Topic 4 Intelligence Lecture Notes PDF

PSYC 1001 Introduction to Psychology 1 Topic IV: Intelligence What is Intelligence? Intelligence (in all cultures) is the ability to learn from experience, solve problems and use our knowledge to adapt to new...

PSYC 1001 Introduction to Psychology 1 Topic IV: Intelligence 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. Francis Galton - Intelligence is due to heredity capabilities. Galton's theory, which attributes intelligence solely to hereditary capabilities, presents a controversial and deterministic perspective: one is either born with intelligence or not. His theory focused on the concept of the gifted individual, and his central hypothesis was that intelligence is a general mental ability that is a product of biological intelligence. Galton believed that human intelligence could be measured, and this approach to thinking about intelligence was before the development of things like IQ tests. Instead, he developed reaction time tests. He believed that speed was a measure of or a proxy for intelligence. This introduced the concept of speed equals intelligence. Alfred Binet had a more practical approach to defining intelligence: to recognise our capabilities for judgement, initiative, and adaptability. So, he looked at our general capacity for comprehension and reasoning. He is credited with contributing to the Stanford-Binet Test of Intelligence, which has been widely used for children not only as a measure of the gifted child but also to identify learning disabilities. Wechsler believed that intelligence is the aggregate of the global capacity of the individual to act purposely, think rationally and deal effectively with his environment. Wechsler developed several tests of intelligence which are widely used to this day, such as: 1. The WISC (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children), 2. the WAIS (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale), 3. The WMS (Wechsler Memory Scale), and 4. the WPPSI (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence). Theories of Intelligence Spearman: Two Factor Theory of Intelligence Intelligence is a general ability (general factor – “g”). We also have “s” specific abilities An individual’s intelligence = “g” + “s” e.g. Arithmetic test = general ability + mathematical ability Cattell: Two Clusters of Intelligence Intelligence refers to different abilities that combine and interact to produce overall individual intelligence. Crystallised intelligence – accumulated knowledge reflected in vocabulary and analogies tests, tends to increase with age. Fluid intelligence – the ability to reason speedily and abstractly when solving novel problems tends to decrease in the twenties and thirties. Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Gardner identified eight relatively independent intelligences. Persons with brain damage to one part of their brain may destroy one ability but leave others intact. He also included persons with Savant syndrome, persons who may be brilliant in one form of intelligence but score poorly on IQ tests. They may also have autism spectrum disorder.  PSYC 1001 Introduction to Psychology 2 Linguistic – ability to communicate well orally and in writing Logical-mathematical – ability to engage in abstract thought (mathematics) Musical – musical competence, knowing pitch and rhythm Visual-Spatial – the ability to orient self-regarding space and location Bodily kinaesthetic – the ability to use one's body well, e.g., athletes, dancers Intrapersonal- knowing one's feelings and using them to guide actions Interpersonal – empathic, can predict the behaviour of others Naturalist- understanding nature, relating information to one's natural environment. Sternberg– Triarchic theory of intelligence Sternberg proposed three forms of intelligence, which are intertwined and can operate independently. Analytical intelligence (academic problem-solving) is assessed by an intelligence test that presents well-defined problems with a single answer. Analytical intelligence is a good predictor of school grades. Creative intelligence – the ability to generate novel ideas. Practical intelligence is the ability to perform everyday tasks that are not well defined and need to adjust to the environment (common sense), e.g., a manager's ability to delegate tasks, prepare memos, etc. Types of Intelligence Emotional intelligence is perceiving, understanding, managing, and using emotions. Emotionally intelligent people are socially aware and self-aware. High emotional intelligence scores may help them perform better on the job and succeed in their careers, marriages, and parenting since they can delay gratification and not be overtaken by impulses. There are four abilities. Perceiving emotions- recognising them in faces, music, and stories. Understanding emotions – predicting them and how they may change and blend Managing emotions- know how to express them in varied situations Using emotions to enable adaptive and creative thinking. Creativity is the ability to produce ideas that are both novel and valuable. A score of over 120 on IQ supports creativity. Five