Cognition Unit AP Psychology

Achievement Tests

Are intended to reflect what you have already learned – current level of knowledge.

Aptitude Tests

Are intended to predict your ability to learn a new skill – how well you could do.

Standardization

Test items piloted on a similar population of people and “norms” have been established.

Reliability

A test is reliable when it yields consistent results.

Validity

Validity of a test refers to what the test is supposed to measure or predict.

Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence

The capacity to use language to express what’s on your mind and to understand other people.

Logistical/Mathematical Intelligence

The ability to understand the underlying principles of some kind of causal system.

Visual/Spatial

The ability to present the spatial world internally in your mind.

Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence

The capacity to think in music, to be able to hear patterns, recognize them, and perhaps manipulate them.

Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence

The capacity to use your whole or parts of your body, to solve a problem, make something, or put on a production.

Naturalist Intelligence

The ability to discriminate among living things as well as sensitivity to other features of the natural world.

Intrapersonal Intelligence

Having an understanding of yourself, of knowing who you are, what you can do, etc.

Interpersonal Intelligence

The ability to understand other people.

Existential Intelligence

To exhibit the proclivity to pose and ponder questions about life, death and ultimate realities.

Savant Syndrome

When someone has an extremely high ability in one specific area accompanied by significant delays or deficits in other areas of intelligence, serving as evidence for the idea of multiple intelligences.

Analytical Intelligence

Assessed by intelligence tests.

Creative Intelligence

Intelligence that makes us adapt to novel situations, generating novel ideas.

Practical Intelligence

Intelligence required for everyday tasks (e.g. street smart).

Crystallized Intelligence

Think of it as knowledge for “hard” facts. The accumulation of knowledge, facts, and skills that are acquired throughout life.

Fluid Intelligence

Ability to decipher information and make decisions (especially in new situations), which is more difficult at an old age, so it decreases as we age (past middle adulthood).

Flynn Effect

The trend of increasing intelligence scores as time passes.

Stereotype Threat

Stereotype threat is when a person feels at risk of conforming to negative stereotypes about his or her race, gender, or cultural group.