week 7 Flashcards
Galton
one of the first to pursue the idea that humans differed in intelligence `
Binet
created the first intelligence test
Terman
adapted the test to be used with children in the U.S from age 4-14- led to standardised testing
Stern
had been using Binet’s test in Germany
Developed the idea of intelligent quotient
Iq= mental age/chronological age *100
Yerkes
head of committee appointed by APA to consider how psychology could help war efforts. made and intelligence test to help assign soldiers to appropriate tasks
Charles Spearmen
introduced the concept of general intelligence or ‘g’. Used several different tasks to test the intelligence of school children from 1904-192. then analysed the relationships between the different tasks
Charles spearman part 2
he proposed a 2-factor theory of intelligence, the first being specific abilities
the second was general intelligence
according to the theory if you had good score on spatial ability task then you will do good n spatial awareness
Measuring ‘g’
Binet test’s-> for children
Yerkes test-> designed for those applying to join the U.S army
David Wechsler-> was sent to work in Charles Spearman. Still used today, expanded to be used with the general population from infancy to the elderly
Raven progressive matrices
like wechsler test, the rationale behind Raven’s matrices is based on Spearman’s theory, designed to minimise the influence of language and culture
Thurstone
challenged Spearman’s theory. Argued that all spearman had done was demonstrate that the different test correlated positively. Argued that ‘g’ result from, rather than underpins, primary mental abilities
Cattell
Cattell claimed that ‘g’ comprises two related but distinct components
Fluid intelligence is considered to be an innate capacity it is a basic reasoning ability applicable to a wide range of problems
Crystallised intelligence is believed to reflect schooling and cultural learning
Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence
Howard Gardner introduced a popular theory that relegates the position of psychometric g
Distinct intelligences that reside in different places in the brain
Flynn effect
the discovery that year-on-year, the average IQ score steadily increases
Causes of the Flynn effect
Environmental boost-better nutrition
Improvement in schooling
Modernisation
Testing attitudes and familiarity with testing
Test no longer measure IQ
Flynn IQ theory
test are not totally invalidated by the Flynn effect, but they may be measuring only a limited range of cognitive abilities
Bell curve controversy
Herrnstein and Murray examined IQ test scores in the U.S. The book considered the extent to which intelligence is genetically inherited
East Asian-white IQ gap
east Asians score 5 points higher than white Americans
Black-white IQ gap
on average white Americans score 15 points higher on IQ test than black Americans
What is Jensen and the Race Debate
Murray IQ can only be raised in modest amounts, inconsistently and usually temporarily
Jensen 1998 assumes that any racial disparity in IQ is due to a difference in basic intellectual ability between races, specifically in what he calls the general or g factor
Alternative explanations to difference in IQ tests
Cultural bias in IQ test
stereotypes threat
Environmental explanations
Socio-economic disadvantage affects the educational performances
3 most common explanations
Genetic: hard-wired difference
Environmental: society is unfair towards certain groups
test bias: IQ test are designed to favour certain groups
Group differences
Humans are 99.9% identical at the DNA level. Variation within ethnic groups far outstrip those between groups. Likely due to society and context
The gender gap
Historical belief that men more intelligent than women. Pioneers in IQ testing found no sex difference
some evidence that men score 3-5 point more then women however women do better on verbal tasks where as men do better on spatial test
