Intelligence Module 25
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Thinking, Language, &
Intelligence Overview
Intelligence
 What Is Intelligence?
 Theories of Intelligence
 Assessing Intelligence
 Genetic and Environmental
Influences on Intelligence
 Group Differences in Intelligence
Test Scores
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• Intelligence is what you use when
you don't know what to do.
Jean Piaget
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What is Intelligence?
Intelligence (in all cultures) is the ability to learn
from experience, solve problems, and use our
knowledge to adapt to new situations.
In research studies, intelligence is whatever the
intelligence test measures. This tends to be
“school smarts.”
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General Intelligence
Spearman proposed that general intelligence (g)
is linked to many clusters that can be analyzed
by factor analysis.
For example, people who do well on vocabulary
examinations do well on paragraph
comprehension examinations, a cluster that
helps define verbal intelligence. Other factors
include a spatial ability factor, and a reasoning
ability factor.
Link Battle of the Brains 49:23
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Contemporary Intelligence Theories
Howard Gardner (1983, 1999) supports the idea
that intelligence comes in multiple independent
forms.
Gardner notes that brain damage may diminish
one type of ability but not others.
Sacks Defines Savant
Derek Paravicini 14:21
Kim Peak vid
People with savant syndrome excel in abilities
unrelated to general intelligence.
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Howard Gardner
Gardner proposes eight types of intelligences
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Triarchic Theory
Sternberg agrees with Gardner, but suggests three
intelligences rather than eight.
1.
2.
3.
Analytical Intelligence: Intelligence that is assessed
by intelligence tests.
Creative Intelligence: Intelligence that makes us
adapt to novel situations, generating novel ideas.
Practical Intelligence: Intelligence that is required
for everyday tasks (e.g. street smarts).
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Intelligence and Creativity
Creativity is the ability to produce ideas that are
both novel and valuable. It correlates somewhat
with intelligence.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Expertise: A well-developed knowledge base.
Imaginative Thinking: The ability to see things in novel
ways, recognize patterns and make connections.
A Venturesome Personality: A personality that seeks
new experiences rather than following the pack.
Intrinsic Motivation: A motivation to be creative from
within, must enjoy challenges.
A Creative Environment: A creative and supportive
environment allows creativity to bloom. Creativity on TED9
Emotional Intelligence: Components
Component
Description
Perceive emotion
Recognize emotions in faces, music
and stories
Understand emotion
Predict emotions, how they change
and blend
Manage emotion
Express emotions in different
situations
Use emotion
Utilize emotions to adapt or be
creative
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Emotional Intelligence: Criticism
Gardner and others criticize the idea of emotional
intelligence and question whether we stretch this
idea of intelligence too far when we apply it to our
emotions.
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Assessing Intelligence
Intelligence test: a
method for assessing
an individual’s mental
aptitudes and
comparing them with
others using numerical
scores.
Link Testing and Intel AM 27:08
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Alfred Binet
Alfred Binet practiced a
modern form of
intelligence testing by
developing questions
that would predict
children’s future
progress in the Paris
school system.
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Lewis Terman
In the US, Lewis Terman
adapted Binet’s test for
American school
children and named the
test the Stanford-Binet
Test.
The following is the
formula of Intelligence
Quotient (IQ)
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Aptitude and Achievement Tests
Aptitude tests are intended to predict your ability to
learn a new skill and achievement tests are
intended to reflect what you have already learned.
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David Wechsler
Wechsler developed the
Wechsler Adult
Intelligence Scale (WAIS)
and later the Wechsler
Intelligence Scale for
Children (WISC), an
intelligence test for
school-aged children.
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WAIS
WAIS measures overall intelligence and other
aspects related to intelligence that are designed to
assess clinical and educational problems.
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Principles of Test Construction
For a psychological test to be acceptable it must
fulfill the following three criteria:
1. Standardization
2. Reliability
3. Validity
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Standardization
Standardizing a test involves administering the test
to a representative sample of future test takers in
order to establish a basis for meaningful
comparison.
