Intelligence
What makes us intelligent?
Or
Not so intelligent?
Who’s more intelligent??
Essential Questions:
• What is intelligence?
• Where does intelligence come from? Is it determined by heredity or
environment??
• Is there a difference between intelligence and creativity?
• Can we use simple tests to reliably measure intelligence?
• Are there ethnic or gender differences in intelligence test scores, and,
if so, what do the differences mean?
Lets Talk
Intelligence!!!
What is It?
•
Is it the ability to acquire knowledge from
books or school?
•
Is it “street smarts” ?
•
Is it the ability to solve problems?
•
Or is it the ability to adapt to the demands
of the environment?
•
Well it may be all these things and more…
• The most widely used definition
is…
The capacity of an
individual to act
purposefully, to think
rationally, and to deal
with the environment
Intelligence
According to the
definition, are both
Einstein and Babe
Ruth intelligent?
Is intelligence one general
ability or several specific
abilities combined together?
Theories
Of
Intelligence
Theory 1: Sir Francis Galton and Eugenics
• The father of psychometrics
– The measurement of knowledge and ability by using
defined tests
• Believed that intelligence was based on genetics
• Inspired Eugenics movement
– “well-born” - -Selective breeding
Theory 2: Charles Spearmen’s
“G”
• One type of intelligence that allows
people to do well on mental tests
• “G” - general intelligence
• Observed that if people did well on
one intelligence test or specific parts
of a test, they generally did well on
others
– “S” – specific abilities
• Eventually developed into what we now
know as your “IQ”
How did Spearman discover his “G” ??
• By using a process called
FACTOR ANALYSIS
– A statistical procedure that
identified groups of test items
that were related on a IQ
test.
– For example…if you did well on an analogy
question - You probably would do well on all
language comprehension questions
Theory 3:
Thurstone’s “7” Primary Mental Abilities
•
Didn’t believe that one factor (“g”) could account for all intelligence
Numerical
Ability
Verbal
Comprehension
Spatial
Relations
Memory
7 primary
mental abilities
Verbal
Fluency
Inductive
Reasoning
Perceptual
Speed
Theory 4:Howard Gardner’s
Multiple Intelligences
• Disagreed with the concept
of “G”
• Believed intelligence was like
ice cream
– Called multiple intelligences
Vary from person to person
People can be high in one type but low in
others or have a combination of
intelligences
Huge educational influence
Intrapersonal
Interpersonal
Bodily-Kinesthetic
Verbal-Linguistic
Logical-Mathematical
Musical-Rhythmic
Visual-Spatial
Naturalistic
9th ??
Criticisms of Howard Gardner’s
Multiple Intelligence Theory
1st – What is the difference
between an intelligence and a skill??
2nd – Why stop at 8?
Why musical intelligence
but not culinary intelligence or
practical intelligence (street smarts)?
Theory 5:Robert Sternberg’s
Triarchic (3 parts)
Theory of Intelligence
Said intelligence had 3 parts that come
together to meet daily demands
1. Analytical Intelligence
2. Practical Intelligence
3. Creative Intelligence
Analytic Intelligence
• Analyzing, comparing,
evaluating, solving
– Often the intelligence
stressed at school and
on conventional IQ tests
Practical Intelligence
• “Common Sense” type of
intelligence
– Maybe a “street smarts”
intelligence
• The ability to apply what we
know to everyday life
Creative Intelligence
• Creating, inventing and
designing
– Intelligence that allows
people to adapt and
produce new ideas and
solutions to problems
Sternberg thought…
We need all three to
be successful in life
Believed we need to modify
IQ tests to measure all 3 parts
Theory 6:A different type of Intelligence
Daniel Goleman’s
Emotional Intelligence
• Says there is a difference
between academic
intelligence and emotional
intelligence (EI)
What is
Emotional Intelligence??
Emotional Intelligence is…
• The ability to …
– Perceive emotions in others
• i.e. read faces and interpret music and
stories - empathy
– Express your emotions
• In appropriate ways
– Understand your emotions
• how emotions change and blend
– Regulate your emotions
• changing emotions in different dilemmas
– Help others handle their
emotions
ALSO KNOWN AS SOCIAL
INTELLIGENCE
Spearman’s
“G”
Thurstone’s
PMA
What is
Intelligence??
Gardner’s
MI
Goleman’s
EI
Sternberg’s
3 Parts
How do we Assess Intelligence?
History of
Intelligence Testing
Social Intelligence
• MEIS – multifactor emotional intelligence
scale
• Some studies show EQ to be a greater
predictor for future success than IQ
Alfred Binet
• Binet developed the 1st test to classify
children’s mental ability
• Used the concept of mental age
– what a person of a particular age should know and be able
to do - MA
• Different than a child’s chronological age – CA
• Assumed that…
– intellectual abilities grew year by year and some kids would struggle
within their age group and be behind other kids
– was worried that his test would be used to label some kids
“backward” and limit opportunities because of their intelligence level
Wilhelm Stern and
Computing Intelligence
• Devised the
IQ – intelligence quotient
– an easy to interpret number used to express a
persons performance on a mental test
• Mental age / chronological age x 100 =
Intelligence quotient
MA/CA x 100 = IQ
IQ Examples
• A 8 year old has a
mental age of 10, what
is her IQ?
