Revision Flashcards
What are implicit theories of intelligence?
People’s views of what intelligence is
What are explicit theories of intelligence?
Experimentally defined theories of intelligence. Operational definitions of intelligence are those that can be robustly
What did Berg and Sternberg say?
Different types of intelligence are important at different ages. This was reinforced by Siegler and Richards
What did Sternberg say about Western intelligence?
In the West intelligence is speed of mental processes, but in other cultures this is seen as suspicious
What did Chen and Chen say about intelligence? What did this lead us to say about reasoning behind Western and Non-Western definitions of intelligence
Chinese don’t see verbal skills as important as the English do. Chinese intelligence definitions are based on Confucian (which emphasises benevolence and doing what is right) and Western intelligence is based in Aristotilean logic and are driven by individualism
What did Gill and Keats say about intelligence?
Australian students value academic skills whereas Malay students value practical skills, speach and creativity. THERE ARE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN INTELLIGENCE DEFINITIONS
Who was Galton? What did he chit chat about?
Developed the theory of heredity genius. Cousin of Darwin. Integrated Darwin’s Origin of Species with Quetelet’s Statistical work. Genetic forces determine levels of intelligence. Genius is normally distributed and heritable
Why was Galton a dick’ed and a bit of a fruit loop?
Argued that short people would do better in a war (they would, I’m amazing biatchesss) there was a racial heirachy and men were intrinsically more intelligent than women (no. Just no.)
Who picked up Galton’s belief of that genius could be measured by simple cognitive functions?
James McKEEEEENNN Cattell
Who was Cattell?
Student of Wundt. First to develop the term “mental test” and argued that intelligence can be measured by 10 psychological functions. Measured direct correlates of intelligence such as head size, reaction time, memorising digits etc rather than actual cognitive abilities
What did Binet argue?
Argued against Cattell and Galton and believed that intelligence should be measured by focussing on complex mental processes (rather than the simple processes they argued for)
What did Binet and Henri do?
Produced the first psychometric test. was less theoretical than Galton or Cattell and was more about practical sense and adaptation to the world. This became the foundation of modern intelligence testing. Commisioned by the French government in order to discover children with learning difficulties. Common sense approach so a robust academic evaluator
What did Terman do?
Argued that Binet and Henri’s tests were too culturally laden to be relayed to Californian children. Ran large scale studies to improve the test to all children. Scores were expressed as an intelligence quotient. Created the Stanford-Binet test.
How do we work out the intelligence quotient?
Mental age / Chronological age x 100
How did Spearman oppose Galton’s theory of intelligence?
Used factor analysis and data reduction techniques to show that different ability tests were intercorrelated. The common variable behind this represents “g”. Used reaction times rather than unobservable measurements
Spearman vs. Binet
Spearman was attracted to the simplification of the German tradition. Binet argued they were inappropriate for measuring the complex nature of intelligence. Binet argued that “g” was wrong as people could use different knowledge to obtain the same score
What did Louis Thurstone argued?
He said we require multiple factor analysis. Argued the importance of seven primary capacities - verbal comprehension, word fluency, word number, number faculty, reasoning, spatial visualisation, perceptual speed, associative memory
Define psychometrics
branch of psychology that deals with the design, administration and interpretation of quantitative tests for the measurement of psychological variables such as intelligence, aptitude and personal traits. Used in two ways: to make decisions regarding the person who takes the test (e.g. for a job offer, scholarship) or used for research (correlating data to test theories)
What are group tests? Give examples, pros and cons
Allow large samples to be measured in a quick time e.g multidimensional aptitude battery, the cognitive abilities test, SATs
Allows large samples to be measured, but the examiner has less opportunity to establish a rapport, gain cooperation and maintain interest.
What are individual tests? Give examples
These are a lot more flexible. They include the Stanford-Binet test and the WAIS and WISC
Describe the Stanford Binet test
The American adaptation of the Binet Simon test. It was adapted by Terman. Currently in SB5 Criticised for not being comparable for all age ranges and for not being usable on very young preschoolars due to test difficulty. Useful for assessment in young children, adolescences and young adults
Who was Yerkes?
Was appointed by the APA to discover how psychology could help the war effort. Adapted the Stanford Binet test to groups. Created alpha and beta subcomponents, Results ranged from A+ to D-
What was the alpha test?
Created by Yerkes. Used on literates and tests cognitive abilities, oral and written language and practical judgement.
What was the beta test?
Created by Yerkes. Used on non-English or poor English speakers. They were told to complete maze tasks, scan symbols and undertake geometric construction
Who was Weschler?
He believed that “g” was too narrow. Developed the WISC for 7-16 year olds and the WAIS for 16+. The 1981 revision was the WAIS-R. There were 11 subsets, 6 verbal and 5 performance. Person recieves a full scale, verbal and performance IQ score
What were Weschler’s verbal subsets?
- Information (29 general knowledge questions) 2. Digit span (repeat forwards and backwards) 3. Vocab (define 35 words) 4. Arithmetic (14 arithmetic stories, measuring distraction and numerical reasoning) 5. Comprehension 6. Similarities
What were Weschler’s performance subsets?
- Picture completion. 2. Picture arrangement 3. Block design 4. Digit symbol. 5. Object assembly
What did Cajal do?
First to develop the modern conception of the brain as a machine made up of cells. He wanted to discover if we had some form of super neuron - we don’t!!
What is encephalisation?
