TASK 2 - Mental Ability

Question 1

Mental Ability

Answer 1

=capacity to solve problems demanding thinking skills
g factor = general mental ability ´, includes several group factors: verbal fluency, verbal comprehension, numerical facitly, spatial visualization, memory, perceptual speed, reasoning –> all have influences on many specific abilities

Question 2

Central concepts of intelligence

Answer 2

IQ:
measurement metric of performance in cognitive test, average = 100, standard deviation of 15
FULL-scale IQ:
score derived from IQ test battery consisting of several subtests; can be understood as average score of variety of subtests assessing several intelligence domains

CRYSTALLIZED IQ:
score derived from intelligence test consiting of knowledge-based questions that cannot be solved by reasoning, verbal IQ tests typically tap this domain

FLUID IQ:
score derived from test consiting of reasoning-based tasks, can be solved without prior knowledge, performance IQ tests tap this domain

SPATIAL IQ:
score derived from test consisting of tasks that require mental rotation of objects

PSYCHOMETRIC G
term means general cognitive ability of individual , positive manfold of IQ test performance is commonly seen as manifestation of psychometric g

G–NESS:
some subtests are more strongly related to G than others, expression is used to indicate whether intelligence domain is more/less related to psychometric G

Question 3

Emotional intelligence

Answer 3

1. definition: ability to perceive and understand one’s and others emotions
2. : ability to regulate one’s emotion

when measured as and abilitity it is related to personality and mental ability, but also has some limited unique aspects

FOUR BRANCH MODEL

• -> characterises EI as set of 4 interrelated abilities:
  1. Perceiving emotions
  2. using emotions
  3. understanding emotions
  4. Managing emotions

IN CONTEXT

• ->these skills can’t exist outside the social context in which they operate; EI overlaps modeslty with standard measures of personality (e.g.: Big5)
• ->set of skills rather than personality traits; its possible that people differ in EI for different emotions

MEASURING EI:
first test consisted of self-reports –> limitations
MSCEI test was constructed: 40 minute test, generating scores for each of branches
the study shows evidence that EI may play role in career succes

Question 4

Flynn effect

Answer 4

= IQ gain in general population over years (increases in IQ test scores)
–>”one of the most striking phenomena in this field”
META-ANALYSIS (ARTICLE)
Variety of findings in different countries
Key Findings:
1.Substantial gains for fluid IQ
2.Sustantial gains for crystallized IQ
3.Stronger gains for fluid than crystallized IQ
4.Decreasing gains in more recent decades
5.Nonlinear gains
6.Stronger gains for adults than children
Positive associations with Gross Domestic Produc change per Capita
8.Stronger gains on low-g tests

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS:
education, technology, test taking behavior

HYBRID FACTORS
blood lead levels, genomic imprinting, nutrition, pathogen stress, social multipliers