Intelligence
• Definitions:
– Terman (1921): ability to carry on abstract thought
– Binet (1905): collection of faculties: judgment,
practical sense, initiative, ability to adapt
– Wechsler (1958): aggregate capacity to act
purposefully, to think rationally, and to deal
effectively with the environment
• Known by what it enables us to do
• Qualitatively different abilities
– Sternberg (1986): mental activity involved in
purposive adaptation
Theories of Intelligence
2 major schools of thought:
1. One general factor, g
• Spearman
2. Different types of intelligence
(disagreement about what those are)
• Sternberg, Gardner, Thurstone
One general factor theory
• Spearman’s g
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Used factor analysis
g = general mental ability
Complicated mental activities are highest in g
Specific factors may also be included
One General Intelligence
Support for this approach:
1. Positive manifold – high correlations
between different tests of cognitive
ability
2. Neural processing speed
i.e. speed of processing
Different factors approach to
intelligence
•
Thurstone:
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NOT a unitary trait
Differing types of abilities:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Verbal
Perceptual speed
Inductive reasoning
Numbers
Rote memory
Deductive reasoning
Word fluency
visualization
Alternative theories of multiple
intelligences
• Gardner’s theory:
– 7 different forms of intelligence
• Linguistic – use of language
• Musical – rhythm, pitch
• Spatial – perceiving visual world
• Bodily – kinesthetic awareness, movement
• Interpersonal – knowledge of others’s moods,
motivations, etc.
• Intrapersonal – knowledge of self, feelings
• Logic-mathematical – logical thinking, numerical
ability
Another theory of multiple
intelligence
• Fluid & Crystallized intelligence (Horn)
– Fluid = basic reasoning ability, ability to learn
• Nonverbal mental efficiency
• Strong physiological base
– Crystallized = acquired skills and knowledge
• Knowledge of general information
• Influenced by education and culture
One more theory of multiple
intelligences
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Sternberg: 3 dimensions of intelligence
1.
Analytical – internal mental mechanisms
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Mental processes
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2.
Creative (experiential)– intelligence related to novel stimuli
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3.
Used to learn new things
Execute behavior
Higher-order processing such as planning, monitoring, and
evaluating
Ability to apply existing knowledge to new problems
Implication: our experiences impact our IQ. Very difficult to
compare people across sociocultural groups due to differences in
experience.
Practical (contextual) – IQ related to external world
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Ability to deal with everyday tasks
i.e. not just academic or book learning