Stephen Twilleager

AP Psychology

December 6th 2010

Psychologists often desire to classify people’s intelligence and behaviors

This is done through various forms of testing

Such Tests raise questions about:Their validity and reliabilityImpact of heredity and the environmentImpact of human diversity

Intelligence TestsNeurological EvaluationWechsler ScalesWoodcock-Johnson Scale

Personality ProfilesProjective TestsSelf-Report Questionnaires

Employed t o classify people based on intelligence

Intelligence- Three Key AbilitiesAble to Learn from

ExperienceAble to Solve

ProblemsAble to Adapt to

New Situations

Charles Spearman- General Intelligence (g)

Howard Gardner- Multiple Intelligences

Sternberg- 3 Aspects of Intelligence

EQ- Emotional Intelligence

Based on his factor analysis studies, Spearman concluded that:

A person’s intelligence in all area was measured by general intelligence or g

Good performance on one portion of the test indicated increased likelihood of success on other portions

Gardner’s Counterproposal

Several Types of Intelligence:Visual/Spatial Verbal/Linguistic Logical/MathematicalBodily/Kinesthetic Musical/Rhythmic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Natural

Simplified Version of Multiple Intelligences

Grouped Intelligence into 3 main categories

Conventional/Analytical

Creative/NovelPractical/Everyday

Knowledge

First Called Social Intelligence

Measures Ability to Notice, Display, Understand, and Control Emotions

Impacts Ability to Perform According to Social Expectations and Situations

Differences in intelligence may arise from differences in:Brain StructureChemical Activity

Small Correlations have been found between brain size and intelligence

Tests have shown that glucose consumption is less for more active (i.e. more intelligent) brains

1st Intelligence tests endeavored to assess a person’s mental age

Mental age is base on expected capabilities of person of that age

IQ- Intelligence QuotientIQ= Mental

Age/Chronological Age * 100

Tests must be:

Standardization is achieved by

Pre-testing a representative sample of the population

Goal is the formation of a bell curve by the results

Bell Curve demonstratesMajority of Results in the

Middle, Average SectionSmall Percentages of the

Extrema of the Curve

Consistency of Results Over Time

Evaluates Correlation of Results between:

Original TestRetest Using Same or Similar Test

The higher the correlation, the higher the reliability

The extent to which a test measures the variables it is designed to test

A driver’s test can be used to predict driving performanceBut it cannot be used

to measure literacyPredictive Validity of

a test is used to assess future performance

Stanford-Binet I.Q Test is flawed for adults

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) seek to correct this flaw by testing more categories

The Woodcock-Johnson Scale takes a different approach, evaluating from a multiple intelligence view

Wechsler’s Test Evaluate Test Takers in Several Categories

14 SubtestsScores in Verbal and

Performance Categories

Combined to Generate a General Intelligence Score

Based on the multiple intelligence principle, these tests test each element of intelligence directly

Two different tests are provided for each type of intelligence

Some tests are similar to WAIS while others are different

School psychologists use tests such as W.A.I.S and W.C to begin diagnostic processes for learning disabilities, mental retardation and A.D.D/A.D.H.D

They can then begin recommending classroom modifications to aid the student

Aptitude Tests are designed to predict future performance.

SAT, ACT Estimate College Readiness

GRE, MCAT, LSAT Measure Preparedness for Graduate and Professional Schools

Tests skills learned in particular subject or course.

Can be general overviews of knowledge or detailed examinations

TAKS, AP, IB, and Professional Certification Tests

As the test simply measures your intelligence, you cannot really fail.

However, a low score may indicated mental retardation

This condition is diagnosed with a test score and difficulty living independently

LEVEL SCORE % OF PEOPLE W/ RETAR-DATION

ACADEMIC POTENTIAL AND INDEPENDENCE

Mild 50-70 85% 6th Grade , Assisted Living

Moderate 35-49 10% 2nd Grade, Can Help Support Themselves through Limited Labor

Severe 20-34 3-4% Able to Talk and Perform Simple Tasks, No Profit from Vocational Training

Profound <20 1-2% Require Constant Aid and Supervision

High I.Q scores, particularly those over 130, may indicate giftedness

These are the students that often succeed as doctors, lawyers, professors, scientists, and writers.

Also among this group are the prodigies of math, music, science, and other skills

Intelligence Tests Reveal Trends in Influences on Intelligence

Genetic InfluencesEnvironmental InfluencesSerious Implications for Determining

Roles in Society

Intelligence tests are used to evaluate similarities between the mental abilities of those sharing the same genes.

