Unit 5: Intellegence

Module 37: Introduction to intellegence

1.​ 37-1 How do psychologists define intelligence and what are the arguments for g?
a.​ Intelligence
i.​ The ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use
knowledge to adapt to new situations.
b.​ General intelligence
i.​ According to spearman and others, underlies all mental abilities
and is therefore measured by every task on an intelligence test
c.​ Factor analysis
i.​ A statistical procedure that identifies clusters of related items
(called factors) on a test, used to identify different dimensions of
performance tha underlie a persons total score.
2.​ Theories of Multiple Intelligences
a.​ 37-2 How do Gardner’s and sternberg theories of multiple intelligences
differ and what criticisms have they faced?
i.​ Savant syndrome
1.​ A condition in which a person otherwise limited in mental
ability has an exceptional specific skill, such as in
computation or drawing.
a.​ Like a person would an expert in engineering but
limited in other categories like literature or socials.
ii.​ Sternberg’s Three Intelligences
1.​ Analytical intelligence
a.​ Is assessed by intelligence tests which present
well-defined problems of having a single right
answer. Such tests predict school grades
reasonably well and vocational success more
modestly.
2.​ Curious intelligence
a.​ Is demonstrated in innovative smarts: the ability to
adapt to new situations and generate novel ideas
3.​ Practical intelligence
a.​ Is required for everyday tasks that may be poorly
defined and may have multiple solutions
b.​ Emotional Intelligence
i.​ 37-3 What are the four components of emotional intelligence
1.​ Grit
 a.​ In psychology, grit is passion and perseverance in
the pursuit of long-term goals.
2.​ Emotional intelligence
a.​ The ability to perceive, understand, manage, and
use emotions.
3.​ Spearman’s general intelligence
a.​ A basic intelligence predicts our abilities in varied
academic areas
b.​ Different abilities, such as verbal, spatial, or have
some tendency to correlate.
4.​ Thurstone's primary mental abilities
a.​ Our intelligence may be broken down into seven
distinct factors
b.​ A single g score is not as informative as scores for
sven primary abilities
5.​ Gardners multiple intelligences
a.​ Our abilities are best classified into eight or nine
independent intelligences, which include a broad
range of skills beyond traditional school smarts.
b.​ Intelligence ia more than just verbal an
mathematical skills. Oher abilities are equally
important to our human adaptability.
6.​ Sternergs triarchic theory
a.​ Our intelligence is best classified into three areas
that predict real-worl success: analytical, creative,
practical
b.​ These three domains can be reliably measured

Module 38: Assessing Intelligence

1.​ Intelligence test
a.​ A method for assessing an individuals mental aptitudes and comparing
them with those of others, using numerical scores.
2.​ Achievement test
a.​ A test designed to assess what a person has learned
3.​ Aptitude test
i.​ A test designed to predict a person's future performance aptitude
is the capacity to learn.
4.​ Early and Modern Tests of Mental Abilities
a.​ Mental age
i.​ A measure of intelligence test performance devised by binet; the
level of performance typically associated with children of a certain
chronological age. Thus, a child who does as well as an average 8
year old is said to have a mental age of 8.
 b.​ Stanford-Binet
i.​ The widely used American revision of Binets original intelligence
test.
ii.​ Intelligence quotient
1.​ Defined originally as the ratio of mental age to
chronological age multiplied by 100. On contemporary
intelligence tests, the average performance for a given age
is assigned a score of 100.
iii.​ Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)
1.​ The WAIS and its companion and versions for chile are the
most widely usd intelligence tests; they contain verbal and
performance subtests.
5.​ Principles of Test Construction
a.​ 38-3 What is normal curve, and what does it mean to say that a test has
been standardized and is reliable and valid
i.​ Standardization
1.​ Defining uniform testing procedures and meaningful scores
by comparison with he performance of a protested group.
ii.​ Normal curve
1.​ The bell-shaped cure that describes the distribution of
many physical and psychological attributes. Most scores
fall near the avenge, and fewer and fewer scores lie near
the extreme.
iii.​ Content validity
1.​ The extent to which test samples the beehavior that is of
interest
iv.​ Predictive validity
1.​ The success with which a test predicts the behavior it is
designed to predict; it is assessed by computing the
correlation between test scores and the criterion behavior.

