Week 6 Flashcards
Define Intelligence
- Intelligence is hard to get a grip on because it is a hypothetical construct
- Can’t be seen directly or measured tangibly
- Must be inferred from external factors
Define Intelligence - Academics
- Ability to carry out abstract thinking - Terman 1916
- Power of good responses from the point of view of truth or fact - Thorndike 1921
- Ability to adapt or adjust to environment - Freeman 1955
- Ability to plan and structure behavior with a end goal in mind Das 1971
- Ability to resolve genuine problems or hardships we encounter - Gardner 1983
- Transmit information without errors through the cortex - Eysenck 1986 - This one is controversial
- Refelct survival skills beyond basic physiological processes - Sattler 2001
Sternberg Study to Define Intelligence
- Asked psychologists and non psychologists to define intelligence
- Found there was some variablility in the answers and some common factors as well
- Non Psycologists favoured practical problem solving, Verbal Ability, Social Competence
- Psychologists favoured Verbal Intelligence, Problem solving and Practical Intelligence/Functioning Capacity
- This variability prompted all kinds of research into what Intelligence is.
Intelligence - Evolutionary Perspective
- Ability to physically adapt, survive and reproduce
- Human social nature could have influenced intelligence
- Ability to experience own feelings and behaviours
- Allows us to imagine others feelings and behaviour
Francis Galton
- 19th Century Psychologist
- One of the first to theorise and test intelligence
- We first process information by our senses and perceptual ability
- Intelligence was hereditary
- Argued for Eugenics
- Sensory discrimination and reaction time tests
- Found no relationships with senses and intelligence
- Overarching General Factor of intelligence and sensory perception
Charles Spearman
- Statistical pioneer for correlation & factor analysis to identify common intelligence factors
- Intelligence made up of 2 components
- G for General Ability and S for Specific Abilities
- General Factor of Intelligence was common due to unexpected relationships
- Looking at multiple tests to see how they relate
Psychometrics
- The design, administration and interpretation of quantitative tests
- Measures variables such as - aptitude, intelligence and personality traits
- Start with a test that measures intelligence and uses statistics to check if it really does
- Intelligence tests are unusual in scientific discourse, that is;
- Measure of intelligence were developed first
- Theories of intelligence evolved to fit those measures
- Led to holes in intelligence theory
Alfred Binet
- Intellectual development was variable and dependant on environment and upbringing
- Tests had good predictive validity and spread through Europe and the US
- Asked to design tests that could identify children with special education needs
- Developed reasoning and logic tests to reflect typical abilities in children by age
- Sought to differentiate children who excel and who have problems with learning
- These tests are source of words like idiot and imbecile
Criteria for Binet’s Test
- Related to common sense
- Part of everyday life
- Could differentiate between children
- Could be easily administered
- Developed on extensive observation of children
- Looked at general mental capacity at different ages
Binet’s Test Mental Age
- Groups of typical intelligence children were used as a comparison point for future testing
- This was called Basal Level
- Then calculated the Mental Age of Child
Lewis Terman
- Developed the Binest tests into Stanford-Binet Intelligence Battery
- Addedd Adult Questions
- Collaborated with Stern to introduce Intelligence Quotient IQ)
- IQ = (MA/CA)*100
Intelligence Quotient
- IQ = (MA/CA)*100
- Mental Age x Chronological age x 100
- Allows us to compare across ages as if mental and chronological age are the same they get 100
- higher or lower indicates potential problems
- Good for assesing children but intelligence development slows in teenagers and stabilises in adults
- Today is calculated differently
Wechlsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)
- 11 groups of similar items - more have been added
- Verbal and Non Verbal intelligence
- Attempt to remove biases assicated with other tests
- IQ measured in subtests which distingquish two intelligences
- Allow psychologists to identify areas of strength and weakneses
- Attempt to identiy those who struggle compared to their peers
- (WSIC) - Intelligence Scale for children
- (WPPSI) Scale of Intelligence for Pre & Primary age
WAIS - Modern Day Changes
- Added Verbal Comprehension and General Knowledge to Verbal and Non Verbal Intelligence
- We test perceptual reasoning - Visual motor tasks like block building to match a puzzle
- Attention, Concentration and Mental control - processing information efficiently
WAIS Question Examples - Verbal Comprehension
- Verbal Comprehension Scale
Similarities
How are a calculator and a typewriter alike?
