insight.

Question 13

What 3 things improve insight

Answer 13

1. Incubation period (taking time of the problem where the mind thinks about it unconsciously)
2. A happy playful frame of mind (as negative emotions fixes the mind in a normal way to adapt to the situation, while happyness increases playfulness and allows new things to try out)
3. Creativity

Question 14

What and how much does IQ correlate to

Answer 14

1. Academic success (0.3 to 0.7)

2. Career succrss (0.2 to 0.6)

Question 15

What is IQ determined by

Answer 15

By genes AND enviroment

Its like a inflated balloon (air and thickness)6

Question 16

What is the difference between east Asia and American thinking

Answer 16

Americans think more about the intrinsic conditions for a behaviour (feelings and motivation), while Asians think more about extrinsic (family, wealth). This may be because of the local ancient philosophy

Question 17

Explain general intelligence and what it consists of

Answer 17

General intelligence is a single factor that contributes to all types of mental performance. It is measured by g, and consists of

1. Fluid intelligence (percieving relationship between stimuli without previous knowledge of them)
2. Crystallised intelligence (percieving relationship between stimuli through previous knowledge)

Question 18

Explain heritability and how it is measured

Answer 18

Heritability is the degree to which variation is because of genetics instead of enviroment. It measures a particular trait whithin a particular population. It is measured by the heritability coefficient, which ranges from 0 to 1.0

If the enviroment between individuals is identical, heritability coefficient is 1.0

Question 19

Explain the formula which measures heritability from identical and nonidentical twins

Answer 19

Heritability = (r identical twins - r nonidentical twins) x 2

It measures the difference between identical and nonidentical twins, and takes it times two as nonidentical twins are only 50% identical

Question 20

Why is the IQ heritability coefficient higher for adults than for children

Answer 20

Because most of the IQ that is gained or lost because of the way parents raised is lost in adulthood, which is seen in adoptive siblings. In adulthood everybody chooses their own way.
IQ is similar to a muscle

Question 21

What influences IQ

Answer 21

IQ is influences by the leisures and careers a person does. The more creative and demanding a job or hobby is, the greater the IQ develops.

This is why old people who still do stuff and work keep their mental IQ longer

Question 22

For how much is enviroment and genetics responsible for IQ

Answer 22

The heritability coefficient for IQ is between 30 and 50% for children, but more than 50% for adults.
The heritability coefficient for children with high education is 0.74, while it is 0.26 for children with low education. This is because most of the differences in IQ is because of harmful events

Question 23

Explain the problems when measuring difference in IQ between cultures and races

Answer 23

1. Most of the studies only study a population, which have similar enviroment. This results in high H.
2. Most of the studies that compare between populations don’t take into account that the enviroment is different between them.
3. An involuntary minority status is often the reason why people confirm it and perform lower on tests

Question 24

Explaint he Flynn effect

Answer 24

The Flynn effect is the increasing average in IQ tests. This may be because of better education and being presented with new ideas, information and problems all the time.

Question 25

• why might tv and computer games make children “smarter”

Answer 25

Tv and video games get more complex and demanding. They require more working memory and attention, which may not promote real life solving problems, but many aspects of the IQ tests.