Midterm 2

Question 1

What is the Flynn Effect?

Answer 1

Secular increase in average scores on measures of inelligence

Question 2

Why does the Flynn Effect Happen?

Answer 2

Likely a combination of factors
- Improved nutrition
- Better education
- Greater environmental complexity
- Increased test taking skills
-

Question 3

Why is the Flynn Effect important?

Answer 3

Interpretive Problems:
- Administrator must use test norms cautiously and appropriately

Implications for psychologists, researchers and law:

• implementing educational interventions
• identify intellectual disabilities for capital offences
• empirical research may have to make decisions about whether to use the same test throughout a longitudinal study (10+ years) or have score comparison issues

Question 4

What does the Flynn Effect imply?

Answer 4

• likely to attain higher score on early version of IQ test
• overestimate individual’s IQ by about 0.3 points per year between the year it was normed and the year the test was administered
• high stakes decisions where IQ cut-off is necessary (e.g. intellectual disability diagnoses for capital punishment, IQ=70)
• figures to access to services and accommodations

Question 5

What is the definition of an intellectual disability?

Answer 5

The presence of significant limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour prior to age 10.
An IQ score less than or equal to 70 is a common indicator of significant limitation in intellectual functioning

Question 6

What are the 5 “special findings” of genes and intelligence research?

Answer 6

1. Heritability of intelligence increases from about 20% in infancy to possibly 80% in later adulthood
2. Intelligence captures genetic effects on diverse cognitive and learning abilities
3. Assortative mating greater for intelligence
4. Intelligence is normally distributed
5. Intelligence is associated with education (and social class)

Question 7

What are the three laws of the Genetics of Complex Traits?

Answer 7

1. All traits show significant genetic influence
2. No traits are 100% heritable
3. Heritability is caused by many genes of small effect

Question 8

Why is intelligence important? (not why is it important to be smart but what does intelligence importantly contribute to)

Answer 8

• one of the most stable behavioural traits
  Correlation of 0.63 when tested at age 11 vs age 79
• one of the best predictors of social outcomes
• Health implications

Question 9

What are the 5 rules of intelligence?

Answer 9

Heritability of intelligence increases from about 20% in infancy to possibly 80% in later adulthood

General genetic effects across diverse cognitive and learning abilities

Assortative mating is greater for intelligence than for other traits (0.40 for intelligence)

Positive genetics: the genetics of high intelligence

Intelligence brings some genetics to social epidemiology

Question 10

What is the Range of Reaction Theory?

Answer 10

Each person responds to the environment in a unique way based on their genetic makeup

Reaching full potential is dependent upon environmental stimulation you experience in childhood

Those born with average genetic potential but in a stimulating environment will have environmental contributions to their intelligence

Question 11

What are Arthur Jensen’s two levels of abilities

Answer 11

Level I: Rote memorisation (remained consistent among human race)

Level II: Conceptual and analytical abilities

Question 12

What are learning disabilities:

Answer 12

Cognitive disorders that affect different areas of cognition, particularly language or reading

These are not the same as intellectual disabilities

Often affect children with average to above-average intelligence and is comorbid with other disorders like ADHD

Question 13

What is dysgraphia?

Answer 13

Struggle to write legibly (the physical task of writing with a pen and paper is extremely challenging)

Inconsistent with a person’s IQ

Requires academic accommodations

Question 14

What is dyslexia?

Answer 14

Most common learning disability in children

Inability to correctly process letters

Neurological mechanisms for sound processing does not work properly in someone with dyslexia

Question 15

How is success defined in the field of intelligence?

Answer 15

Doing or achieving something that is generally considered desirable in the society

Success in one field may restrict you from having success in another field

Some highly intelligent people excel and others done

Question 16

What traits are correlated with intelligence? (5 Traits)

Answer 16

1. Academic performance
2. Career success
3. Job performance
4. Happiness
5. Anorexia (positive correlation)

Question 17

What is the confounding problem with cognitive tests?

Answer 17

Standardised achievement measures are good but not pure indicators of cognitive ability
- particularly pressing for school grades

Question 18

According to Borghans et al. (2011), what is the fundamental identification problem in personality psychology?

Answer 18

Arises from the practices of equating measures of traits with the traits themselves

Question 19

According to Gary-Groth-Marnat and A. Jordan Wright, what are the types of referral settings?

Answer 19

• Psychiatric setting
• General medical setting
• Legal context
• Academic/educational context
• Psychological clinic

Question 20

What is the expectancy Effect?

Answer 20

A form of reactivity that occurs when a research subject expects and given result and therefore unconsciously affects the outcome

Question 21

Courchesne et al. (2015) studied children with autism potentially being at risk of being underestimated. What were the results?

Answer 21

Minimally verbal or nonverbal school aged autistic children are at risk of being underestimated

They may be wrongfully regarded as having little cognitive potential

Findings support the usefulness of strength-informed approaches and have implications for the assessment and education of autistic children

Question 22

What is the definition of “giftedness”

Answer 22

An intellectual ability significantly higher than average

A developmental process: starts at birth and continues throughout life

Used to describe individuals who show or have a potential for showing an exceptional level of performance in one or more of the following areas:

• General intellectual ability
• Specific academic aptitude
• Creative thinking
• Leadership ability
• Visual or performing arts

Question 23

What is the IQ range for gifted and highly gifted?

Answer 23

130-155: Gifted

155+: Highly gifted

Question 24

What are the behavioural characteristics of giftedness?

Answer 24

Highly developed curiosity 
Longer attention span 
Over excitabilities 
Divergent thinking and a tendency to put ideas or things together in unusual, not obvious and creative ways 
Feeling intensely different from peers 
Intolerance to perception of injustice 
Unusual sense of humour

Question 25

What is giftedness according to Sternberg?

Answer 25

Excellent in a domain
Rare in the general population
Able to create something unique with the potential
The accomplishments of this person has a value for society

Question 26

What are the three components of giftedness that interact according to Renzulli?

Answer 26

Ability

Creativity

Commitment

Question 27

What is Elitism

Answer 27

The belief that a select few are superior to others

Question 28

What is the growth mindset?

Answer 28

Intelligence can be cultivated

Belief in the power of effort

Intelligence is a malleable quality