Mental Abilities Flashcards
Mental Abilities
Differences among individuals in their levels of maximum performance
Comprable to personality which is typical performance
Mental Abilities - Structure, Galton
Identified hereditary genius and a result of physical abilties
Mental Abilities - Structure, Cattell
Identified IQ as a basis of 10 psychological functions
Was based on performance not ability
Mental Abilities - Structure, Spearman
Identified general intelligence factor = g
Looked at school grades, which could be influenced by factors other than intelligence, such as motivation
Mental Abilities - Structure, Thurstone
Contradicted g developing a theory of 7 abilties
Verbal fluency, Verbal comprehension, Memory, Numerical reasoning, Spatial reasoning, Perceptual speed
Abilities still highly correlated, indicating presence of a general factor
Mental Abilities - Structure, Carroll
g = broad
Fluid intelligence, Crystallised intelligence, Memory, Visual processing, Auditory processing, Processing speed, Cognitive speed, Retrieval
69 narrower abilities
Mental Abilities - Structure, Cattell-Horn-Carroll
g = broad
Comprehension, Short-term memory, Long-term memory, Cognitive speed, Quantitative reasoning, Reading ability, Visuo-spatial processing, Auditory processing
69 narrower abilities
Mental Abilities - Change
Absolute g shows rapid increase during childhood then a gentle decline at old age
Spatial ability is better in young adults
Verbal ability is better at 40 - 50 uears old
Mental Abilities - Stability
g remains relatively stable across time
11 to 80 years old, correlation .66
Mental Abilities - Origins, Biological Bases, Brain Size
Brain volume and intelligence .33
Mental Abilities - Origins, Biological Bases, Nerve Conduction
Limited support but possible positive correlation
Mental Abilities - Origins, Biological Bases, Reaction Time
-.30 correlation
Less time taken to respond relates to higher intelligence
Mental Abilities - Origins, Biological Bases, Inspection Time
-.30 correlation
Less time taken to inspect related to higher intelligence
Mental Abilities - Origins, Biological Bases, Brain Waves
High IQ tend to show short latency, high frequency, low amplitude waves, indicating less exertion for processing
Mental Abilities - Origins, Biological Bases, Brain Glucose Metabolism
Higher IQ show lower glucose consumption, indicating more efficient processing
Mental Abilities - Origins, Genetics, Adult
Heritability .65
Shared environment .20
Mental Abilities - Origins, Genetics, Children
Heritability .40
Shared environment .20
Mental Abilities - Origins, Genetics, Additive vs Non-additive influence
.35 vs .15
Mental Abilities - Origins, Genetics
Effect of environment becomes a lesser influence with age
Genetics becomes a greater influence with age
Mental Abilities - Origins, Birth Order, First borns
Receive undivided attention and stimulation while young
3 IQ points higher than second-borns
Mental Abilities - Origins, Birth Order, Last borns
More intuitive in order to get attention of parents
Mental Abilities - Origins, Birth Order, Kristensen & Bierkedal 2007
Second-borns rasied as first-borns due to death or adoption have IQ levels similar to that of first-borns
Highlights effects of environment after birth not pre-natal
Mental Abilities - Origins, Womb Environment
Chorion type affects how similar the environment of twins is
Later borns have less fresh uterus, possibly less nutrition and may result in lower IQ
Mental Abilities - Origins, Nutrition, Breastfeeding
Breastfed children have higher IQ
Question of cause and effect - does breastfeeding increase IQ or are breastfeeding parents more intelligent and pass this on
Mental Abilities - Origins, Nutrition, Folate and B12 levels
Positive correlation to IQ
Mental Abilities - Origins, Nutrition, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Lead exposure or Malnutrition
Result in low IQ
Mental Abilities - Life Outcomes, Marriage
Spouse verbal abilities correlate .45 as we require the ability to communicate with our partner
Spouse numerical abilities correlate weakly due to not requiring them in a relationship
Mental Abilities - Life Outcomes, Longevity and Health
Whalley & Deaj 2001
IQ correlates positively to life expectancy
Cannot draw cause and effect - does high IQ cause increased life expectancy or does it result in healthier behaviours which result in longevity
Mental Abilities - Life Outcomes, Academic Performance, Dreary et al 2007
Level of g at 11 years old predicts academic achievement at 16 years old
g and performance in secondary school .50
g and performance in college .40
Mental Abilities - Life Outcomes, Academic Performance
IQ and GPA correlate .50 -.60
Mental Abilities - Life Outcomes, Job Performance, Hunter & Hunter 1984
More intelligent workers are better workers
Complex jobs require more intelligent workers
Mental Abilities - Life Outcomes, Job Performance
IQ and income correlate .40
IQ and statuscorrelate .50
Mental Abilities - Life Outcomes, Criminality
Higher IQ show better criminal payoff
Mental Abilities - Life Outcomes, Criminality, Moffitt & Silva 1988
Individuals who hadnever had contact with police had higher IQ
Individuals who had contact with the police and delinquents had same IQ
Not all tasks are the same
Some tasks require crystallised intelligence, others require fluid intelligence
Not all tasks are the same - Fluid intelligence
Ability to learn new things and solve novel problems
Flexible thought
Culture free
Not all tasks are the same - Crystallised intelligence
Ability to use previous knowledge to inform responses
Depends on culture experience and exposure
Results in well=learned skill
Not all tasks are the same - Flynn effect
IQ today is much higher than IQ of the past and is not attributable to improved education
Effect is stronger for fluid intelligence than crystallised
Alternative Theories - Multiple Intelligence
Gardner
Believed that non-mental abilities also contribute to intelligence
Naturalistic, Linguistic, Logic-Mathematical, Spatial, Musical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal
All correlate and show g-factor loadings
Alternative Theories - Triarchic Intelligence
Sternberg
Practical, Analytic, Creative
Alternative Theories - Triarchic Intelligence, Practical
Problem-solving abilities in real life
Measured by real-world successes
Alternative Theories - Triarchic Intelligence, Analytic
Academia, logic and control
Measured by academic performance
Alternative Theories - Triarchic Intelligence, Creative
New ideas and gaining new insights
Measured by artistic performance
Alternative Theories - Emotional Intelligence
Mayor & Salovey 1990
The ability to regulate one’s emotions, involving self-control, confidence, trust, empathy and optimism
Alternative Theories - Emotional Intelligence, Criminality
EI negatively correlates to delinquency, possibly through effect of self-control
Alternative Theories - Emotional Intelligence, Factors
Thought faciliation
Accurate perception
Managing and regulation
Understanding of signals
Alternative Theories - Emotional Intelligence, Ability EI
Ability to process emotional information
Measured by max performance
Positively correlated to Agreeableness, Openness to Experience and verbal ability
Alternative Theories - Emotional Intelligence, Trait EI
Ability to perceive own emotions
Unrelated to GPA and test scores but measured through self-report
Positively correlates to Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability
Negatively correlates to Neuroticism
