intelligence

INTELLIGENCE

The Concept of Intelligence

Controversies and Group Comparisons

The Development of Intelligence

The Extremes of Intelligence and Creativity

What Is Intelligence?

Similar to thinking and memory skills

Cannot be directly measured

Ability to solve problems; adapt to and learn from everyday experiences

Individual differences are stable, consistent


Intelligence Tests

Individual Tests The Binet Tests

Mental age (MA) — individual’s level of mental development relative to others

Chronological age (CA) — age from birth

Intelligence quotient (IQ) — individual’s MA divided CA, multiplied by 100

Normal distribution — symmetrical distribution of scores around a mean


The Normal Curve and Stanford-Binet IQ Scores


The Wechsler Scales

WAIS-IV — for adults WISC-IV — for children

Provides overall IQMeasures verbal IQ

○ Six verbal subscalesMeasures performance IQ

○ Five performance subscales


Group Tests

Stanford-Binet and Wechsler tests are individually administered

Requires extensive information outside testing situation; assess individual behavior

More convenient and economical than individual tests, but examiner cannotEstablish rapportDetermine level of anxiety


The Use and Misuse of Intelligence Tests

Intelligence tests:Tools dependant upon user skill and knowledgeSubstantially correlated with school performanceModerately correlated with work performance;

correlation decreases as experience increasesIQ tests can easily lead to false expectations and

generalizations; self-fulfilling propheciesMeasures only current performanceOther factors also affect success


Theories of Multiple Intelligences

Controversy over breaking intelligence down into multiple abilities

Spearman’s two-factor theory: factor analysis correlates test scores into clusters or factors

Thurstone’s multiple-factor theory; seven abilities

Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences; certain cognitive abilities can survive brain damage


Theories of Multiple Intelligences


Two-factortheory

Spearman’s theory that individuals have both general intelligence and specific intelligences

Multiple-factortheory

Intelligence is seven primary mental abilities: verbal comprehension, word fluency, number ability, spatial visualization, associative memory, reasoning, perceptual speed

Gardner’s Theory

Eight types of intelligence: verbal, math, spatial, interpersonal, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, intrapersonal, and naturalist skills

Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom

Allow students to discover and explore domains in which they have natural curiosity and talent

Attention given to understanding oneself and others


Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory

Three main types of intelligence Analytic Creative Practical

Assessing Sternberg Triarchic Ability Theory (STAT) Effective in predicting college GPA More research needed


Triarchic Theory in the Classroom Goal is to discover and explore domains of

natural curiosity and talentExposure to stimulating materials every day

Concerns about Traditional Classroom Analytic ability favored in conventional schools

Creative students may be reprimanded or marked down for nonconformist answers

Practical students may do better outside school


Emotional Intelligence

Perceive and express emotions accurately and adaptively

Four aspects

Perceiving and expressing emotions

Understanding emotions

Facilitating thought and affect of moods

Managing emotions


Comparing the Intelligences


Do People Have One or Many Intelligences?

Many argue research base to support theories not yet developed

Some say Gardner’s classification seems arbitrary

Some experts who argue for general intelligence believe individuals also have specific intellectual abilities


The Influence of Heredity and Environment

Controversies and Group ComparisonsGenetic Influences

○ Jensen argued heredity; used twin studies

Adoption studies: educational levels of biological parents better predictor of IQ

Heritability: fraction of variance in IQ in a population that is attributed to genetics

○ Influence increases in aging



Environmental InfluencesModifications in environment can change IQ

scores considerably; very complex○ Socioeconomic status○ Parent communication○ Schooling

Intelligence test scores increase each year around the world; effects of technology?