125
• A 12 year old has the
mental age of 9, what is
his IQ?
75
• A boy has the mental
age of 10 and an IQ of
200, how old is he?
5
Problems with the IQ Formula
• It doesn’t always work well
on adults of different ages
– Leveling-off Process
– Mental age levels off but CA
does not
For example: if a 60 year old man
does as well as an average 30 year old
then his IQ would be 50!!!!!!
That makes no sense!!!!!
Lewis Terman:
American Idea of IQ Testing
• Translated Binet’s test for use in America
– Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test
• Established a way to compare individuals
scores with those of the general population
Terman’s beliefs were often used to set early governmental policy on
immigration
David Wechsler’s IQ Test
• Wechsler Intelligence Scales
– the most widely used IQ tests today
• Two important innovations
– Different tests for different age groups
• preschool (WPPSI), school children (WISC), and adults (WAIS)
– Separate scores for verbal and nonverbal abilities
(Subtests)
• Verbal - vocab., math, and similar skills
• Nonverbal - tasks such as assembly of objects and pictorial
recognition
• allowed for examination of weaknesses and strengths of test
taker
Wechler and Deviation IQ
An IQ score is based on deviation, or difference,
of a person’s test score from
the norms for the person’s age group.
Average
Group IQ Tests
• Test regularly given in
schools
• First developed by the
Army to assess recruits
cognitive abilities during
WWI
• Not as reliable as individual
tests but cheaper and
easier to give and score
Basic Questions
About
Intelligence
Testing
Does Intelligence Change Over
Time?
• By age 4, a child’s
IQ can predict
adolescent IQ
scores.
• Also depends on the
type of intelligence
Brain Size and Intelligence
Is there a link?
• Small +.15 correlation
between head size and
intelligence scores
IQ Ranges
• IQ ranges, average IQ scores, and IQ
ratings are usually only relative - and they
can change over time and with different
tests.
Average IQ = 100
Statistically this means:
• 2.5% of people are mentally deficient /
impaired / retardation (under 70)
• 50% of people have Intelligence Quotient
scores between 90 and 110
• 96% of all people fall within 30 points of 100
•
• 2.5% of people are very superior in
intelligence (over 130)
• 0.5% of people are near genius or genius
(over 140)
IQ Levels
To help put IQ into perspective:
• 50 or below - most adults cannot cope outside of an
institution. They can typically be taught to read at a 3rd or
4th grade level. They typically require special training
programs.
• Between 50 and 75 - Generally cannot complete elementary
school. Most adults will need help to cope with day to day
living.
• Between 75 and 105 - Generally cannot complete a college
prep course in high school.
• Between 105 and 115 - May graduate from college but
generally, not with grades that would qualify them for
graduate school.
• Above 115 - No restrictions
Intelligence Test
Construction and Validity
What makes one test
better than another??
Aptitude Tests
vs.
Achievement Tests
What's the difference??
Aptitude
• A test to predict
future performance.
• The ability for a
person to learn.
• IQ Tests
Achievement
• A test designed to
assess what a person
has learned.
Characteristics of a Good Test of
Intelligence
Tests must be:
• Standardized
• Reliable
• Valid
Standardization
• The process of setting a common standard
• A basis for comparing scores with others’
performance
Reliability
• The consistency of
tests scores over time.
– Scores don’t change
over time or each time
you take it
• Different types of
reliability
– Spilt halves ,test–
retest, or scorer
method.
Test – Retest Reliability
• Scores look the same the second time as the
first
Split-half Reliability
• The score on the even numbered questions
should be about the same as the odd
numbered questions
Scorer Reliability
• Two people should be able to score the same
test and get the same result
Validity
How well a test measures or predicts what it is
supposed to measure.
• Content or Face Validity
– does the test measure material that is supposed
to be tested?
• Predictive Validity
– does the test accurately predict how well a
person will do in the future?
Heredity and Environment
as Influencers of
Intelligence
Is intelligence a product
of nature or nurture??
Nature Argument
Evidence for Hereditary Influence
• Twin Studies
– If identical twins are more similar in intelligence than
fraternal twins then IQ could be considered inherited
• Adoptions Studies
– If adopted children resemble their biological parents in
IQ even though they were not raised by these parents,
then this would support genetics
• Heritability Estimates
– a ratio that estimates the proportion of a trait is due to
genetics ( 60% - 40% for intelligence) (on average)
Nurture Argument
Evidence for Environmental Influence
• Adoption Studies
– Many adopted children show some
resemblance to their foster parents in IQ
– Siblings raised together are more similar
in IQ than those raised apart
• Same is true for identical twins
– Unrelated adopted kids show a significant
resemblance in IQ when raised in same
environment
Evidence for Environmental Influence
• Environmental Deprivation, Enrichment,
Home and Schooling Effects
– Cumulative Deprivation Hypothesis
• Environmental deprivation did lead to IQ
erosion
• However, when kids are removed from this
environment and placed in an enriching
environment IQ increased
– Two parent homes have a positive impact on IQ
– School attendance has a positive impact on IQ
Flynn Effect
Points to Environment Factors
Such as better nutrition and health care
Test your IQ
• The Wonderlic Test:
http://www.nicholascreative.com/footballiq/
Intelligence Test:
http://intelligence-test.net/part1/
Intelligence Test:
http://www.intelligencetest.com/test/signupu
ser.php