Unit 11: Intelligence, Testing & Individual Differences

Day 1

““Intelligence” is Hard to Intelligence” is Hard to DefineDefineIntelligence is often defined as the ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use knowledge to adapt to new situations.

Intelligence is not a “thing” it is an abstract concept…an IQ is simply a score on an intelligence test.

Unit 11: Testing & Individual Differences

Theories of Intelligence

J.P. J.P. GUILFORD & GUILFORD & L.L. THURSTONE THURSTONEUsed factor analysis to determine that intelligence is comprised of several discrete abilities (for Guilford there are 180!)

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To measure general ability within specific mental abilities a statistical method is used called:Factor Analysis: used to identify clusters of related items (called factors) on a test; used to identify different dimensions of performance that underlie one’s total.

◦Ex: People who do well on vocabulary items also usually do well on paragraph comprehension…which are both related to the verbal intelligence factor.

Is Intelligence a Singular Ability?

Charles Charles

SPEARMANSPEARMAN

“g-factor”/ general intelligence

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Charles Spearman and The G-Charles Spearman and The G-FactorFactor

General intelligence (g): Spearman proposed that intelligent behavior is generated by a single quality within the human mind or brain. Spearman derived this theoretical entity, called the general factor, or simply g, through a new statistical technique that analyzed the correlations among a set of variables. This technique, called factor analysis, demonstrated that scores on all mental tests are positively correlated; this offered compelling evidence that all intelligent behavior is derived from one metaphorical pool of mental energy. http://www.indiana.edu/~intell/spearman.shtml

Howard Howard

GARDNERGARDNER “ Multiple Intelligences”

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•From a biological point of view, Gardner has noted that brain damage often may diminish some abilities but not others.

•Gardner argues humans do not have one intelligence (g factor) but instead multiple intelligences which are relatively independent of the others.

Howard Howard

GARDNERGARDNER“Multiple Intelligences” - continued

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•Linguistic intelligence

•Logical - mathematical intelligence

•Musical intelligence •Bodily - kinesthetic intelligence •Visual - spatial intelligence •Intrapersonal intelligence •Interpersonal intelligence

Which 2 intelligences are valued the most in schools? •Naturalist intelligence

Derek - 60 MinutesLily the geography wiz!

Howard

GARDNER“Multiple Intelligences” – con’t

The existence of savants, prodigies and other exceptional individuals supports Gardner’s theory:

• The Real Rain Man

Rain Man on Netflix: 37:50 -39:50 and 42:00

Robert Robert

STERNBERGSTERNBERGTriarchic theory of intelligence

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• Analytical (academic problem solving)

• Creative (reacting to new situations & ideas)

• Practical (everyday tasks – common sense)

Robert Robert SternbergSternberg

“The true measure of success is not how well one does in school…

…but how well one does.”

Sternberg looked to overcome the fact that although IQ tests predicted school tests relatively well, they did less well predicting vocational success.

More “Intelligences?”More “Intelligences?”Social Intelligence

◦the know-how involved in comprehending social situations and managing oneself successfully

Emotional Intelligence-ability to perceive, express, understand, and regulate emotions

-critical part of social intelligence

Unit 10: Testing & Individual Differences

How We Measure Intelligence

Alfred Alfred BINETBINETCreated an intelligence test that could measure the mental age of school children

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Mental ageChronological age

X 100 = IQ

Alfred Binet and Intelligence Alfred Binet and Intelligence TestsTestsBinet’s looked to identify a child’s:Mental Age: chronological age that most typically corresponds to a given level of performance. ◦A child who does as well as the average 8-year-old is said to have a mental age of 8.

Binet did not believe his test measured inborn intelligence.

What is the IQ of:

a10-year-old with the mental age of a 12 year old?

an 8-year-old with the mental age of a 10 year old?

Mental ageChronological age

X 100 = IQ

12

10X 100 = 120

A 10-year-old with the mental age of a 9 year old?

10

8X 100 = 125

9

10X 100 = 90

Lewis Lewis TERMANTERMANInvented the Stanford-Binet IQ Test

He revised Binet's test to work for large numbers of people in an attempt to measure what he thought was inherited intelligence.

