Intelligence

1. Intelligence Chapter 9

2. What is Intelligence? • Intelligence: abilities to learn from experience, think rationally, deal effectively with others • Achievement: refers to knowledge and skills gained from experience, not intelligence • Intelligence can provide basis for achievement, ability to learn • Theories of Intelligence: • Charles Spearman, 2 Factor Theory: 1900, people who do well on one type of intelligence test do well on others too, thus general intelligence underlies all intellectual abilities • Specific factors account for people specific abilities • LL Thurstone, Theory of Primary Mental Abilities: 1930’s, no one general intelligence but 7 primary mental abilities (Fluency, verbal comprehension, spatial visualization, facility with numbers, memory, reasoning, and perceptual speed) • Later added something like general intelligence

3. What is Intelligence? • Howard Gardner, Theory of Multiple Intelligences: 1983, studied cultures and proposed new set of 7 intelligences which expanded to 9 • (verbal, logical-mathematical, visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical-rhythmic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalist, existential) • Separate of each other, good at 1 doesn’t mean good at all • Robert Sternberg, Triarchic Theory: 1985 • Analytical intelligence (academic courses), creative intelligence, practical intelligence • Peter Salovey & John Mayer, Emotional Intelligence: 1990 • Why smart people aren’t always as successful as we might expect? • Emotional intelligence: 5 factors involved in success in school or job • Self-awareness, Mood management, Self-motivation, Impulse Control, People Skills

4. Measurement of Intelligence • Two Intelligence Tests: • Stanford-Binet Scale: 1905, France • Assumed intelligence increased with age, questions for different ages, earned months of credit for correct answers, score of mental age not same as chronological age • Mental Age: shows true intellectual level at which a child is functioning • Brought to US, modified to SBIS • Today has Intelligence Quotient: IQ, number that reflects relationship between child’s mental age and chronological age M/C x 100 = IQ • Transformed Score: any score that has been changed from a raw score in a systematic way, easier to compare

5. Measurement of Intelligence • The Wechsler Scales: more widely used for children & adults • Subtests measure different intellectual skills • Reveals relative strengths and weaknesses as well as overall intelligence • No mental age concept • Measures verbal & nonverbal abilities (verbal, nonverbal, combined) • Reliability & Validity: criteria for tests • Reliability: its consistency • Test-retest reliability: comparing scores earned by the same person on the same test taken at different times • Both IQ tests very reliable • Validity: measures what it is suppose to measure • B/c intelligence is hard to determine it is hard to determine if test to measure it is valid

6. Measurement of Intelligence • Controversies & Problems: • Controversies: • 1800’s wanted to reduce number of unintelligent people and give highest level jobs to those with most intelligence • US used for immigrants, do poorly deported • Many countries sterilized unintelligent, Nazi’s • Cultural bias • Problems: • Education & economic background make a difference • MOTIVATION! • Negative stereotypes

7. Difference in Intelligence • Average Intelligence: • Average IQ is 100 by design • ½ of US score 90-110, 95% 10-130 • 5% 70 or below mentally disabled, gifted • Mental Disability: having an IQ of 70 or below • Commonly associated with problems in communication, taking care of oneself, social skills, self-direction, travel in community, vocational training • Different Levels: • Mild: 80%, not obvious • Children have more problems in school, learning to walk, feed self, talk, able to read, write, do math • As adults care for selves & have jobs, but need occasional guidance or support

8. Difference in Intelligence • Moderate: IQ score 35-49 • Learn to speak, feed, dress selves and work under supportive conditions • Do not learn to read or solve math problems • Down Syndrome • Usually not capable of self-maintenance • Can participate in simple recreation, travel alone to familiar places • Severe: IQ 20-34 • Usually require constant supervision • May have trouble understanding speech and responding • Perform daily routines and repetitive activities, need continuing direction and protective environment • Some can learn basic self-help tasks, feeding • Profound: IQ 20 or below • Sow basic emotional responses • Cannot feed or dress themselves • Dependent on others for care throughout life

9. Differences in Intelligence • Causes of Mental Disability: • Accidents • Difficulty during childbirth • Pregnancy: using alcohol & drugs, malnourishment, other health problems • Genetic disorder or abnormality • Giftedness: those who have IQ scores of 130 or above • possess outstanding talent or to show the potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with other people of the same age, experience, or environment • Prodigy: develops special skills in a particular talent or discipline in childhood, level comparable or above, most adults in the field • Mozart, Bernini, Venus & Serena Williams, Ruth Lawrence • Motivation & creativity, insight, parent helping, gifted in certain areas

10. Differences in Intelligence • Creativity: ability to invent new solutions to problems or to create original or ingenious materials • Einstein: “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” • Highly intelligent people are more likely than the average person to be creative, but all creative people are highly intelligent

11. What Influences Intelligence? • Nature vs. Nurture • Genetic Influences: • Kinship Studies: in intelligence is genetic then closely related people should have more similar intelligence scores than distantly related ones • Often use identical twins • Thomas Bouchard, 100 studies • Identical twins are more similar than other people, even when grow up in separate environments • Fraternal twins, brothers & sisters, parents & children more moderate • Heritability: the extent to which variations in a trait from person to person can be explained by genetic factors • Ranges from 40-60% • Adoptee Studies: those who live with biological parents and adoptive parents • Intelligence scores are more like those of biological parents than adoptive

12. What Influences Intelligence? • Environment: • Intelligence scores more similar for those that grew up together than those that grew up separately • Home environment, parenting style, school, environmental factors • Home & Parenting: • Parents are emotionally & verbally responsive to child’s needs • Parents provide enjoyable educational toys • Parents involved in children’s activities • Parents provide varied daily experiences throughout preschool years • Home environment well-organized and safe • Kids encouraged to be independent to make decisions & solve problems

13. What Influences Intelligence? • Preschool: • Develop intelligence & prepare kids for school • Head Start, 1965, economically disadvantaged kids better start in school • Parental involvement important • Health, education, social services • Books, games, puzzles, drawing, toys, animals, dolls, interact with other kids & teacher • Increase intelligence test scores, achievement test scores, and academic skills of participants • Long-term benefits: • less likely to repeat grade or place in slow learner class, be part of juvenile delinquency or welfare program • more likely to finish high school, attend college, higher income

14. What Influences Intelligence? • Aging & Intelligence: • Older people drop off in test scores, usually timed • Vocabulary expands for lifetime • Fluid Intelligence: mental capacities allow us to respond quickly to novel situations or problems • Crystallized intelligence: sum of knowledge about the world, grow and continue throughout life • Environmental Factors: income level, education level, stimulating jobs, intact family life, cultural events participation, travel, reading, marriage to spouse with high intelligence, flexible personality