Intelligence:
Measuring Mental Performance
Chapter 9
Dr. Pelaez
What is Intelligence?
• Intelligence does not mean the same thing to everyone (Neisser et
al., 1996)
• There is still no single definition of intelligence. Different theorists
have very different theories as to which attributes are core aspects
of the construct they call intelligence.
• Piaget (1970)
Psychometric Views of Intelligence
According to psychometric theorists, intelligence is a trait or a set of
traits that characterizes some people to a greater extent than
others.
1.
Alfred Binet’s Singular Component Approach
–
Binet and Simon (1904)
2.
Factor Analysis and the Multicomponent View of Intelligence
–
Spearman’s (1927) Factor Analysis and the “g” Factor
–
Thurstone’s Primary mental abilities
–
Guilford’s Structure-of-intellect model
–
Carroll’s Three-stratum theory of intelligence
Multicomponent View of Intelligence
• Other psychometric theorists strongly believed that mental age was
correlated to human intellectual performance.
• They believed that intelligence tests required individuals to perform
on a variety of tasks.
• Individuals would perform in a large number of mental tasks and
then their performances would be analyzed, using a method called
factor analysis.
A Modern Information-Processing Viewpoint
Some psychometrics believe that the definitions of intelligence are very
narrow, focusing primarily on intellectual content, or what a person
knows, rather than on the processes by which this knowledge is
acquired, retained, and used to solve problems.
• Sternberg (1985)
– Context
– The Experimental Component
– The Componential (or Information-Processing) Component
Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences
•
Gardner (1983) is another theorist who criticizes the
psychometricians for trying to describe a person’s intelligence with
a single score.
•
He is know for his theory of multiple intelligences.
•
In his book, Frames of Mind, he proposes that humans display at
least 7 distinctive kinds of intelligences.
How is Intelligence Measured?
1.
The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale
2.
The Wechsler Scales
–
WISC-III
–
WPPSI-R
3.
Distribution of IQ Scores
–
A feature similar to all modern IQ tests is their normal
distribution around an IQ of 100.
4.
Group Tests of Mental Performance
–
Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT)
–
American College Test (ACT)
–
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
How is Intelligence Measured? (continued)
5.
Newer Approaches to Intelligence Testing
–
The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC)
–
Dynamic assessment
6.
Assessing Infant Intelligence
–
Bayley Scales of Infant Development (Bayley, 1969)
• Motor Scale
• Mental Scale
• Infant Behavioral Record
7.
Stability of IQ in Childhood and Adolescence
What do Intelligence Tests Predict?
1.
Scholastic Achievement
2.
Vocational Outcomes
3.
Health, Adjustment, and Life Satisfaction
Factors that Influence IQ Scores
The Evidence for Heredity
• Twin Studies
• Adoption Studies
The Evidence for Environment
• Natural Experiments of Social Change
• Adoption Studies
Social and Cultural Correlates
of Intellectual Performance
Home Environment and IQ
• Sameroff et al., (1993)
– Assessing the character of the home environment
– Does the HOME really predict IQ?
Birth Order, Family Size, and IQ
• The smaller the family, the brighter the children
• On average, first-borns outperform second-borns, who outperform
third-borns, and so on.
Social and Cultural Correlates of Intellectual Performance
(continued)
Social Class, Racial, and Ethnic Difference and IQ
•
Children from lower and working class homes average 10 to 15
points below their middle-class homes on standardized IQ tests.
•
There are no racial and ethnic differences in intellectual
performance.
Why Do Groups Differ in Intellectual Performance?
1.
Cultural Test Bias Hypothesis
2.
Genetic Hypothesis
3.
Environmental Hypothesis
Improving Cognitive Performance
Through Compensatory Education
Compensatory interventions are special educational programs
designed to further the cognitive growth and scholastic
achievements of disadvantaged children.
Head Start is a large-scale preschool educational program designed to
provide children from low-income families with a variety of social
and intellectual experiences that might better prepare them for
school.
Improving Cognitive Performance Through Compensatory Education
(continued)
Long-Term Follow-ups
• Longitudinal studies show that program participants score higher in
IQ than nonparticipants for 2 to 3 years after the interventions are
over, but their IQ eventually declines.
• Participants tend not to be assigned to special education classes, or
be retained in a grade, therefore meeting their school’s basic
requirements.
The Importance of Parental Involvement
• The most effective early intervention programs involve parents in
one way or another.
• Two-generation programs tend to provide children with high-quality
preschool education, and also provide disadvantaged parents with
social support, education and vocational training.
The Importance of Intervening Early
• Studies show evidence that high-quality preschool education that
begins very early can have lasting intellectual benefits.
Creativity and Special Talents
What is Creativity?
• The ability to generate novel ideas or works that are useful and
valued by others.
• It is important to individuals who must solve challenging problems
on the job and in daily life, as well to society, when it underlies new
inventions, new scientific discoveries, and innovations in social
programs or the humanities that enrich our lives.
The Psychometric Perspective
• J. P. Guilford’s (1967) structure-of-intellect model
– Convergent thinking
– Divergent thinking