Theories of Intelligence Ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and apply knowledge in new situations

Theorists Charles Spearman - psychometrics –General intelligence (g) factor –Factor analysis – cluster test items together when scoring Thurstone – further evidence for g factor –If person did well on one type of intelligence, they did well on other factors also

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences 1.Linguistic 2.Logical-mathematical 3.Spatial 4.Musical 5.Body-kinesthetic 6.Intrapersonal 7.Interpersonal 8.Naturalist 9.Existential?

Savant Syndrome Person with otherwise limited mental ability has an exceptional skill (computation, drawing)

Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory Analytical “Book Smarts” CreativePractical “Street smarts”

Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Ability to perceive, understand, manage, and use emotions ComponentDescription Perceive emotion Recognize emotions in faces, music and stories Understand emotion Predict emotions, how they change and blend Manage emotion Express emotions in different situations Use emotion Utilize emotions to adapt or be creative

Brain Size and Intelligence Is there a link? Small +.15 correlation between head size and intelligence scores (relative to body size). Using an MRI they found +.33 correlation with brain size and IQ score. Higher intelligence = more gray matter?

Brain Function & Intelligence Perceptual processing speed correlated with intelligence scores (+.3 to +.5) Stimulus Mask Question: Long side on left or right?

Francis Galton & Intelligence Believed it was possible to measure “natural ability” & encourage those of high ability to mate with one another Found that intellectual strengths did not correlate with muscular power, body proportions, or sensory acuity

Assessing Intelligence Alfred Binet –Assumed all children follow same course of intellectual development but some develop quicker –Mental age = level of performance associated w/chronological age

Lewis Terman & Innate IQ –Intelligence tests measured only innate ability where environmental factors were insignificant Stanford-Binet Test (created by Lewis Terman) = widely used American version of Binet’s original test IQ = mental age x 100 chronological age

Types of Tests Aptitude Measure ability or potential. Achievement Tests that measure what you have learned.

Wechsler Scales Verbal tasks & performance tasks WAIS (adults) WISC (children) Based on normal distribution

Normal Distribution Standardization = defining meaningful scores by comparison with performance of pretested group

The Flynn Effect Average IQ scores have risen over time –why? Better nutrition? Education? Opportunities? Parent investment?

Test Construction Reliability - consistent scores when test is re-taken –Test-retest reliability –Split-half reliability  Most do have reliability Validity – does it measure what it intends to measure? –Content validity –Predictive validity Intelligence tests correlate w/job success  Most have some validity, but debatable

Stability v. Change Observation & intelligence tests before age 3 only modestly predict future aptitudes –By age 3-4 begins to predict adolescent & adult scores –Most of the higher scoring had begun reading by age 4, age 5 Consistency of scores over time increases with age of child Longitudinal study – (Deary et al) – correlation for Scottish children 11.5 to 77 years of age was +.66 Depends on Crystallized or Fluid intelligence Intelligence for factual information (knowledge from reading books, etc.) – Stays same or increases w/age Intelligence for reasoning, analyzing, problem-solving – decreases with old age

Extremes of Intelligence A valid intelligence test divides two groups of people into two extremes: the mentally retarded (IQ 70) and individuals with high intelligence (IQ 135). These two groups are significantly different.

Extremes of Intelligence – Low Extreme Intellectual disability – condition of limited mental ability, IQ score of 70 or below, difficulty adapting to demands of life, varies from mild to profound Down syndrome – intellectual disability & associated physical disorders caused by extra copy of chromosome 21

Extremes of Intelligence – Low Extreme

High Intelligence Contrary to popular belief, people with high intelligence test scores tend to be healthy, well adjusted, and unusually successful academically. Is being gifted due to a self- fulfilling prophecy? Should there be different placement based on IQ levels?

Genetic Influences on Intelligence Identical twins have similar IQ scores IQ more resembles biological parents than adopted parents (but difference decreases w/age)

Heritability Extent to which variation among individuals can be attributed to genetic factors Heritability for IQ is 50% (difference between Person A and Person B is 50% likely due to genes, 50% attributed to environment

Genetic Influences on Intelligence

Environmental Influences  The Schooling Effect – schooling & intelligence interact, and both enhance later success  Yet, schooling is not the ONLY factor!

Mozart Effect? Does listening to classical music as a child increase later IQ scores? Possible temporary increase in cognitive skills, BUT… Studies have shown no statistically significant effect

Gender & Ethnic Differences in Intelligence

Gender Differences Girls –Better spellers –Better verbal fluency & memory for words –More sensitive to taste, touch, odor –Better emotion detectors –Good at math computation Boys –Better at math problem-solving –Spatial aptitude –Greater male variability in test scores

Gender Similarities and Differences There are seven ways in which males and females differ in various abilities. 1. Girls are better spellers 2. Girls are verbally fluent and have large vocabularies 3. Girls are better at locating objects 4. Girls are more sensitive to touch, taste, and color 5. Boys outnumber girls in counts of underachievement 6. Boys outperform girls at math problem solving, but under perform at math computation 7. Women detect emotions more easily than men do

Ethnic Similarities & Differences High-scoring groups = higher levels of education & income Race is not a neatly defined biological category Better-fed, better-educated, more test-prepared population exceeds that of 1930’s popul. White & Black infants scored equally well on infant intelligence measure Whites & Blacks exhibit similar info-processing skill

Bias in Intelligence Tests Genetically disposed race differences in intelligence? Socially influenced race differences in intelligence? Race different in test scores, but tests are inappropriate or biased Two meanings of bias = –Biased if test detects innate differences & also performance differences caused by cultural experiences –Scientific meaning (whether it predicts future behavior)

Bias in Intelligence Tests Stereotype threat – self-confirming concern that one will be evaluated based on a negative stereotype. Expectation that one’s ethnicity or gender typically does not do well causes anxiety & affect performance