Flynn effect



Emphasis on prevention, not remediationHigh quality intervention improves IQ and

school achievementEffects strongest for poor with low educated

parents Positive benefits continue into adolescenceEducates parents to be more sensitive

Abecedarian Intervention program


Group Comparisons and Issues

Cross-cultural comparisons problematic

Different cultures define intelligence differently

Practical and academic intelligence can develop independently

Predictive validity affected by ethnicity

Cultural bias in testing

Culture-fair tests: intelligence tests intended not to be culturally biased


Ethnic Comparisons

The Bell Curve

African American students average lower intelligence test scores than White students

Individual scores vary considerably

SES may have more effect than ethnicity; gap narrows in college

Ethnic and Gender Comparisons

Stereotype threat — fear of confirming negative stereotypes raises anxiety in testing

Some studies confirm existenceOthers believe stereotype threat is exaggerated

to explain gap

Gender differences in intellectual abilitiesMales more likely to have extremely high or low

scores; controversy over gender differences

Tests of Infant Intelligence

Gesell Distinguishes normal from abnormal infants Four categories of behavior

○ Motor○ Language○ Adaptive○ Personal-social

Combined overall score is developmental quotient (DQ)



Bayley Scales of Infant Development

Three components○ Mental scale○ Motor scale○ Infant behavior profile

Diagnoses developmental delays

Overall scores do not correlate highly with IQ scores obtained later in childhood



Fagan Test of Infant Intelligence

Increasingly being used

Focuses on infant’s ability to process information

Obtains similar results cross-culturally

Correlated with measures of intelligence in older children


Stability and Change in Intelligence through Adolescence

Group scores remain stableStrong relation between IQ scores obtained at

ages 6, 8, and 9 and IQ scores obtained at 10

Correlation between IQ in preadolescent years and 18 still statistically significant

Individual scores vary moreChildren are adaptive

IQ scores fluctuate dramatically in childhood


Intelligence in Adulthood

Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence

Crystallized intelligence○ Accumulated information and verbal skills, which

increase with age

Fluid intelligence○ Ability to reason abstractly, which steadily

declines from middle adulthood on

Cross-sectional, longitudinal, and cohort testing


Fluid and Crystallized Intellectual Development Across the Life Span


The Seattle Longitudinal Study

Spatial orientation Inductive reasoning Perceptual speed


• Since 1956, studied– Vocabulary– Verbal memory– Number computations

• Criticism: intellectual abilities more likely to decline in cross-sectional rather than longitudinal assessments

Longitudinal Changes in Six Intellectual Abilities


Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Comparisons of Intellectual Change


Cognitive Mechanics

Hardware of the mind

Speed and accuracy of processes involved in sensory input, attention, memory, organizing, and discrimination

Strong influence of biology and heredity

Declines with age


Cognitive Pragmatics

Culture-based software of the mind

Skills include Reading and writing skills Language comprehension Educational qualifications Professional skills Knowledge about self and life skills

Can improve with aging


Wisdom

Expert knowledge on practical aspects of life permitting excellent judgment about important matters

High levels of wisdom are rare

Emerges late adolescence and early adulthood

Factors other than age are critical

Personality-related factors better predictors of wisdom


Mental Retardation

Condition of limited mental ability Low IQ on traditional test of intelligence Difficulty adapting to everyday life Onset of characteristics by age 18 Range of impairments vary

Some causes include Organic retardation Cultural-familial retardation


Classification of Mental Retardation based on IQ


Giftedness

Above-average intelligence; IQ averaged 150 on Stanford-BinetPrecocityMarch to their own drummerPassion to master

Intelligence and creativity not same thing; most creative people are quite intelligent but reverse not necessarily true


Creative Thinking


Divergentthinking

Convergent thinking

Creativity

Produces many answers to the same question and is characteristic

of creativity

Gives one correct answer; is characteristic of thinking tested

by standardized intelligence tests

Ability to think in novel and unusual ways and come up with unique

solutions to problems

Steps in the Creative Process

Preparation Incubation Insight Evaluation Elaboration

Not all creative people follow in linear sequence


Characteristics of Creative Thinkers

Flexibility and playful thinking

Brainstorming

Inner motivation

Willingness to risk

Objective evaluation of work


Changes in Adulthood

Individuals’ most creative products were generated in their thirties

80% of most important creative contributions completed by age 50

Researchers found creativity often peaks in forties before declining

Age of decline varies by domain


Living a More Creative Life

Try to be surprised by something every day Try to surprise at least one person every

day Write down the surprises of each day Follow sparked interests Wake up in the morning with a specific goal Take charge of your schedule Spend time in stimulating settings


intelligence

Documents

intelligence intelligence

development of intelligence

general intelligence

breaking intelligence

extremes of intelligence

factortheoryspearmans

multiple abilities spearmans

wechsler tests