Week 8 Flashcards
Definitions of intelligence
Ability to carry out abstract thinking
Power of good responses from the point of view of truth or fact (Thorndike, 1921)
Adjustment or adaptation of the inividual to his total environment (Freeman, 1955)
Ability to plan and structure one’s behaviour with an end in view (Das, 1973)
Later definitions of intelligence
Ability to resolve genuine problems or difficulties as they are encountered (Gardner, 1983)
Error free transmission of information through the cortex (Eysenck, 1986)
Reflects survival skills of species, beyond those associated with basic physiological processes (Sattler, 2001).
Stern berg et al (1981) asked non psychologists and psychologist to define what is important for intelligence. What did they find (in order of rated importance)
Non psychologists:
•Practical problem solving ability
•Verbal ability
•Social competence
Psychologists:
•Verbal intelligence
•Problem solving ability
•Practical intelligence
Some Polynesian navigators still travel long distances only with the information they carry in their heads (waves, weather patterns, height and width of approaching waves, boat movement)
However when these navigators were given tests of reasoning ability, they were unable to do what?
Perform simple reasoning tasks commonly performed by 12 year olds.
Demonstrates that the processes associated with certain intelligence tasks aren’t necessarily a measure of other intelligence.
Cross cultural applicability for intelligence
If intelligence helps people adapt and manage tasks, it should be cross culturally applicable.
But what a society understands as intelligence is linked to their particular ecology and social structure.
Different cultures = different circumstances that people need to adapt to
In Kenya, intelligence means obedience and responsibility
Being a good thinker for Cree of Northern Canada means having a good sense of direction, being wise and respectful, paying attention and thinking carefully
What is the nature of intelligence
Each culture provides individuals with the most appropriate and efficient ways to solve everyday challenges
These strategies then become part of people’s cognitive processes
Broad definition of intelligence
Intelligence is the application of cognitive skills and knowledge to learn, solve problems and obtain ends that are valued by an individual or culture
Intelligence is thus
- multifaceted
- functional
- defined and shaped by culture
Evolutionary perspective of intelligence according to Bjorklund and Kipp 2002
Problems are solved to allow adaption and this survival and reproduction
The social nature of humans may have influenced the development of intelligence
Ability to experience own feelings and behaviours -> better position to imagine others feelings and behaviours
Frances Galton in intelligence
- Father of differential psychology
- One of the earliest psychologists to theorise about and apply the concept of intelligence to society of his time
- Greatly influenced by Charles Darwin (who was his cousin)
- Determined that people who are related tend to be better at similar things
- Ignores the role of nurture
- Statistics guru
- Invented correlation (with Pearson)
- Studied twins
- Proposed a program of eugenics to raise the level of the intellectual “pool” (only smart people with smart people produces an even smarter person)
- Curtail the breeding of ‘feeble minded’
“It is in the most unqualified manner that I object to pretensions of natural equality”
Frances Galton in sense perception
First to measure ‘intelligence’ quantitatively. Considered intelligence to be related to ability to process sensory information (eg less intelligent people poorer st distinguishing hot and cold, colours etc)
Therefore, slower reaction time plus poor hearing and eyesight equaled low intelligence
Describe Spearman’s two factor theory
Arose from correlation and factor analysis of difference intellectual tasks
Found correlations between individuals scores on different ability tests
some groups of tasks inter correlate more strongly than others
What is factor analysis
Where lots of different factors (abilities) all cross over (correlation between factors)
Spearman’s two factor theory: General + specific abilities
An individuals performance in an intelligence test is determined by two factors:
- g - general intelligence (general ability for complex mental work)
- s- specific ability (unique to a test/sub test eg maths or verbal skills)
Spearman was less concerned about studying s, as it is varied for each test of intellectual ability
Thurstone’s 7 Primary Mental Abilities:
- Thurston suggested there was too much emphasis of Spearman’s g.
- too little diagnostic info on tasks contributing to overall score
- instead, formulated model of primary mental abilities
Thurston proposed 7 abilities, each relatively independent of g: Word fluency Verbal comprehension Spatial ability perceptual speed Numerical ability Inductive reasoning Memory
Thurstones theory of intelligence - getting less valid?
At the end of his career, Thurstone acknowledged that his proposed seven primary mental abilities were correlated
No longer completely opposed to Spearman’s concept of g