Module 39: The Dynamics of Intelligence

1.​ Aging and Intelligence
a.​ 39-1 How does aging affect crystalized and fluid intelligence
i.​ cohort
1.​ A group of people sharing a common characteristic, such
as from a given time period
ii.​ Crystalized intelligence
1.​ Our accumulated knowledge and verbal skills; tends to
increase with age
iii.​ Fluid intelligence
1.​ Our ability to reason speedily and abstractly; tends to
decrease with age , especially during late childhood.
 iv.​ Cross-Sectional study
1.​ Research that compares people of different age at the
same point in time
v.​ Longitudinal study
1.​ Reesearch that follows and reflects the same people over
time
2.​ Thinking Critically About: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Studies
a.​ Using cross sectional. Researchers found that mental ability declines with
age.
b.​ Comparing 70 year olds and 30 year olds means comparing different
people but also different eras.
c.​ Researchers using longitudinal method found that intelligence remains
stable, and on some tests it can even increase.
d.​ Intelligence decline happens, especially after 85.
3.​ The low extreme
a.​ Intellectual disability
i.​ A condition of limited mental ability indicated by an intelligence
test score of 70 or below and difficulty adapting to the demands of
life.
b.​ Down syndrome
i.​ A condition of mild to serve intellectual disabilitiy and asssociated
physical disorders caused by an extra copy of chromosome one

Module 40: Studying Genetic and Environmental Influences on

Intelligence
1.​ Twin and Adoption Studies
a.​ 40-1 What evidence points to a genetic influence on intelligence and what
is heritability
i.​ Heritability
1.​ The proportion of variation among individuals in a group
that we can attribute to genes. The heritability of a trait
may vary, depending on the range of populations and
environments studied.
a.​ Things like appearance or hair color are heritable.
ii.​ Theres a high correlation with similarity of intelligence scores with
identical twins raised togethers compared to unrelated individuals
raised together.
1.​ This could mean that genetics have a higher impact on
intelligence than most think.
2.​ Environmental Influences
a.​ 40-2 what does evidence reveal about enviornmental influence on
intellegence
 i.​ Later in childhood, schooling is one intervention that pays
intelligence score diviends. Schooling and intelligence interact and
both enhance later income.
ii.​ Genes and experience together weave the fabric of intelligence.
iii.​ Psychologist Carol Dweck thinks that intelligence is changeable
and not fixed and it can foster a growth mindset.

Module 41: Group Differences and the Question of Bias

1.​ Gender Similarities and Differences
a.​ 41-1 How and why do the genders differ in mental ability scores
i.​ Intelligence difference between men and women are minor
1.​ Girls average intelligence scores was 100.6 while boys
was 100.5.
a.​ So as far as general intelligence goes, they are
relative
ii.​ Girls outpace boys in spelling, verbal fluency, locating objects,
detecting, emotions, and sensitivity to touch or taste.
iii.​ Boys outperform girls in tests of spatial ability and complex math
problems, though in math computation and overall performance
boys and girls hardly differ.
2.​ The question of Bias
a.​ 41-3 Are intelligence tests inappropriately biased? How does stereotype
threat affect test takers' performance?​
b.​ The debate over racial differences in intelligence divides into three camps
i.​ There are genetically disposed racial differences in intelligence
ii.​ There are socially influences racial differences in intelligence
iii.​ There are racial differences in test scores because the tests are
inappropriate and biased.
iv.​ Stereotype threat
1.​ A self confirming concern that one will be evaluated based
on a negative stereotype.
​

Questions
1.​ 70
2.​ General intelligence
3.​ James is 80 and has just solved a math equation that has been puzzling him for the last
40 years.
4.​ It is reliable but not valid
5.​ To provide a basis for comparing scores against a protested group
6.​ Measurement is to prediction
7.​ Savant Syndrome
8.​ Practical intelligence
9.​ Intelligence is affected by many genes working together.
10.​Gradual increase in average intelligence score of th general population over the last
several decades
11.​Emotional intelligence
12.​The extent to which a persons intelligence is caused by genetics
13.​David Wechsler
14.​Predictive validity
15.​Predict how children would o in school
16.​Mental age to his or her chronological age
17.​68% of scores are between 85 and 115
18.​100