Chapter 7:Chapter 7:What is intelligence?What is intelligence?

Defining intelligenceDefining intelligence

IntelligenceIntelligenceThe ability to profit from experience, acquire The ability to profit from experience, acquire knowledge, think abstractly, act purposefully, knowledge, think abstractly, act purposefully, or adapt to changes in the environment.or adapt to changes in the environment.

G factorG factor

A general intellectual ability that is the A general intellectual ability that is the foundation for specific abilities and talents, foundation for specific abilities and talents, comprised of:comprised of:– Crystallized intelligence: Crystallized intelligence: knowledge and knowledge and

skillsskills– Fluid intelligence: Fluid intelligence: reasoning and problem reasoning and problem

solvingsolving

PsychometricsPsychometrics

The traditional The traditional approach to intelligence approach to intelligence that measures mental that measures mental abilities, traits, and abilities, traits, and processesprocesses

– Aptitude testsAptitude tests attempt attempt to measure potential for to measure potential for success in a given areasuccess in a given area

– Achievement testsAchievement tests measure the skills and measure the skills and knowledge one already knowledge one already hashas

Sources of biasSources of bias

Validity:Validity: The extent to which a The extent to which a test measures or predicts what it test measures or predicts what it is supposed tois supposed to

Cultural bias:Cultural bias: Favoring one Favoring one cultural group over anothercultural group over another

Raven progressive Raven progressive matricesmatrices

Coconut testCoconut test

Get a coconut from the Get a coconut from the palm tree using a rope.palm tree using a rope.

Can IQ tests be Can IQ tests be culture free?culture free?

Culture-fair testsCulture-fair tests attempt to be culturally attempt to be culturally non-biasednon-biased

Culture affects a Culture affects a person’s:person’s:

– Attitude toward examsAttitude toward exams– Comfort in settings required for testingComfort in settings required for testing– MotivationMotivation– Rapport with test providerRapport with test provider– CompetitivenessCompetitiveness– Ease of independent problem solvingEase of independent problem solving

Expectations and IQExpectations and IQ

Scores are affected by expectations for performance

Expectations are shaped by stereotypes

Stereotype threatStereotype threatBurden of doubt one feels about his/her performance due to negative stereotypes about his/her group

Beliefs about intelligenceBeliefs about intelligence

Asian parents, teachers, Asian parents, teachers, and students are more and students are more likely to believe that likely to believe that math ability comes from math ability comes from studyingstudying..

Americans are more Americans are more likely to believe that likely to believe that math ability is innatemath ability is innate..

American parents tend American parents tend to have lower academic to have lower academic standards for kids.standards for kids.

American children tend American children tend to value education less.to value education less.

A brief history of A brief history of intelligence testsintelligence tests

Sir Francis GaltonSir Francis Galton

Hand Dynamometer Hand Dynamometer

The invention of The invention of intelligence testsintelligence tests

Alfred Binet:Alfred Binet: First First intelligence test (1904)intelligence test (1904) measured memory, vocabulary, measured memory, vocabulary, and perceptual discrimination.and perceptual discrimination.

Mental Age (MA):Mental Age (MA): an an individual’s level of mental individual’s level of mental development relative to othersdevelopment relative to others

William Stern and IQ (1912)William Stern and IQ (1912)

Mental age was divided by Mental age was divided by chronological age and multiplied chronological age and multiplied by 100 to get an by 100 to get an intelligence intelligence quotientquotient. .

Now IQ scores are derived from Now IQ scores are derived from norms provided for standardized norms provided for standardized intelligence tests.intelligence tests.

