Creativity on the Brain (and its psychometrics)

1. Creativity on the Brain(and its psychometrics) Linda S. Gottfredson University of Delaware Newark, DE Discussion of Rex E. Jung’s presentation, “Neuroimaging of Creativity and Intelligence” New Voices in Creativity and Intelligence Conference University of Kansas Lawrence, KS, November 2, 2009

2. Exciting interdisciplinary research • Big advances, quickly: • More imaging methods • Lower cost • Larger samples • More collaboration • More theory testing • More psychometric traits • Etc.

3. Psychometric (Interpretive) Challenges • Construct validity IQ = score g = theoretical construct • Restriction in range • Reliability of measurement • Sampling error Treating scores as constructs badly muddled intelligence debates 3 statistical artifacts misled personnel selection psychology for many decades Your assessment of your field’s needs? Questions of experts here today?

4. Constructs vs. Measurements

5. Hierarchical model of cognitive abilities—The empirical relatedness of differences across individuals (factor analyses of scores) Where is “intelligence”? It’s just a label that can be applied to different layers of traits in—or outside—the hierarchical model g • MOST GENERAL • Domain general • More heritable • Psychometrically unitary • Physiologically distributed V Q S M Others NARROW = Specific variance, unrelated to g

6. Hierarchical model of cognitive abilities—The empirical relatedness of differences across individuals (factor analyses of scores) g • MOST GENERAL • Domain general • More heritable • Psychometrically unitary • Physiologically distributed IQ≈ Family of Constructs V Q S M Others NARROW = Specific variance, unrelated to g

7. g Gc Gm Gv Gm Gf etc A closer look at constructs vs. measures Constructs

8. g Gc Gm Gv Ga Gf etc An often misunderstood point Constructs g is core ingredient of all more specific abilities

9. g Gc Gm Gv Ga Gf etc Scores ≠ Constructs Constructs Test Scores FSIQ PRI WMI PSI VCI si bd ds cd vo pc ss ln mr co g is core ingredient of all more specific abilities

10. g Gc Gm Gv Ga Gf etc Note: IQ is just sum of scores, not of constructs Constructs Test Scores FSIQ PRI WMI PSI VCI si bd ds cd vo pc ss ln mr co g is core ingredient of all more specific abilities IQ is sum of subtest scores

11. g Gc Gm Gv Ga Gf etc IQ (score) is a good estimate of g (construct) Constructs Test Scores FSIQ PRI WMI PSI VCI si bd ds cd vo pc ss ln mr co g is core ingredient of all more specific abilities IQ is sum of subtest scores

12. g Gc Gm Gv Ga Gf etc Took 100 years to get here. Lots of conceptual development Constructs Test Scores FSIQ PRI WMI PSI VCI si bd ds cd vo pc ss ln mr co g is core ingredient of all more specific abilities IQ is sum of subtest scores

13. g Gc Gm Gv Ga Gf etc Jung & Haier (2007) note a serious theoretical problem: IQ scores in (imaging) studies often not measuring same construct(s) “IQ” scores differ in tilt & precision Constructs Test Scores Differentstudies use different “intelligence” tests. FSIQ ? ⇝ PRI WMI PSI VCI si bd ds cd vo pc ss ln mr co g is core ingredient of all more specific abilities IQ is sum of subtest scores

14. So, not same processes tapped g g, if battery broad Gv Gv, if battery has mostly verbal tests

15. We Need Parallel Conceptual Effort for Creativity Constructs?? Test Scores CIQ Jung’s example today MUT GMT CAQ RAT Cartoons • What is the structure? • Is there a single c? • Domain coverage? • Common factors?

16. Intersection of 2 domains? Often used to measure creativity

17. Artifact #1 Restriction in Range in Scores (whole range not sampled)

19. Restricted

21. 100

22. Mean IQs by occupation level & years education WAIS-R IQ (mean + 1 SD), US adults ages 16-74 Occupation: Professional & Tech Manager, Cler, Sales Imaging Sample 1 Skilled Semiskilled Mean + 1 SD Mean + 1 SD range Unskilled Years education: 16+ 13-15 Openness Sample 12 Mean + 1 SD 9-11 8 0-7 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 ~%ile: 2 5 10 15 25 37 50 63 75 85 90 95 98 IQ 22 22

23. The missing top third Mean + 1 SD 140 150 160 170 180

24. What kind of creativity? Divergent thinking Mean + 1 SD 140 150 160 170 180 Cultural-level creativity Cox estimates: Haydn Beethoven Mozart Jackson Grant Washington Lincoln Madison Jefferson JQ Adams

25. Artifact #2 Reliability of Measurement

26. Reliability of Creativity Measures? • Subjective ratings (self vs. other)

27. Reliability of Brain Measurements? • Lower reliability will lower correlations. • Differential reliability will change patternsof correlations.

28. Artifact #3 Sampling Error (chance errors in reflecting full population)

29. Small samples = Big confusion • Small sample Ns = large confidence intervals (CI) • Different sample sizes = different confidence intervals • Leads to: • Unstable parameter estimates • Unstable patterns of significance

30. All 3 Artifacts = Chaos • Small sample Ns plus • Unreliability plus • Restriction in range equals: • “Complex” pattern of results • “Specificity” theories False inferences!! Point? Knowing amount & type of artifacts helps unmuddy the picture, as it did in personnel selection psychology. Clockwork-like patterns emerged.

31. Questions?

32. Thank you. www.udel.edu/educ/gottfredson