The encephalisation quotient is the extent the brain size of a species deviates from the expected brain size of that species. The cat is the standard for mammals. Humans EQ = 7.4 - 7.8. Cat EQ = 5.
What did Rothe and Dicke say?
The number of coritcal neurons and the conduction velocity correlated better with intelliegence than brain size
What did Wickett, Vernon and Lee say?
Suggested in vivo and actual brain size are more correlated to intelligence than head size.
What did Willerman et al discover?
40 students (20 high IQ, 20 low IQ) were given the WAIS-R and submitted to an MRI. Brain size and IQ are better correlates of intelligence (.35) than head size
What did Wickett do?
Placed participants in an MRI, performed the MAB and the WAIS-R. Measured head perimeter. Brain volume correlated .395, head size only .109.
What did Watson say?
He could take the children of parents of any background and make them into whatever profession
What is the difference between old and new studies of heredity?
Old studies give a much higher estimate of intelligence because smaller sample sizes were used and new samples mainly used white middle class people
What did Bouchard state after his twin and triplet studies?
Twins living apart are near identical on intelligence tests to those who are reared together. He suggested there was heritibility of up to 80%.
How did Kamin and Goldberger counter Bouchard’s twin study results?
Twin studies over estimate the role of heretibility - it doesn’t represent the entire population
What is Mackintosh’s theory of Associative mating?
Associative mating effects genetic heritability. Genetics is based on the assumption that mating is random, this doesn’t happen! We should therefore make our estimates of heritability more conservative (between 40 and 80)
What were the four main factors effecting intelligence?
- Biological factors such as nutrition e.g. breast feeding
- Family - the unique (unshared) effects have the largest part of environmental influence
- Education - if you’re intelligence you’re more likely to go to school, increasing intelligence
- Culture - socioeconomic status
What is culture?
The practices that belong to a particular group or society. The way we construct our view of the self and our world is culturally driven. Intelligence is dependent on value laden judgements such as appropriateness. In england a person will thrive if they’re clever, sensible and quick
What is decontextualisation?
Western thinking is based on classical Greek philosophy. Decontextualisation is the ability to detach onself from a situation and think abstractly about it. This was key to industrialisation and has become a signal of intelligence
What is quantification?
We want to quantify intelligence. Reification is making an abstract concept measurable.
In what way are African views on intelligence different to Western?
They believe in social cohesion, cooperation and responsibility. They blur the distinction between intelligence and social competence. They don’t separate cognitive speed and social responsibility. IN kenya there are 4 parts to intelligence, with Western intelligence corresponding to only one (Reiko)
Describes Sternberg’s study in Africa
85 children, all infected with a parasite. Given a test of knowledge of herbal medicines and a story of an illness and asked for a cure. There was a direct negative correlation between medicine knowledge and academic performance. Time spent developing academic skills is time away from practical skills. Culture dictates the proportion of time spent on academic or practical skills
What intelligences transcend culture?
Mental processes underlying intelligence, ability to recognise and define problems, formulate strategies and solve/adapt.
How produced the “bell curve”? What did they argue?
Hernstein and Murray. They argued towards heritability (40< IQ < 80). They suggested the cultural inferiority of certain cultural groups. Argued for a general factor that underlies IQ tests and that IQ is stable over time. They also argued that IQ tests were a good representation of intelligence.
What negative impacts did “The Bell Curve” have on psychology?
It was regarded as neo-nazi. Stated that money spent to help the disadvantaged should actually support the highly intelligent. Argue the decrease in a country’s intelligence is due to unintelligent people having more children and the increase in immigration.
They argued for an increase in both positive and negative eugenics.
Describe sterilisation
Laughlin listed types of people who were to be sterilised - “feeble-minded, criminal, epileptic, blind, deformed and dependent”
42,000 people were sterilised between 1941 and 1943.
In 1948 the UN said everyone had a right to a family
What are longitudinal studies?
Track the participants for a long period of time. They are the preferred technique but are difficult as life spans 70 years +
What are cross-sectional studies?
People of different ages are examined at a moment in time
What are generational/cohort effects?
People who passed teenage years in war or depression may differ from older or younger people because of those reasons, not their intelligence
What did Deary discover about the association between cognitive and educational achievement?
Performed a 5 year longitudinal study of 70,000 children. General intelligence contributes to success on all the 25 academic studies tested. Girls showed no advantage in “g” but performed better on all subjects except physics
Describe the Seattle Longitudinal Study
Performed by Shaie. 5000 participants were tested at 7 year intervals. Listed 7 factors associated with reduced risk of cognitive decline in old age
What were Shaie’s 7 factors?
Lower CVD and other cognitive diseases. Favourable environment e.g. high socio-economic status. Involvement in complex, stimulating activities. Flexible personality style. Spouse of high cognitive status. Maintenance of high perceptual processing speeds. Satisfaction with accomplishments
Describe the Scottish Mental Survey
87498 children took part. DEARY traced the survivors 66 years later. This is the longest test-retest interval. The IQ score correlated .73. Showed that IQ was stable.
Describe the Christchurch Health and Development Study
1265 children studied at birth, 4 months, 1 year and at annual intervals to 16 and at 18, 21, 25. IQ is unrelated to crime, mental health, sexual behaviours and substance dependence. Strong relationship between later educational and occupational outcomes
What is the Flynn Effect?
Each generation is more clever than the last, according to 15 countries. There is the largest increase in non-verbal, culture reduced tests such as Raven’s.
(STATS test scores have decreased - does IQ not mean g?)
