Set 9: Intelligence Flashcards
Intelligence
Intelligence (in all cultures) is the ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use our knowledge to adapt to new situations.
In research studies, intelligence is whatever the intelligence test measures. This tends to be “school smarts”.
Controversies About Intelligence
The big debate about intelligence is whether intelligence is one thing or many things.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive, understand, manage, and use emotions.
Emotional Intelligence: Criticism
Gardner and others criticize the idea of emotional intelligence and many question whether we stretch the idea of intelligence too far when we apply it to our emotions.
Success
Talent and Grit (a passion and perseverance in pursuit of a goal).
Intelligence and Creativity
Creativity is the ability to produce ideas that are both novel and valuable. Creativity and intelligence correlate with each other.
Expertise
You must know your subject matter really well.
Imaginative Thinking
Thinking outside of the box.
A venturesome Personality
Willing to take risks
Intrinsic Motivation
Wanting to do the task for yourself, not for any other reason.
Is Intelligence Neurologically Measurable
People that are of high intelligence tend to have bigger brains.
Brain Function
People with higher intelligence tend to have brains that fire quicker.
Intelligence Tests
Intelligence Tests are a method of assessing an individual’s mental aptitude and comparing it with others using numerical scores.
Francis Galton
Francis Galton was the first person on record to test mental abilities. He coined the term nature vs. nurture. BUT he believed in eugenics, the controversial theory that only intelligent people should reproduce.
Alfred Binet
Alfred Binet worked for the Paris school system created intelligence tests for incoming school children. He is often known as “the father of intelligence testing.”
Lewis Terman
In the U.S. Lewis Terman took the ideas of Binet and created the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test. The most famous intelligence test possibly ever created.
David Wechsler
David Wechsler developed the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and later the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), an intelligence test for preschoolers. These are two of the most commonly used intelligence tests today.
A few notes about IQ:
-A score of 100 is average
-Anything higher is above average, anything below is below average
-Calculating IQ this way only work to age 18.
Aptitude Tests
Aptitude tests are intended to predicts your ability to learn a new skill
Achievement Tests
are intended to reflect what you have already learned
Psychometrics
Field of study that measures human abilities.
The three Psychometric principles:
Standardization
Reliability
Validity
Standardization
Standardizing a test involves administering the test to a representative sample of future test takers in order to establish a basis for meaningful comparison.
Standardization Steps:
- Give your test to a group that is similar to the group you are interested in.
- Establish the normal distribution (bell curve)
- Give the test to your actual group
- Base your scores off of the normal distribution
Reliability
Your test is consistent. (Gives the test taker a similar or same score each time they take it.)
Split-Half Reliability:
Dividing the test into two equal halves and assessing how consistent the scores are. (Maybe odds and evens).
Reliability using different tests:
Use two forms of the same test and assess how consistent the scores are.
Test-Retest Reliability:
Use the same test twice to measure consistency.
Validity
The test measures what it is supposed to measure.
Content Validity
The test has relevant questions on it.
Construct Validity
The test measures what it is supposed to measure.
Predictive Validity
The test predicts what it is meant to predict.
Flynn Effect
In the past 60 years, intelligence scores have risen steadily by an average of 27 points. This phenomenon is known as the Flynn Effect.
Cohorts
These studies make use of cohorts, which are a group of people sharing a common characteristic such as being from the same time period.
Stability or Change
Intelligence scores become stable after about four years of age
They are really good at predicting intelligence at age 11.
If you are of above average intelligence at age 11 you are likely to be of above average intelligence at age 70.
IQ scores of 70 or lower
IQ scores of 70 or lower is considered Intellectual Disabled.
IQ score of 135 and above
IQ score of 135 and above is considered high intelligence or gifted.
Growth Mindset:
Believing your abilities can grow with experience.
Fixed Mindset:
View that abilities are unchangeable even with effort.
Nature vs. Nurture
We know that both play a part in development. There are three main ways to test nature vs. nurture as a Psychologist.
Epigenetics
Epigenetics is the study of how the environment can trigger or block genetic expression.
Stereotype Threat
If you believe your group will do bad on a test, then you will do bad on it.
Stereotype Lift
If you believe your group will do well on a test, then you will do better on it.
Spearman’s General Intelligence
Intelligence is one thing. Known as General Intelligence, or the G Factor. He used Factor Analysis which means giving a bunch of different tests and then averaging the score to one score (think ACT score).
Strengths of Spearman’s General Intelligence
Many abilities do tend to overlap. (Ex: if you are good at vocabulary you also tend to be good at reading.)
Weaknesses of Spearman’s General Intelligence
Human abilities are too diverse to just give one score. (Ex: Someone with an amazing ability who struggles at all other tests.)
Thurstone’s Primary Mental Abilities
Thought intelligence was many things (7), but those things were still all “book smart” abilities.
Strengths of Thurstone’s Primary Mental Abilities
Gives much more information about a person’s abilities than a single score.
Weaknesses of Thurstone’s Primary Mental Abilities
Those 7 scores all tend to be around the same value from person to person, suggesting that there may actually be one single intelligence score.
Cattell-Horn Intelligence Theory
There is a general intelligence (G) as well as specific intelligences that can aid the general intelligence. Fluid (Gf) is your ability to think quickly. Crystallized Intelligence (Gc) is your accumulated knowledge and skills.
Strengths of Cattell-Horn Intelligence Theory
More specific than Spearman’s G Factor
Weaknesses of Cattell-Horn Intelligence Theory
Still not very inclusive.
Savant Syndrome
Condition in which a person with limited mental ability has an exceptional skill or ability in one area.
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
Intelligence is many things (8, maybe 9.) Stretches intelligence the furthest into things like music and sports, while also including standard “book smart” intelligences.
Strengths of Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
Includes the largest number of abilities so it is the most inclusive theory.
Weaknesses of Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
Many argue that things like music and sports abilities are talents and not intelligence, so this theory often gets criticized for taking the idea of intelligence too far.
Sternberg’s Triarchic
Intelligence is three things:
1. Analytical - Book Smarts
2. Creative - Generating new ideas, adapt to new scenarios
3. Practical - Street Smarts
Strengths of Sternberg’s Triarchic
Is seen by many to be the best of both worlds, not too many, not too few intelligences.
Weaknesses of Sternberg’s Triarchic
This is the newest theory (2003) so much more research is needed to prove its validity.