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Normal Curve
Standardized tests establish a normal distribution
of scores on a tested population in a bell-shaped
pattern called the normal curve.
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Approximate Distribution of IQ
Scores in the Population
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34.13% 34.13%
13.59%
13.59%
2.14%
55
70
2.14%
85
100
115
130
145
Attorney
Chemist
Accountant
Sales manager
Sales
Range of
intelligence
scores of the
middle half of
applicants for
various
occupations
Secretary
Machinist
Mechanic
Factory worker
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Reliability
A test is reliable when it yields consistent results. To
establish reliability researchers establish different
procedures:
1.
2.
Split-half Reliability: Dividing the test into two
equal halves and assessing how consistent the
scores are.
Test-Retest Reliability: Using the same test on two
occasions to measure consistency.
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Validity
Reliability of a test does not ensure validity. Validity
of a test refers to what the test is supposed to
measure or predict.
1.
2.
Content Validity: Refers to the extent a test
measures a particular behavior or trait.
Predictive Validity: Refers to the function of a test
in predicting a particular behavior or trait.
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Stability or Change?
Intelligence scores become stable after about seven
years of age. In numerous studies, stability of
intelligence scores have been determined (Angoff,
1988; Deary et al., 2004).
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Extremes of Intelligence
A valid intelligence test divides two groups of
people into two extremes: the mentally retarded (IQ
70) and individuals with high intelligence (IQ 135).
These two groups are significantly different.
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High Intelligence
Contrary to popular belief, people with high
intelligence test scores tend to be healthy, well
adjusted, and unusually successful academically.
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Mental Retardation
Mentally retarded individuals required constant
supervision a few decades ago, but with a
supportive family environment and special
education they can now care for themselves.
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Flynn Effect
In the past 60 years, intelligence scores have risen
steadily by an average of 27 points. This
phenomenon is known as the Flynn effect.
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Genetic and Environmental
Influences on Intelligence
No other topic in psychology is so passionately
followed as the one that asks the question, “Is
intelligence due to genetics or environment?”
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Genetic Influences
Studies of twins, family members, and adopted
children together support the idea that there is a
significant genetic contribution to intelligence.
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Adoption Studies
Adopted children show a marginal correlation in
verbal ability to their adopted parents.
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Heritability
The variation in intelligence test scores
attributable to genetics.
We credit heredity with 50% of the variation in
intelligence.
It pertains only to why people differ from one
another, not to the individual.
Link What makes a Genius 58.55
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Environmental Influences
Studies of twins and adopted children also show
the following:
1. Fraternal twins raised together tend to show
similarity in intelligence scores.
2. Identical twins raised apart show slightly less
similarity in their intelligence scores.
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Early Intervention Effects
Early neglect from caregivers leads children to
develop a lack of personal control over the
environment, and it impoverishes their intelligence.
Romanian orphans with minimal
human interaction are delayed in their development.
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Schooling Effects
Schooling is an experience that pays dividends,
which is reflected in intelligence scores. Increased
schooling correlates with higher intelligence scores.
To increase readiness for schoolwork,
projects like Head Start facilitate leaning.
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Ethnic Similarities and Differences
To discuss this issue we begin with two disturbing
but agreed upon facts:
1. Racial groups differ in their average
intelligence scores.
2. High-scoring people (and groups) are more
likely to attain high levels of education and
income.
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IQ and Expectations
• Teachers expectations affect student
performance.
• Teachers given IQ scores rated not gifted
students as less curious and less
interested, this was reflected in grades
too.
• Second test, kids labeled as gifted had an
increase of at least 10 pts.
• 20% of gifted group gained 30 pts.
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Environmental Effects
Differences in intelligence among these groups are
largely environmental, as if one environment is
more fertile in developing these abilities than the
other. Delayed gratification Link 2:54, Link 6:02
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Gender Similarities and Differences
There are seven ways in which males and females
differ in various abilities.
