KHA112 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Revised Version, Mental Age, Joseph Renzulli
30 Jun 2018
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Department
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Professor
Psychology B week 4: Intelligence
Intelligence: still no single definition
- Logical thinking
- Ability to assess and negotiate to
- Abstract thinking ability (Terman, 1916):
oYoung children are concrete
- Power of good responses fro the point of view or fact:
oAccuracy
- Plan and structuring own behavior
- Survival
- Practical intelligence: problem solving without technology or mechanisms for
assistance
oDegree to which you can be taught it
oAlso relies on spatial ability
- Historically we asses intelligence in terms of academia
- Cross-cultural applicability: if intelligence helps people to adapt, it should be
evident in all cultures
oDifferent cultures have different definitions of intelligence
oDifferent cultures means there is different circumstances to adapt to
Must look at the circumstances
oFundamental reason intelligence tests are criticized today, how can be
certain you are measuring intelligence
oPiaget types tests for navigators who were taught in a non-western
school
Intelligence: the application of cognitive skill and knowledge to learn, solve
problems, and obtain ends (goals) that are valued by the individual or by the culture in
which they live in
- May not be intelligent to be in a non-western culture, but striving for western
goals: wouldn’t be able to prosper in this culture
- Intelligence in multi-facetted
oDifferent types of intelligence vs. intelligence with different
components
- Functional: helps us to function
- Defined and shaped by the culture we reside in
- Successful adaptation within an environment: ability to learn, socialize and
reach goals
- Evolutionary perspective: if we can solve problems we can adapt
oIf we adapt we survive, if we survive we can reproduce and continue
species
oAdaptability seen as human advantage
oSocial nature of intelligence: knowledge is shaped by interactions with
others
Allows us to better understand the emotions, needs of other
Understand those we can predict behavior and reproduce
- General or specific: Binet and Galton
oINTELLIGENCE ENCOMPASES GENERAL ABILITIES:
Don’t have to measure and identify all the elements and
compare the results
oSpearman’s two-factor theory:
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Different intellectual tasks, empirically driven, correlated
theories based on different abilities
An individuals performance on an intelligence test consisted of
two factors:
G: general ability: general ability for complex mental
work
S: series of specific ability unique to a test/sub test (why
people excel in some areas but not others
oSeries of different ???
- Intelligence and the world of work: general IQ tests
oEfficient in that they are cheap, quick, easy
oIQ tests still popular
oSome evidence to suggest IQ and higher status jobs
oAlso a predictor of school performance; predicts the job they get; relies
on verbal ability; verbal tests dominated early intelligence tests
Over representation of a skill shows that: easy to measure,
needed in society
o0.2-0.5 correlation (G factor and job performance)
If you want to effectively test; task specific
- Measuring intelligence: psychometric approach
oHas evolved from one number to multiple test
oConstruct of intelligence
oEarly intelligence Galton: inherited and wanted to not let them
reproduce
oBinet: French Government devised test to identify educating needs
oReasoning and logic
oItems related to common sense (practical intelligence), something apart
of everyday life, separate the dull from the bright, practical and easy to
administer for experimenter
Year 5: compare two boxes of different weight (numerical or
physical), copy a square, repeat ten syllable sentences, put two
pieces in a game of patience, count 4 sous
Year 8: Comprehension, name four colours, count back from
20, compare two objects from memory, count 9 sous
The Flin affect: over time average intelligence and expectations
of ability have increased
First attempt to quantify intelligence: allows us to compare and
tract over time
Based on scores to calculate a mental age: the age at which
scores fit, vs. chronically
- Many different definitions of intelligence
- Only a trained psychologist can perform tests
- Standardized way to measure intelligence as construct constantly being refined
Lateral thinking, not just academic
Is it possible to develop a culture free
Modern Tests of Intelligence:
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Abstract thinking ability (terman, 1916): young children are concrete. Power of good responses fro the point of view or fact: accuracy. Practical intelligence: problem solving without technology or mechanisms for assistance: degree to which you can be taught it, also relies on spatial ability. Historically we asses intelligence in terms of academia. Cross-cultural applicability: if intelligence helps people to adapt, it should be evident in all cultures: different cultures have different definitions of intelligence, different cultures means there is different circumstances to adapt to. Must look at the circumstances: fundamental reason intelligence tests are criticized today, how can be certain you are measuring intelligence, piaget types tests for navigators who were taught in a non-western school. Intelligence: the application of cognitive skill and knowledge to learn, solve problems, and obtain ends (goals) that are valued by the individual or by the culture in which they live in.
