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Individual differences

Include: Intelligence & Personality

Intelligence: Problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt

to and learn from life’s everyday experiences

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Individual Intelligence TestsThe Binet Tests

Mental Age

Intelligence Quotient

Normal Distribution

• An individual’s level of mental development relative to others

• A symmetrical distribution• Majority of the scores falling in the

middle • Few scores in the extremes

MentalAgeIQ = 100

Chronological Age

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Intelligence The Normal Curve

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Individual Intelligence TestsThe Wechsler Scales

Age-related versions provide an overall IQ and also yield both verbal and performance IQs.

(WPPSI-P) Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised. Ages 4 to 6 ½

(WISC-R) Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised. Ages 6 to 16

(WAIS-R) Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised

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Wechsler Subscales

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Group Intelligence Tests

Advantage– More convenient and economical

Disadvantages– Examiner cannot:

• establish rapport• determine student’s level of anxiety

– Student:• might not understand instructions• might be distracted by other students

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Theories of Multiple IntelligenceEarly Views

• Spearman (1927): People have both general intelligence (g) and specific types of intelligence (s).

• Thurston (1938): People have seven specific intellectual abilities (verbal comprehension, associative memory, word fluency, reasoning, number ability, spatial visualization, and perceptual speed).

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Theories of Multiple IntelligenceSternberg’s Theory

Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence– Analytical: analyze, judge, evaluate,

compare/contrast– Creative: create, design, invent, originate,

and imagine– Practical: use, apply, implement, put into

practice

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Theories of Multiple IntelligenceGardner’s Theory

• Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences– Skills are represented in the following areas:

• Verbal • Musical• Mathematical • Intrapersonal• Spatial • Interpersonal• Bodily-kinesthetic • Naturalist

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Salovey and Mayer (1990)

• Read and understand emotions in oneself and others,

• Use emotion and emotional expression to manage oneself and others.

Emotional Intelligence

SaloveyMayer

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IntelligenceControversies and Issues

Nature and Nurture

• Heritability of IQ about 50% according to twin studies.

• Similarity to parents’ IQ increases with age, 40% in childhood to 60% in adulthood.

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IntelligenceControversies and Issues

Culturally biased tests favor:– Urban over rural children– Middle-income over low-income children– White children over minority children

Culture-fair tests, free of cultural bias:

Type 1: Include items familiar to all SES and ethnic backgroundsType 2: All of the verbal items are removed

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Raven’s Progressive Matrices

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IntelligenceControversies and Issues

The Flynn effectIQ scores are rising

- About 3 points per decade

- All over the world

- More pronounced on abstract tests

Possible reasons?

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IntelligenceControversies and Issues

Ability Grouping and TrackingBetween-Class Ability Grouping groups students based on their ability or achievement.

Advantages - Narrows class skill range

- Prevents “less able” students from holding back more talented students

Disadvantages- Stigmatizes students in lower track- May segregate students by SES and

ethnicity

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Learning and Thinking Styles Dichotomies

Deep learners actively construct knowledge and are more internally motivated.

Reflective Students surpass Impulsive Students

Reflective students set higher standards, are better at reading comprehension, problem-solving, and remembering structured information.

Deep Learners Surface Learners

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Personality and Temperament

Personality: The distinctive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that characterize the way an individual adapts to the world

Temperament: A person’s behavioral style and characteristic way of responding

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Personality and TemperamentThe “Big Five” Personality Factors

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Personality and Temperament

Three basic styles of temperament found in children

Easy

• Positive mood

• Establishes regular routines

• Adapts to new experiences

Difficult

• React negatively

• Aggressive tendencies

• Lacks self-control

Slow-to-Warm-Up

• Low activity level

• Negative

• Slow adaptability

• Low intensity of mood