Current Interpretation of IQ Current Interpretation of IQ scoresscores IQ scores distributed normallyIQ scores distributed normally: : Bell-Bell-

shaped curveshaped curve Very high and very low scores are rare.Very high and very low scores are rare. 68% of people have IQ scores between 85 and 68% of people have IQ scores between 85 and

115.115. 99.7% between 55 and 14599.7% between 55 and 145

Extremes of intelligenceExtremes of intelligence

Mental retardation:Mental retardation: IQ below 70 IQ below 70 and difficulty adapting to and difficulty adapting to everyday lifeeveryday life

Giftedness:Giftedness: IQ of 120 or higher IQ of 120 or higher and/or superior talent in one or and/or superior talent in one or more areasmore areas

The use and misuse of The use and misuse of intelligence testsintelligence tests

Alfred Binet (1904)Alfred Binet (1904)

The French school board used the The French school board used the results of the test to identify weak results of the test to identify weak areas and offer extra helpareas and offer extra help

The US later used the test to The US later used the test to categorize people in school and in categorize people in school and in the militarythe military

Arthur Jensen (1969)Arthur Jensen (1969)

Heredity influences intelligence Heredity influences intelligence by 80%by 80%

People should breed for People should breed for intelligenceintelligence

AKA: Nobel prize sperm bankAKA: Nobel prize sperm bank

Repository for germinal Repository for germinal choice (1980-1999)choice (1980-1999)

Environment can raise IQEnvironment can raise IQ

Programs like Head StartPrograms like Head Start Motivation level determines Motivation level determines

successsuccess

Environmental factors Environmental factors associated with low IQ associated with low IQ [p247][p247]

Poor prenatal carePoor prenatal care MalnutritionMalnutrition Exposure to toxinsExposure to toxins Stressful family Stressful family

circumstancescircumstances

The Environment and IQThe Environment and IQ

Statistics indicate that scores on Statistics indicate that scores on IQ tests have been increasing IQ tests have been increasing rapidly worldwide, perhaps due rapidly worldwide, perhaps due to an increase in:to an increase in:

– availability of informationavailability of information– exposure to informationexposure to information– access to educationaccess to education

IQ test scores…IQ test scores…

……are currently are currently the best the best indicator we indicator we have for how have for how someone will someone will perform in perform in schoolschool

Limitations of Intelligence Limitations of Intelligence Tests Tests

Their effectiveness depends on Their effectiveness depends on the skill of the test giverthe skill of the test giver

They are best used in conjunction They are best used in conjunction with other information about the with other information about the individualindividual

Limitations of Intelligence Limitations of Intelligence Tests Tests

• Scores can lead to:Scores can lead to:• StereotypingStereotyping• LabelingLabeling• Expectations of abilityExpectations of ability

IV. The Cognitive Approach: IV. The Cognitive Approach: Multiple intelligencesMultiple intelligences

How many uses can you How many uses can you think of for a newspaper?think of for a newspaper?

CreativityCreativity The ability to produce The ability to produce

novel and valuable novel and valuable ideasideas

Creative productivity Creative productivity depends on many depends on many factors:factors:– Level of motivationLevel of motivation– PersonalityPersonality– IntelligenceIntelligence– TrainingTraining– MentoringMentoring– Good luckGood luck

Emotional intelligenceEmotional intelligence

The ability to perceive, express, understand, and regulate emotions.

Appears to be biologically based

Howard Gardner’s multiple Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory intelligences theory (1983)(1983)

relies on cognitive relies on cognitive skills that can be skills that can be destroyed by brain destroyed by brain damagedamage

……can show up in can show up in gifted people or in gifted people or in people with mental people with mental retardationretardation

Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory (1986)(1986)

Componential (analytic): Componential (analytic): Comparing, analyzing, Comparing, analyzing, and evaluating; correlates best with IQand evaluating; correlates best with IQ

Experiential (creative): Experiential (creative): Inventing solution to new Inventing solution to new problem; transferring skills to new situationsproblem; transferring skills to new situations

Contextual (practical): Contextual (practical): Applying the things you Applying the things you know to everyday contexts; adaptabilityknow to everyday contexts; adaptability

Evaluating the multiple Evaluating the multiple intelligences approachesintelligences approaches They encourage us to think more broadly They encourage us to think more broadly

about what intelligence isabout what intelligence is They have motivated educators to They have motivated educators to

provide instruction in different domainsprovide instruction in different domains They may not address all areas of They may not address all areas of

intelligenceintelligence They lack empirical evidenceThey lack empirical evidence