Chapter 7: Intelligence

 Defining Intelligence:
o Several definitions & theories have existed since the late 1800s.
o It’s a concept, not a concrete thing (not like height or weight).
o A great debate exists on how it should be defined and measured.
 Two-Factor Theory (Spearman):
o “g” factor: general mental ability
 A general intelligence factor that underlies specific mental abilities.
 General mental ability
o “s” factor or specific intelligence
 Specific mental ability
 Verbal, mathematical, mechanical skills
 Can predict performance on one by knowing the other
o The general mental ability (g) contributes to other skills (e.g. math, verbal).
The three skills are usually correlated when measured. It’s rare for this not
to be the case.
o The idea is that certain things come packaged together.
o At NCC, you take a math/English placement test. It can predict your ability
in other classes because of the ability to learn concepts and then apply
them.
 Two-Factor Theory Advantages:
o Can be objectively defined & measured by an IQ test.
o A good predictor of academic performance and some job fields.
 Two-Factor Theory Disadvantages:
o A debate exists if it’s the best measure of intelligence.
o A narrow focus on cognitive abilities; doesn’t measure other abilities.
 Multiple-Intelligence Theory (Gardner):
o Verbal: think in words/use language.
o Logical-mathematical: carry out math operations.
o Musical: sensitive to pitch, melody, rhythm, tone.
o Spatial: think three-dimensionally.
o Kinesthetic: manipulates objects/physically adept.
o Interpersonal: understand & interact with others.
o Intrapersonal: understand oneself.
o Naturalistic: observe/understand patterns in nature.
o Existential: spiritual understanding (added later).
 Multiple-Intelligence Theory Advantages:
o Doesn’t reduce the intelligence to a single IQ score.
o Gives credit to people with different kinds of intelligence.
 Multiple-Intelligence Theory Disadvantages:
o Not knowing how many kinds of intelligence there are.
o There are no standard techniques to measure them.
 o For example, musical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligences are
subjectively, not objectively, measured.
 Triarchic Theory (Sternberg) – Intelligence can be divided into three different
kinds of reasoning processes.
 Analytical Intelligence – The ability to analyze, judge, evaluate, compare &
contrast. Academic problem solving.
 Creative Intelligence – The ability to create, design, invent, originate, and
imagine.
 Practical Intelligence:
o The ability to use, apply, implement & put tasks into practice.
o Required for everyday tasks.
o Social skills, street smarts, and common sense.
 Triarchic Theory Advantages:
o Doesn’t limit the definition of intelligence to cognitive abilities.
o Evaluates intelligence by measuring 3 reasoning processes and how they
contribute to person’s success.
 Triarchic Theory Disadvantages:
o Processes can be difficult to measure.
o When measured, they often correlate with “g”.
 Emotional Intelligence:
o The awareness of and ability to manage one’s own emotions.
o The ability to read other people and understand their emotion and the
ability to understand yourself. A combination of intrapersonal and
interpersonal.
o Able to feel what others feel; socially skilled.
o Viewed as powerful influence on life success.
o Salovey & Mayer (1990), Goleman (1995).
 Alfred Binet (1857-1911):
o Father of modern intelligence testing. Invented the term “IQ”.
o Developed the first intelligence test for the French government.
o Paris had a modern school system even in 1905.
o Identified children that would be in need for remedial education.
o The best way to assess: measure the ability to perform cognitive tasks.
o Later he came to the United States and studied at Stanford University and
developed a test known as the Stanford Binet. It would rival the Wechsler
test.
o A reference group for intelligence: are people above or below the
reference group in intelligence.
 Mental age: The method of estimating a child’s intellectual progress by
comparing their test score to scores of average children of the same age. Which
items could an average 9-year-old answer?
 Intelligence Quotient (IQ) – Nowadays an IQ test is way more complicated, but
the term stuck.
 Wechsler Intelligence Tests:
o Most widely used IQ test.
o Adult, child & preschool versions.
o Sample Items:
 In what way are a circle and a triangle alike?
 In what way are a saw and a hammer alike?
 What is a hippopotamus? What does “resemble” mean?
 What is steam made of? What is pepper? Who wrote Tom Sawyer?
 After looking at a pattern or design, try to arrange small cubes in
the same pattern.
 After looking at an incomplete matrix pattern or series, select an
option that completes the matrix or series.
 Look at a completed puzzle and select three components from a
set of options that would re-create the puzzle, all within a specified
time limit.
 Recall lists of numbers, some lists forward and some lists in
reverse order, and recall a mixed list of numbers in correct
ascending order.
 Three women divided 18 golf balls equally among themselves. How
many golf balls did each person receive? If two buttons costs
$0.15, what will be the cost of a dozen buttons?
 Distribution & Use of IQ Scores:
o Medium-strength correlation (+0.50) between IQ and academic
performance.
o Low to medium-strength correlation (+0.30 to +0.50) between IQ and job
performance.
o IQ scores are useful for predicting academic success.
o IQ scores are somewhat useful at predicting job performance.
o Some people are very smart, but very lazy so they don’t get good grades.
Some people work very hard because they aren’t as intelligence as the
first person, but they perform even better.
 Potential Problems of IQ Testing:
o Non-cognitive factors may help or hinder test performance, such as
attitude, motivation, and test-taking experience.
o Cultural bias – there are certain experiences that the test questions are
based on. Different cultures have different ways of defining intelligence.
 The influence of heredity & environment:
o Nature vs nurture.
o Nature represents the genetic disposition. What have you inherited from
your parents’ genetic codes? Nurture represents what have you
experienced since conception.
o Twin Studies – Genetic and environmental factors both contribute to the
development of intelligence.
 o 100% shared genes – identical twins reared together – 0.85 median
correlation in IQ scores.
o 100% shared genes -- identical twins reared apart – 0.72.
o 50% shared genes – Fraternal twins reared together – 0.60.
o 50% shared genes – Siblings reared together – 0.45.
o 50^ shared genes – Siblings reared apart – 0.25.
o The above study wad adopted from Bouchard & McGue, 1981; Plomin &
Petrill, 1997.
o As the number of shared genes and the similarities in environment
increase, the correlation strengthens. As the number of shared genes and
the similarities in environment decrease, the correlation weakens.
 Environmental influences:
o Modifications in environment can change IQ scores. Examples include
socioeconomic status, parenting, and schooling.
o IQ is susceptible to change when one is young but stabilizes as an adult.
 Adoption studies:
o Low IQ children with limited social-educational opportunities see an IQ
increase when adopted by parents who can provide increased
opportunities.
 Flynn Effect:
o The increasing of IQ scores each year. The average is 100.
o Is it due to more complex environments or better testing?