components of creativity Sternberg (2003) ✓ Expertise – a well-developed base of ideas, images, and phrases. The more information we have, the more we can combine that information in novel ways. ✓ Imaginative thinking skills – the ability to see things in novel ways, recognise patterns and make connections. The ability to redefine and explore information. ✓ Venturesome personality – seeking new experiences, tolerates ambiguity and risk and preservers in overcoming obstacles. ✓ Intrinsic motivation is driven by interest and satisfaction, and external pressures cause challenges. Creative people focus less on extrinsic motivation. ✓ Creative environment – creative building environments spark support and refine ideas through support, team building, and communication. Assessment of Intelligence Intelligence testing assesses an individual’s mental aptitudes and compares them with others using numerical codes. Galton - was interested in measuring human traits. Building on Darwin's work, who proposed the idea of natural selection, that nature selects successful traits [survival of the fittest], Galton was curious whether it is possible to measure natural ability. He used reaction times to measure intelligence, but none of his data supported his hypothesis that faster reaction times equal higher intelligence.  PSYC 1001 Introduction to Psychology 3 Alfred Binet (1857-1911) -Developed the first intelligence test to measure the child’s mental age. Aims to identify children with special needs so that they can receive services, believed environmental factors affect intelligence. Binet assumed that all children would follow the same developmental pathway for intelligence. However, some would develop faster than others. Stern coined the term Intelligence Quotient or IQ. It is simply a person’s mental age divided by chronological age multiplied by 100 to remove the decimal point. Chronological Age (CA) E.g. MA (8) x 100 / CA (6) = IQ (133) Wechsler Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale IV (WAIS IV) Most widely used intelligence test Contains verbal and performance subsets Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV(WISC IV) Developed for school-aged children Consist of 10 subsets Achievement tests are tests designed to assess what a person has learned. E.g., Course examinations, CSEC, SEA Aptitude tests are designed to predict a person's future performance and learning capacity. WISC and WAIS measure the future learning potential. Requirements of Intelligence Tests ✓ Standardisation—individual score relative to a group presented on a bell-shaped curve. These tests are repeatedly standardised to be reflective of the population. Over time, intelligence test scores have increased, known as the Flynn effect. Why? Researchers have speculated improvement in nutrition, adapting to changing environments, education, and test changes. ✓ Reliability – the extent to which a test yields consistent results, as assessed by the consistency of scores (test-retest reliability) or two halves of the test (internal reliability (spilt-half method) or on alternative forms of the test (internal consistency). ✓ Validity – the extent to which a test measures or predicts what it should. Reliability does not ensure validity. Content validity is the extent to which test samples measure precisely what is of interest. Intelligence tests are expected to have predictive validity and predict the criterion of future performance. Intelligence – Genetics or Environmental Support for genetics/ innate Identical twins raised together have similar scores on IQ tests, but differences are observed for fraternal twins. They also share specific talents such as music, math, sports, etc. Identical twins have similar grey and white matter volumes, and areas associated with verbal and spatial intelligence are almost identical and similarly activated when doing mental tasks. Some genes seem to be associated with intelligence and learning disorders; however, intelligence appears to be polygenetic (involving many genes) Support for the environment  PSYC 1001 Introduction to Psychology 4 Environmental differences are predictive of intelligence scores. E.g., children of less educated parents may report lower intelligence scores. Adoption enhances intelligence scores of mistreated or neglected children as well as adoption from poverty to the middle class. "Virtual twin" persons who are the same age and grew up in the same environment seem to have similar IQ scores, indicating environment is a modest predictor of intelligence. Intellectual Disability A condition of limited mental ability, indicated by an intelligence test score of 70 or below and difficulty adapting to the elements of life. Someone diagnosed with an intellectual disability needs to meet two criteria. A score of 70 or less or unable to meet the demands of the following Mild - IQ of 50-70 Educable, Independent living, Self-supporting Moderate - IQ 35-49 Can work in workshops, Need supervision – assisted living arrangements such as group homes Severe IQ-20-34 Limited speech, very simple work, Very close supervision in all areas Profound IQ