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David David

WECHSLERWECHSLERCreator of the most widely used intelligence tests today◦WISC: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children◦WAIS: Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale

Verbal & performance scores

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Assessing Intelligence- Sample Assessing Intelligence- Sample Items from the WAISItems from the WAIS

From Thorndike and Hagen, 1977

VERBAL

General Information Similarities Arithmetic ReasoningVocabularyComprehensionDigit Span

PERFORMANCE

Picture Completion Picture ArrangementBlock DesignObject AssemblyDigit-Symbol Substitution

The Normal CurveThe Normal Curve

Ninety-five percent of all people fall within 30 points

of 100

Number of

scores

55 70 85 100 115 130 145 Wechsler intelligence score

Sixty-eight percentof people score within 15 points

above or below 100

Raymond Raymond

CATTELLCATTELL Articulated the difference between

fluid intelligence (ability to learn new things, quickly process and apply information)

& crystalized intelligence (facts, "stuff")

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•Fluid intelligence decreases as we age, crystalized intelligence doesn’t.

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5293http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5293

IQ Tests Go to War—Measuring Intelligence in the ArmyThe army’s use of intelligence tests during World War I lent new credibility to the emerging profession of psychology, even as it sparked public debate about the validity of the tests and their implications for American democracy.

Intelligence testing influenced American society long after the war that had launched it. The tests were revised for use in schools and promoted the “tracking” systems of segregating students into ability groups according to test results.

Intelligence testing fueled eugenics programs and were also widely invoked by those who pressed successfully to restrict immigration to the United States.

Match your wits with World War I-era recruits with questions from actual army intelligence tests.

Answer: CAnswer: C

1. Bull Durham is the name of aA. chewing gumB. aluminum wareC. tobaccoD. clothing

Answer: BAnswer: B

2. Seven-up is played withA. racketsB. cardsC. pinsD. dice

Answer: BAnswer: B

3. The Merino is a kind ofA. horseB. sheepC. goatD. cow

Answer: AAnswer: A

4. The most prominent industry of Minneapolis isA. flourB. packingC. automobilesD. brewing

Answer: DAnswer: D

5. Garnets are usuallyA. yellowB. blueC. greenD. red

Answer: AAnswer: A

6. The Orpington is a kind ofA. fowlB. horseC. graniteD. cattle

Answer: DAnswer: D

7. George Ade is famous as aA. baseball playerB. comic artistC. actorD. author

Answer: AAnswer: A

8. Soap is made byA. B. T. BabbittB. Smith & WessonC. W. L. DouglasD. Swift & Co.

Answer: CAnswer: C

9. Laura Jean Libby is known as aA. singerB. suffragistC. writerD. army nurse

Answer: CAnswer: C

10. An air-cooled engine is used in theA. BuickB. PackardC. FranklinD. Ford

Answer: BAnswer: B

11. A house is better than a tent, because A. it costs moreB. it is more comfortableC. it is made of wood

Answer: AAnswer: A

12. Why does it pay to get a good education? A. it makes a man more useful and happyB. it makes work for teachersC. it makes demand for buildings for schools and colleges

Answer: CAnswer: C

13. If the grocer should give you too much money in making change, what is the right thing to do? A. buy some candy off him with itB. give it to the first poor man you meetC. tell him of his mistake

Answer: AAnswer: A

14. Why should food be chewed before swallowing? A. it is better for the healthB. it is bad manners to swallow without chewing C. chewing keeps the teeth in condition  

Answer: BAnswer: B

15. If you saw a train approaching a broken track you should A. telephone for an ambulanceB. signal the engineer to stop the trainC. look for a piece of rail to fit in

Answer: CAnswer: C

16. If you are lost in a forest in the daytime, what is the thing to do? A. hurry to the nearest house you know ofB. look for something to eatC. use the sun or a compass for a guide

Answer: BAnswer: B

17. It is better to fight than to run, because A. cowards are shotB. it is more honorableC. if you run you may get shot in the back

Answer: AAnswer: A

18. Why should all parents be made to send their children to school? Because A. it prepares them for adult lifeB. it keeps them out of mischiefC. they are too young to work

Answer: CAnswer: C

19. Why do some men who could afford to own a house live in a rented one? BecauseA. they don’t have to pay taxesB. they don’t have to buy a rented houseC. they can make more by investing the money the house would cost

Answer: BAnswer: B

20. Why is beef better food than cabbage? Because A. it tastes betterB. it is more nourishingC. it is harder to obtain

•Was this test a valid measure of Was this test a valid measure of intelligence? Was there bias?intelligence? Was there bias?

Do you think the people who scored highest on this test were the best soldiers? (predictive validity)

• Was this an ACHIEVEMENT TEST or and APTITUDE TEST?

Assessing Intelligence: Assessing Intelligence: Aptitude vs. Achievement TestAptitude vs. Achievement TestAptitude Tests: are tests designed to predict a person’s future performance.◦SAT’s and GRE’s

Achievement Test: a test designed to assess what a person has learned.◦Midterm Psych exam, chapter 3 history test, etc.