LU 7: Intelligence

What is Intelligence

definitions

mental abilities that enable one to adapt to shape or select one's environment

ability to judge, to comprehend, and to reason

ability to understand and deal with people, objects and symbols

ability to act purposefully, think rationally and deal effectively with the environment

the psychometric approach (Spearman)

" g " factor; task measuring general intelligence might correlate because they are influenced by a single, underlying, unitary process

" s " abilities

fluid intelligence

crystallized intelligence

Gardner's theory (Howard Gardner's)-multiple intelligences

language, musical, logic and mathematical, spatial, kinesthetic, intrapersonal, interpersonal

Theories and Tests of Intelligence

IQ tests; Binet and Simon

The Stanford-Binet Test

The Wechsler tests; verbal and performance/non-verbal, each have 6 subscales, test profile of strengths and weaknesses to plan educational and other interventions

Raven's Progressive Matrices--culture-reduced tests

Evaluation of Intelligence Tests

The Standardization of IQ Tests; estimate likelihood of the occurrence of a score

The distribution of IQ Scores--normal distribution

a mean scores-100, standard deviations-15

scores fall more than 2 standard deviations units above-gifted

scores falling more more than 2 units below it- mentally retarded

the scores used to analyze strengths and weaknesses, design an educational program to meet the needs

restandardizations-The Flynn Effect

improved health and nutrition, better education, increased opportunity for visual-spatial stimulation, improved test-taking skills

Reliability

reliability coefficient range 0-1

close to 1- a person's score on two versions will be very similar

near 0- the score will vary randomly between administrations

Validity-content validity, internal structure

Utility--interpreting fluctuations

Are IQ Tests Biased

English-language IQ tests are biased against non-English speakers

unpleasant reality-average black students don't do as well in American schools as do students form other ethnic backgrounds

heredity and environment