1. What makes us smart? Or not so smart?
Intelligence
What makes us smart?
Or not so smart?

2. Intelligence is maybe…
The ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use knowledge to adapt to new situations.

3. Theories of Intelligence
Not one true definition…why?
Fluid versus Crystallized Intelligence
4 main theoretical concepts of intelligence….

4. Is intelligence one thing or several different abilities?
To find out scientists use FACTOR ANALYSIS:
A statistical procedure that identifies clusters of related items on a test.
Charles Spearman used FA to discovery his g or (general intelligence) and s factor (mathematical).
He saw using FA that doing well in one area of a test predicted that you will do well in another

5. Howard Gardner and Multiple Intelligences
Gardner believed that there exists at least 7 different types of intelligences (not one single “G factor”.
Linguistic
Logical-mathematical
Spatial
Musical
Body-kinesthetic
Intrapersonal
Interpersonal
Naturalist
Which ones are most valued in schools?

6. Howard GARDNER “Multiple Intelligences” - continued
The existence of savants, prodigies and other exceptional individuals supports Gardner’s theory:

7. Robert Sternberg and his Triarchic Theory
Most commonly accepted theory today.
Three types of intelligence
Analytical
Creative
Practical

8. Goleman and his EQ Emotional Intelligence
Interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences.
Maybe EQ is a better predictor for future success than IQ.

9. Brain Size and Intelligence Is there a link?
Small +.15 correlation between head size and intelligence scores (relative to body size).
Using an MRI we found +.44 correlation with brain size and IQ score.

10. Brain Function and Intelligence
Higher performing brains are less active than lower performing brains (use less glucose).
Neurological speed is also a bit quicker.

11. How do we Assess Intelligence?
Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon set out to figure out a concept called a mental age (what a person of a particular age should know).
They discovered that by discovering someone’s mental age they can predict future performance.
Hoped they could use test to help children, not label them.

12. Terman and his IQ Test
Used Binet’s research to construct the modern day IQ test called the Stanford-Binet Test.
IQ=Mental age/Chronological age X 100.
A 8 year old has a mental age of 10, what is her IQ?
A 12 year old has the mental age of 9, what is his IQ?
A boy has the mental age of 10 and an IQ of 200, how old is he?

13. Problems with the IQ Formula
It does not really work well on adults, why?
If a 60 year old man
does as well as an average 35 year old
then his IQ would be 50!!!!!!
That makes no sense!!!!!

14. Wechsler Tests
More common way to give IQ tests….does not use the formula but uses the same scoring system.
WAIS
WISC
WPPSI

15. Normal Distribution

16. How do we construct an Intelligence Test?
Standardized: the questions have been piloted on similar populations and the scores fall on a normal distribution.
Reliable: Do you get similar results every time the test is administered?
Validity: Does the test measure what it is supposed to?

17. Validity
The extent to which a test measures what it is supposed to measure.
Content Validity: is it measuring what it is supposed to be measuring?
Predictive Validity: does the test predict future behavior?
Does the SAT predict performance in college?

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

19. Does Intelligence Change Over Time?
By age 3, a child’s IQ can predict adolescent IQ scores.
Depends on the type of intelligence, crystallized or fluid.

20. Extremes of Intelligence
Akrit Jaswal

21. Low Extreme of Intelligence
Mental Retardation: condition of limited mental ability, indicated by an intelligence score of below 70 and difficulty adapting to the demands of life.

22. Degrees of Mental Retardation
Level Typical Intelligence Scores Percentage of the Retarded Adaptation to Demands of Life
Mild % Most learn academic skills up to
sixth-grade level. Adults may, with
assistance, achieve self-supporting
social and vocational skills.
Moderate May progress to second-grade level.
academically. Adults may contribute
to their own support by labor in
sheltered workshops.
Severe May learn to talk and perform simple
work tasks under close supervision
but are generally unable to profit from
vocational training.

23. Heritability – This is tough!
Percentage of variation within a group (population) that is due to heredity
Scientists estimate that 50% of the difference in IQ scores in a population is due to genetic factors
Scale of 0 – 1
0.0 – Genes DO NOT account for ANY DIFFERENCES
1.0 – Genes account for ALL DIFFERENCES
So…would any differences in intelligence between identical twins raised in the same household be high (closer to 1) or low (closer to 0) on the heritability scale?

24. Is Intelligence Genetic or Environmental?
Influenced by both, but the most genetically similar have the most similar scores.
Similarity of
intelligence
scores
(correlation)
Identical
twins
reared
together
apart
Fraternal
Siblings
Unrelated
individuals

25. Genetic Influences With age, genetic influences become more apparent.
Adopted children’s intelligence scores become more like their biological parents, and identical twins similarities continue to increase as they age.
Still hard to tell what percentage of intelligence comes from genes to account for differences between people (heritability).

26. Genetic Influences 0.35 0.30 Child-parent 0.25 correlation in
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.05
0.00
3 years years
Child-parent
correlation in
verbal ability
scores
Children and their
birth parents
Adopted children
and their birth
parents
and their adoptive

27. Variation within group Difference within group
Group Differences in Intelligence Scores Are Probably Mostly Attributed to the Environment
Variation within group
Difference within group
Poor soil
Fertile soil
Seeds

28. The Flynn Effect
What accounts for this?

29. Stereotype Threat & IQ Scores
Expectations that YOU think other people might hold about your performance
Women who are reminded before taking a test that they generally score lower on advanced mathematics (gender identity) tend to score lower than would be expected (Good & others, 2008)
On the other hand, Asians that are reminded before taking a test that they generally score high on mathematics (cultural identity) tends to IMPROVE their performance – this is called stereotype lift (Shih & others, 1999, 2006)