Intelligence

Defining Intelligent Behavior What is intelligence? Intelligence the capacity to understand the world, think rationally, and use resources effectively when faced with challenges Intelligence Tests tests devised to identify a person’s level of intelligence

Measuring Intelligence Mental age the average age of children taking the Binet test who achieved the same score Chronological age physical age

Measuring Intelligence IQ=MA x 100 CA

Tests of IQ Stanford-Binet Test Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III) Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III (WISC-III)

Achievement and Aptitude Tests Achievement Test a test meant to ascertain a person’s level of knowledge in a given subject area Aptitude Test a test designed to predict a person’s ability in a particular area or line of work SAT, ACT

Reliability and Validity the concept that tests measure consistently what they are trying to measure Validity the concept that tests actually measure what they are supposed to measure Norms standards of test performance

Alternative Formulations of Intelligence G or G-factor an early theory that assumed there was a general factor for mental ability Fluid Intelligence reflects reasoning, memory, and information processing capabilities Crystallized Intelligence information, skills, and strategies that people have learned through experience

Alternative Formulations of Intelligence Gardner’s Seven Intelligences: Musical intelligence Bodily kinesthetic intelligence Logical-math intelligence Linguistic intelligence Spatial intelligence Interpersonal intelligence Intrapersonal intelligence

Contemporary Approaches

Variations in Intellectual Ability Mental Retardation a significantly subaverage intellectual functioning that occurs with related limitations in two or more of the adaptive skill areas

Variations in Intellectual Ability mild retardation IQ = 55-69 moderate retardation IQ = 40-54 profound retardation IQ below 25

Variations in Intellectual Ability Causes of mental retardation identifiable biological reason (e.g. Down’s Syndrome) familial retardation Care and Treatment least restrictive environment mainstreaming full inclusion

Variations in Intellectual Ability The Intellectually Gifted two to four percent of the population who have IQ scores greater than 130 social stereotypes of gifted people

Individual Differences in Intelligence Are traditional IQ tests culturally biased? Are there racial differences in intelligence? To what degree is intelligence influenced by the environment and to what degree by heredity?

The Relative Influence of Heredity and of Environment Culture-fair IQ test a test that does not discriminate against members of any minority group Heritability a measure of the degree to which a characteristic is related to genetic, inherited factors

The Flynn Effect