1. Girls are better spellers
2. Girls are more verbally fluent and are better at remembering words
3. Girls are better at nonverbal memory
4. Girls are more sensitive to touch, taste, and odor
5. Boys outnumber girls in counts of underachievement
6. Boys outperform girls at math problem solving & spatial ability tests
7. Women detect emotions more easily than men do
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The Question of Bias
Aptitude tests are necessarily biased in the sense
that they are sensitive to performance differences
caused by cultural differences.
However, aptitude tests are not biased in the sense
that they accurately predict performance of one
group over the other.
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Test-Takers’ Expectations
A stereotype threat is a self-confirming concern
that one will be evaluated based on a negative
stereotype.
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According to the Experts
• Intelligence is what you use when
you don't know what to do.
• Jean Piaget
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EXPLORING
PSYCHOLOGY
(7th Edition in Modules)
David Myers
PowerPoint Slides
Aneeq Ahmad
Henderson State University
Worth Publishers, © 2008
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Cognition, Language, and Intelligence
Tacit Intelligence
• Everyday intelligence not taught in school
• General intelligence tests are limited
– Predicts success in school, complex occupations
– Cannot predict tacit intelligence
– Persons with low or limited general intelligence
rarely have high tacit intelligence
– Persons with high general intelligence – more likely
to have good practical knowledge across many
areas
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Birth Order, Family Size, and Intelligence
The study of Rodgers et al. (2000):
In popular culture, birth order was believed to influence
intelligence. Indeed, many studies found that birth order
influenced intelligence: The older the child, the more
intelligent.
However, most of those studies had a vital flaw (see also
Ernst & Angst, 1983): Data were cross-sectional. They
often assessed soldiers‘ birth order and intelligence.
Contributor
© POSbase 2008
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Birth Order, Family Size, and Intelligence
Therefore, birth order was not analysed within-family, but
between different families.
This could lead to apparent birth-order effects that are not
real if increasing sibship size decreases intelligence. This
has to do with the fact that the youngest in a two-child
family can not be a single child; the youngest of three
children family can not be from a two-child family, etc.
Look at the example in the next slide:
© POSbase 2008
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Birth Order, Family Size, and Intelligence
Birth Order:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Average IQ
Number of Siblings:
__________________________________________________________________
1
104
104
2
102
102
102
3
100
100
100
100
4
98
98
98
98
98
5
96
96
96
96
96
96
__________________________________________________________________
Average IQ:
100
99
98
97
96
__________________________________________________________________
The more siblings,
the lower is the
intelligence of each child
However, each sibling
within a family has
the same intelligence.
© POSbase 2008
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Birth Order, Family Size, and Intelligence
Birth Order:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Average IQ
Number of Siblings:
__________________________________________________________________
1
104
104
2
102
102
102
3
100
100
100
100
4
98
98
98
98
98
5
96
96
96
96
96
96
__________________________________________________________________
Average IQ:
100
99
98
97
96
__________________________________________________________________
Although there is no difference between siblings
within the family, average IQ for increasing birth order
decreases because older children weigh more in
calculating the average.
© POSbase 2008
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Birth Order, Family Size, and Intelligence
Therefore, it is necessary to have longitudinal data.
That is why the authors analyzed data from a large,
national longitudinal sample where they could compare
intelligence of siblings within family.
Indeed, the found the pattern presented in the last slides:
There were significant effects of family size, but no effects
of birth order.
© POSbase 2008
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Birth Order, Family Size, and Intelligence
The authors concluded that this means that large families
do not result in less intelligent children, as some studies
suggest, but less intelligent parents make larger families.
If this were not the case, we would see a birth order effect
because the first child some time lives in a smaller family
and should be more intelligent if family size affected
intelligence. However, this was not the case.
Most importantly, they found a correlation between the IQ
of the mothers and family size.
© POSbase 2008
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Birth Order, Family Size, and Intelligence
These results have to be taken with some caution:
The Parental IQ – Family Size correlation is not
necessarily a biological phenomenon. It could just
be fashionable in certain circles to have fewer
children. If fashion in those same circles
prescribed more children, the effect could turn; but
this is an open question.
© POSbase 2008
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