Information
On what continent in France?
Comprehension
Why are children required to go to school?
WAIS Question Examples - Working Memory
- Working Memory
Arithmetic
How many hours will it take to drive 150km at 50 km/hour
Digit Span
Repeat these numbers backwards 2 4 3 5 1 8 6
WAIS Question Examples - Perceptual
Reasoning
- Perceptual Reasoning
Picture Completion
Tell me what is missing?
Block Design
Number of blocks put together to match a design, 2, 4 or 9
WAIS Question Examples - Processing Speed
- Processing Speed
Cancellation
Draw a line through each red square and yellow triangle
Coding
Examines copies symbols that are paired with numbers within specified time limit
Process of Intelligence Theory
- Tests designed first
- Then Theories developed to match them
- This is backwards to the Scientific Method
- Today the theories are holding and the tests are trying to catch up
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Intelligence Testing Today
- Modern Stanford-binet and Wechlser tests have been extensivley revised
- Avoid reading and writing skills to avoid bias
- administered individually
- Up to 2 hours to complete
- Standardised and Norms established because a large number of poeple haven taken the test
- Are valid and reliable
Return of Biological Measures
- Galton early intelligence theorist
- idea re-emerging tha intelligence is related to fundamental sensory and intellectual process
- Intelligence dependent on physiological measures like reaction time and sensory sensitivity
- Intelligence is partly the efficiency of the brain’s information processing
Biological Indices - Reaction Times
- There may be biological markers to indicate General Intelligence Factor that could be measured
- Reed & Jensen 1993
- Uses ERP - Event Related Potential
- Found positive correlation between participants nerve responses and non verbal IQ
- Fast nerves responses matched higher IQ
Limitations of Reaction Times
- Correlations are generally weak (.2-.3)
- Not usefule or practical indicator of IQ
- Sophisticated modern measurements produce the same results
- Intelligence is complex & multi faceted
- Can’t be reduced to a single factor
- Most tests are time limited so processing speed could become a bias factor
Standardisation Groups
- Individual scores are compared to the larger group
- Large groups needed to wout out test norms
- Standardisation may be specific or general
- Dependant on age and development
- Children might be grouped by single ages e.g. ,5 6, 7
- Adults grouped in blocks e.g. 40-50
Intellectual Disability
- Measures wide range of cognitive abilities
- includes adaptive functioning
- Well below average intellectual functioning - IQ <70
- Concurrent deficits or impairment in adaptive funcitoning
- Onset in developmental period
- Defecits in More that one domain
Types of Intellectual Disability
- Genetic in origin e.g. Down Syndrome
- Biological in origin e.g. Phenylketonuria
- Environmental in origin through exposure to teratogens e.g. Foetal Alcohol Syndrome
Intellectual Disability
Adaptive Functioning
* Self-care (dress self)
* Community use (shopping)
* Communication (use the telephone)
* Home living (cook a meal)
* Social interaction (cope with other’s demands)
* Health/safety (recognise illness)
Extreme Intelligence - Giftedness
- Can reflect academic, music, social, creative or athletic ability
- IQ above 130 - 2 Std Dev above the mean
- 3 components - Well above average intellectual ability, creativity and Task Commitment
- Occurs in certain people at certian times and is situational
Giftedness Causality
- Giftedness goes hand in hand with hard work
- Does giftedness result in hard work? or does Hard work result in giftedness
- Creativity is difficult to measure but is also a key factor
- Giftedness is situational, perhaps producing creativity that inspires hard work at certain times
- IQ tests meaure convergent thinking but creativity is divergent thinking- think outside the square
Gifted Characteristics - Positive
- Lewis Terman started collecting data in 1921
- 1500 children with IQ above 150, Had no control group
- Follow ups in 1959, 1990, 1992
- Giftedness associated with above agerage height, strength, emotional maturity as children
- Above average health, emotional stability and satisfaction in adulthood
- Challenged Nerd stereotype of weak individuals and burnout of giftedness
Gifted Characteristics - Negative
- Gross in Australia 1999
- Participants IQ above 160
- Giftedness could lead to social isolation in school
- Reiterated need fro gifted programs in schools