IntelligenceIntelligence

Chapter 7Chapter 7

IntelligenceIntelligence

The global capacity to think The global capacity to think rationally, act purposefully, and deal rationally, act purposefully, and deal effectively with the environment.effectively with the environment.

Not necessarily, “…book smarts”Not necessarily, “…book smarts” ““To judge well, to comprehend well, To judge well, to comprehend well,

to reason well, these are the to reason well, these are the essential activities of intelligence.”essential activities of intelligence.”

Alfred BinetAlfred Binet

Needed to identify students who Needed to identify students who would require special helpwould require special help

Theodore Simon assisted with Theodore Simon assisted with developing a test to measure developing a test to measure different mental abilitiesdifferent mental abilities

Focused on elementary mental Focused on elementary mental abilities like memory, attention, abilities like memory, attention, ability to understand similarities and ability to understand similarities and differencesdifferences

Binet (continued)Binet (continued)

Developed the idea of Developed the idea of a mental agea mental age

Did not believe he was Did not believe he was measuring an inborn measuring an inborn level of intelligence; level of intelligence; believed the score believed the score could vary over time could vary over time and be affected by and be affected by external factors like external factors like motivationmotivation

Lewis TermanLewis Terman

Translated and adapted Binet’s testTranslated and adapted Binet’s test Developed the Developed the intelligence quotientintelligence quotient; divide ; divide

the individual’s mental age by the the individual’s mental age by the chronological age and multiply by 100chronological age and multiply by 100

Demonstrated in a longitudinal study Demonstrated in a longitudinal study including 1500 California children with including 1500 California children with genius-level intelligence that high IQ is not genius-level intelligence that high IQ is not necessarily associated with social and/or necessarily associated with social and/or physical ineptness physical ineptness

World War IWorld War I

Army Alpha and Army Beta test used Army Alpha and Army Beta test used to screen 2 million army recruitsto screen 2 million army recruits

Wide use after the war by civiliansWide use after the war by civilians Used among immigrants; testing Used among immigrants; testing

experts tried to influence Congress experts tried to influence Congress to limit certain nationalities deemed to limit certain nationalities deemed “unfit”“unfit”

David WechslerDavid Wechsler

Most commonly administered testMost commonly administered test 11 subtests measuring different abilities11 subtests measuring different abilities Verbal scoreVerbal score which is representative of which is representative of

scores on vocabulary, comprehension, scores on vocabulary, comprehension, knowledge of general information , and knowledge of general information , and other verbal tasksother verbal tasks

Performance Score Performance Score reflective of scores of reflective of scores of tests requiring identifying the missing part tests requiring identifying the missing part in incomplete pictures, arranging pictures, in incomplete pictures, arranging pictures, or arranging blocks to follow a pattern.or arranging blocks to follow a pattern.

Wechsler (continued)Wechsler (continued) Added features…Added features…

– Profile of a person’s strengths and Profile of a person’s strengths and weaknessesweaknesses

– Potential to screen for learning disordersPotential to screen for learning disorders– Culture may play a role in performance on Culture may play a role in performance on

the verbal subtestthe verbal subtest– Scores were calculated using the scores of Scores were calculated using the scores of

others in the same general age group as a others in the same general age group as a comparison; average score is statistically comparison; average score is statistically fixed at 100 with a standard deviation of fixed at 100 with a standard deviation of +/- 15. +/- 15.

What are the What are the characteristics of a good characteristics of a good

test of intelligence?test of intelligence?

Test ConstructionTest Construction

Standardization -Norms are Standardization -Norms are established based on a established based on a representative sample and scores representative sample and scores are compared to these normsare compared to these norms

Reliability – must consistently Reliability – must consistently produce similar scores on different produce similar scores on different occasionsoccasions

Validity – it measures what it is Validity – it measures what it is supposed to measuresupposed to measure

Theories of IntelligenceTheories of Intelligence

““g factor” – a single measure of g factor” – a single measure of cognitive ability; Charles Spearmancognitive ability; Charles Spearman

““primary mental abilities” – primary mental abilities” – (numerical ability, reasoning, (numerical ability, reasoning, perceptual speed, etc); Louis perceptual speed, etc); Louis Thurstone; more concerned with the Thurstone; more concerned with the pattern of different abilities versus a pattern of different abilities versus a single quotientsingle quotient

Theories of Intelligence (continued)Theories of Intelligence (continued)

““multiple intelligences” – developed multiple intelligences” – developed idea based on the observation that idea based on the observation that some abilities are lost while others some abilities are lost while others are maintained following brain are maintained following brain damage; intelligence is reflective of damage; intelligence is reflective of “…the ability to solve problems, or to “…the ability to solve problems, or to create products, that are valued create products, that are valued within one or more cultural within one or more cultural settings.”; Howard Gardner (see settings.”; Howard Gardner (see page 312) page 312)

Theories of Intelligence (continued)Theories of Intelligence (continued)

““successful intelligence” – three successful intelligence” – three types of mental abilities types of mental abilities – Analytic – picking a problem solving Analytic – picking a problem solving

strategy and applying itstrategy and applying it– Creative – drawing on existing skills and Creative – drawing on existing skills and

knowledge to cope with new situationsknowledge to cope with new situations– Practical intelligence – “street smarts”Practical intelligence – “street smarts”

Robert Sternberg Robert Sternberg