PSY 202 – Week 2 - Intelligence Testing PDF

PSY 202 –Introduction to Psychology Week 2: Intelligence Testing September 12, 2023 Testing Intelligence  How would you measure and test intelligence? Can we just ask people if they are smart? How can we measure No! Self-reported intelligen...

PSY 202 –Introduction to Psychology Week 2: Intelligence Testing September 12, 2023 Testing Intelligence  How would you measure and test intelligence? Can we just ask people if they are smart? How can we measure No! Self-reported intelligence correlates weakly with objective tests intelligence? 93% of people think they are better drivers than average 90% of teachers think they are better than their peers 65% of people think they are above average intelligence! Dunning-Kruger Effect Dunning-Kruger effect people with poor cognitive ability overestimate their own cognitive ability AND have inflated confidence in it “the double curse of incompetence”  The Stanford-Binet test was developed in 1916 Remains in use today (5th edition) Measuring Compares intelligence to population norms intelligence Adaptive – use items appropriate for that developmental level  Mental Age Intelligence Quotient Chronological Age × 100 = IQ Stern proposed the intelligence quotient (IQ) The equation works with children up to ~16 years For adults, use deviation IQ - - raw score is compared to normal population Average IQ = 100 68% of people fall between 85 and 115 95% fall between 70 and 130 IQ Testing: WAIS-IV Most commonly used IQ test for adults is the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), which gives 5 scores: Overall IQ Verbal comprehension Perceptual reasoning Working memory Processing speed WAIS-IV subtests Vocabulary: Tests ability to define increasingly difficult words, up to 30 words. Reflects language development, language skills, ability to use words appropriately, memory retrieval Similarities: Tests ability to see how objects or concepts are related. Measures abstract thinking, concept formation, and verbal reasoning. WAIS-IV subtests Information: tests general knowledge and education, intellectual curiosity, education, memory and retrieval Comprehension: tests understanding of social conventions and ability to evaluate past experience WAIS-IV - Subtests Arithmetic: tests arithmetic reasoning though verbal problems. Measures calculation skills, problem-solving skills, mental manipulation of numbers, working memory. Digit span: tests attention and rote memory by orally presenting a series of digits to be repeated backward and forward. Measures auditory recall, short term memory and working memory. WAIS-IV Subscales Picture completion: Tests visual alertness and memory by presenting an incompletely drawn figure. Missing part must be named and identified. Block design: Tests ability to perceive and analyze patterns presenting designs that must be copied with blocks. WAIS-IV subtests Figure weights: Tests ability to reason logically about numbers, quantitative reasoning. Visual puzzle: Tests ability to organize parts of a figure into a larger spatial array Digit symbol: timed coding tasks in which numbers are associated with shapes Culturally-fair IQ tests? Some IQ tests attempt to be fair and unbiased toward certain cultures/groups Raven’s Progressive Matrices – good example of culturally fair test  Eugenics Movement Eugenics: “good genes” – belief that those with ‘good genes’ should reproduce; those with ‘bad genes’ should not (sterilized, excluded) Positive eugenics vs negative eugenics University and Post- Secondary Admissions Tests Standardized tests are common practice for university admissions (e.g., SAT, LSAT, GRE) SAT scores correlate with IQ (r = 0.7 - 0.8) SAT predicts academic success better for privileged groups, may just be an indirect measure of opportunity and wealth Reliability and Validity of IQ scores Reliability: how consistent are scores across time? In adults, IQ scores show good reliability (r = 0.9 week to week, r = 0.7 from childhood to late adulthood) Validity: do IQ tests really measure intelligence? Relation to success in school, work, health Giftedness Refers to the top 2% of IQ scores Terman’s study of intelligent children (“Termites”) over lifespan – burnout and illness? What makes a genius? Genetic factors play a role, but so do practice and dedication Genes & Intelligence Family studies confirm that IQ runs in families Twin studies show identical twin correlations of 0.7 to 0.8, fraternal of 0.3 to 0.4. Environmental factors may override genetics (some environments may trigger or suppress gene activation) Environmental Influences Enrichment/education Poverty/deprivation Exposure to toxins Nutrition Abuse and Trauma Other forms of intelligence Creativity and Emotional Intelligence Creativity  Emotional intelligence: the ability to understand our own and others’ emotions Emotional Intelligence Is this intelligence? Personality? Empathy? Different forms of emotional intelligence Future Directions of Intelligence Research Other concepts have been proposed as equally/more important: Grit/resilience – may be more predictive of success than raw IQ Wisdom – the application of intelligence toward a common good