Identical twins have eerily similar test scores

Intelligence Influencing genes have discovered

Genes Do Not Explain Every Aspect of intelligence

Unfavorable Environments such as malnutrition, social isolation, and sensory deprivation adversely affect intellectual and cognitive development

Aptitude Scores Showed Pronounced Differences Between Different Groups

Racial GroupsEthnic GroupsGender GroupsDisabled vs. HealthyAre these differences

hereditary or environmental?

Bell Curve of White IQ centers around 100Bell Curve of Black IQ centers around 85Bell Curve of Hispanic IQ falls in betweenDifferences have diminished recently but are still

noticeable

Ethnic Groups Have Variations in IQEuropean New Zealanders generally

outscore native MaoriIsraeli Jews outscore Palestinian and Israeli

ArabsJapanese Minorities Outscore by

Mainstream

Asian Math Superiority- Cultural Dedication and 30% More Time in School than American Students

Historical “Golden Ages”Occurred in Different

Cultures at Different Times

Makes it Hard to Claim Superiority

Study of Racial Differences Beyond Tests

Most Evident in those with Sensory Loss

Deaf people will often score less than healthy peers on language and verbal tests

Blind will unsurprisingly have lower scores on visual/spatial reasoning than peers with sight

No Gender Gap in Overall Intelligence

However, there are differences in specific skills

Girls are Better Spellers

Females Higher in Math Computation

Males Better in Math Problem-Solving

Culture ImpactMen Traditionally in

Math, Engineering, Science

Women Traditionally, English and Arts

Males hold edge in spatial reason due to historical position as hunters

Females hold edge in memory due to role as gatherers

The question of bias appears in regards to any test, particularly intelligence tests

The tendency of such tests to be interpreted as the sole measure of a person’s value makes bias accusations particularly tricky

Some claim that bias towards one group makes results invalid for another group

Proponents say predictions are unaffected by differences in groups taking the same test.

They say that revealing differences between groups is not bias

Another Type of Testing designed to classify personality traits

Different testing methods for differing schools of thought

Two Main Types are Projective Test and Self-Report

Favored by Psychoanalysts

Follows Traditions of Freud

Unconscious Meaning to Responses

Provide Ambiguous Stimuli and Measure Emotional Response

Presents Ambiguous Pictures

Test-Taker Asked to Describe story behind the scene

Test-Takers choices reveal some of their inner conscious

Projective Test in Which:

Ten Inkblots are presented

The feelings and thoughts of the test-take regarding them reflects their inner feeling and conflicts

In contrast with psychoanalysts, who view unconscious influences, trait theorists view conscious perceptions

Favor self-report questionnaires that reveal a person’s perception of themselves

Measures Traits in a field defined by:

Stability vs. Instability

Extroversion vs. Introversion

Developed originally to help diagnose emotional disorders. Now used for additional screening purposes.

Contains 10 clinical scales of true-false statements

Can be scored objectively, unlike projection test

Among the biggest criticisms of personality profiles are their lack of situational context for many of their judgments.

Also, the test’s predictive value of specific behavior in a situation is not highly accepted

Testing is a good method for predicting average behavior and classifying people by such behaviors

It is limited by the individuality and free choice of people but can still accurately display qualities such as intelligence

The validity and reliability of tests are maintained by ensuring that the test measure what they are supposed to and that the test works with a control group during a retest

Intelligence testing’s results can be influenced by both hereditary and environmental factors that can be identified by the tests.

Human diversity has great impact on the tests

Intelligence and personality values are culturally subjective in most cases

Any test must be able to take this into account to maintain its usefulness

"Psychology." Hippo Campus. Monterey Institute of Technology, n.d. Web. 5 Dec 2010. <http://www.hippocampus.org/myHippo/;jsessionid=687092B15B5880B3ED3177A59FCAB403?subject=10&user=avrittj>.

Kaplan, Heath. "Intelligence." AP Psychology Commune (www.appsychology.com). Harrison High School AP Psychology, n.d. Web. 5 Dec 2010. <http://www.appsychology.com/appsychPP/appsychology/APpresentationshome.htm

Kaplan, Heath. "Psychoanalytic." AP Psychology Commune (www.appsychology.com). Harrison High School AP Psychology, n.d. Web. 5 Dec 2010. <http://www.appsychology.com/appsychPP/appsychology/APpresentationshome.htm

Kaplan, Heath. "Trait Perspective." AP Psychology Commune (www.appsychology.com). Harrison High School AP Psychology, n.d. Web. 5 Dec 2010. <http://www.appsychology.com/appsychPP/appsychology/APpresentationshome.htm

Meyer, David. "Chapters 11 & 14." Psychology, 6th ed.. Ed. Christine Brune. New York: Worth Publishers, 2001. Print.

www.appsychology.comwww.hippocampus.orghttp://www.ccisd.com/989208121450

2570/site/default.asp