Dispositional Nature Chapter 10

Tiny Quizz Go to page 172 in your text and respond three of the questions proposed to you by the author.

The Dispositional Nature of Intelligence is… Macro –Brain adopts patterns of thinking that are applied in similar circumstances  habitually applied in broad scales Mandatory –The brain has no options than to develop and exercise habits of thinking, but there are options regarding the quality of habits developed  the brain interprets and organizes useful information patterns on all levels Malleable –Thinking dispositions are genetically introduced and environmentally influenced  habits are responsible to environmental and cultural influences Maximizing or Minimizing - Thinking habits depend on how well one travels the neural paths in the brain…it all depend if you are disposed to go the extra mile  define ways of responding

Disposition = habitual inclination; a tendency, temperament They are proclivities that lead us in one direction or other (within the freedom of action that we have) Predictability--> result of interaction between nature and nurture They evolve from electrochemical compositions, allocations and interactions that mediate human behavior Some are genetic (millions of years of natural selection) Some can be seen immediately and others within the developmental stages Humans are prepared by their biology to: Form friendships Fall in love Cope with fear Move toward their goals Despite difficulties = survival Survival Value

Notes on Dispositions The brain believes that it should behave in that manner (pattern could be either good or bad)  brain decision that it is of value Starts at infancy Inherit neurochemistries  avoidance reaction to novelty Other names: Habits, tendencies, inclinations, attitudes, personality, character or temperament Genetic blueprints malleable by experiences that will help the individual choose the particular intelligence for the task at hand.

Broad Dispositions to Exercise Intelligence  humans are disposed to: Physiological  capacity for monitoring body –Propensities for physical exercise, healthy diet, etc. Social  capacity for interacting with other brains –Propensities for seeking opportunities for interactions, collaboration, etc. Emotional  arousing mind and body to positive actions and responses –Propensities for mediating the emotions to in a manner that contribute to the quality of one’s life

Constructive  choosing and storing information patterns that will be beneficial for survival –Propensity to constructing personal understanding through research experimentation or demonstration Reflective  consciously assessing the environment –Propensity to use different thinking strategies Dispositional  think of survival first and organize information in order to achieve it –Thinking about one’s thinking (metacognition)

Specific Dispositions to Think Perkins (1995)  tendency to think in certain ways, i.e. open minded Paul (1990)  7 interdependent traits: –Clear –Be broad –Seek deep understanding –Be sound –Be curious –Be strategic –Be metacognitive aware Dispositions hold sway over all other dimensions of intelligence  to survive