Unit 11: Testing and Individual Differences

Question 1

Intelligence

Answer 1

mental quality consisting of the ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use knowledge to adapt to new situations

Question 2

Intelligence test

Answer 2

a method for assessing an individual’s mental aptitudes and comparing them with those of others, using numerical scores

Question 3

General intelligence (g)

Answer 3

a general intelligence factor that, according to Spearman and others, underlies specific mental abilities and is therefore measured by every task on an intelligence test

Question 4

Factor Analysis

Answer 4

a statistical procedure that identifies clusters of related items (called factors) on a test; used to identify different dimensions of performance that underlie a person’s total score

Question 5

Savant syndrome

Answer 5

a condition in which a person otherwise limited in mental ability has an exceptional specific skill, such as in computation or drawing

Question 6

Emotional intelligence

Answer 6

the ability to perceive, understand, manage, and use emotions

Question 7

Mental age

Answer 7

a measure of intelligence test performance devised by Binet; the chronological age that most typically corresponds to a given level of performance

Question 8

Stanford-Binet

Answer 8

the widely used American revision of Binet’s original intelligence test

Question 9

Intelligence quotient

Answer 9

(IQ) defined originally as the ratio of mental age to chronological age multiplied by 100.

Question 10

Achievement tests

Answer 10

tests designed to assess what a person has learned

Question 11

Aptitude tests

Answer 11

tests designed to predict a person’s future performance; aptitude is the capacity to learn

Question 12

Wechsler adult intelligence scale (WAIS)

Answer 12

the most widely used intelligence test; contains verbal and performance (non verbal subtests)

Question 13

Standardization

Answer 13

defining meaningful scores by comparison with the performance of a pretested group

Question 14

Normal curve

Answer 14

symmetrical, bell shaped, physical, psychological

Question 15

Reliability

Answer 15

the extent to which a test yields consistent results, as assessed by the consistency of scores on two halves of the test, or on retesting

Question 16

Validity

Answer 16

the extent to which a test measures or predicts what it is supposed to

Question 17

Content validity

Answer 17

the extent to which a test samples the behavior that is of interest

Question 18

Predictive validity

Answer 18

the success with which a test predicts the behavior it is designed to predict; it is assessed by computing the correlation between test scores and the criterion behavior (also called criterion-relates validity)

Question 19

Intellectual disability

Answer 19

a condition of limited mental ability, indicated by an intelligence score of 70 or below and difficulty in adapting to the demands of life

Question 20

Mild intellectual disability

Answer 20

Intelligence score (50-70)
6th grade skills
Adults may achieve self-supporting social and vocation skills

Question 21

Moderate intellectual disability

Answer 21

Intelligence score (35-50)
2nd grade skills
may be able to work

Question 22

Severe intellectual disability

Answer 22

Intelligence score (20-35)
may learn to talk and perform simple tasks
work/job unlikely

Question 23

Profound intellectual disability

Answer 23

Intelligence score (below 20)
require constant aid and supervision

Question 24

Stereotype threat

Answer 24

a self-confirming concern that one will be evaluated based on a negative stereotype.