Thinking, Language, and Intelligence Lecture Notes

Flashcards covering vocabulary related to intelligence theories, psychometric testing, problem-solving strategies, and the characteristics of language.

Intelligence

The global capacity to think rationally, act purposefully, and deal effectively with the environment.

Alfred Binet

The researcher associated with measuring intelligence through mental age, chronological age, and the development of the IQ comparison for similar age groups.

Fluid intelligence

Intelligence that reflects the ability to reason abstractly.

Crystallized intelligence

The accumulation of information, skills, and strategies that people learn through experience.

Analytic intelligence

According to Robert Sternberg, the mental processes used in learning how to solve problems.

Creative intelligence

According to Robert Sternberg, the ability to deal with novel situations by drawing on existing skills and knowledge.

Practical intelligence

The ability to adapt to the environment, often referred to as "street smarts."

"g" factor

Charles Spearman's concept from the General 2 Factor Theory of Intelligence.

Triarchic theory

Robert Sternberg's theory of intelligence that includes three components: Analytical, Creative, and Practical.

Multiple Intelligence Theory

A theory developed by Howard Gardner proposing that human intelligence is differentiated into specific independent forms rather than a single general ability.

Linguistic intelligence

Characterized as "word smart," it involves the adept use of language and is seen in poets, writers, and public speakers.

Logical-mathematical intelligence

Characterized as "number/reasoning smart," it involves logical, mathematical, and scientific ability.

Musical intelligence

Characterized as "music smart," it involves the ability to create, synthesize, or perform music.

Spatial intelligence

Characterized as "picture smart," it is the ability to mentally visualize the relationships of objects or movements.

Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence

Characterized as "body smart," it involves the control of bodily motions and the capacity to handle objects skillfully.

Interpersonal intelligence

Characterized as "people smart," it involves the understanding of other people's emotions, motives, and intentions.

Intrapersonal intelligence

Characterized as "self smart," it involves the understanding of one's own emotions, motives, and intentions.

Naturalistic intelligence

Characterized as "nature smart," it is the ability to discern patterns in nature, often seen in ecologists and zoologists.

Existential intelligence

A form of intelligence concerned with the inner life of the mind, body, and soul, often related to spiritual leadership.

Emotional intelligence

Intelligence that provides an understanding of what other people are feeling and experiencing, permitting appropriate responses to their needs.

Psychometric Testing

Also known as psychological tests, these are standardized instruments used to measure behaviors or mental attributes like intelligence, aptitude, and personality.

Achievement test

A type of test designed to measure the level of knowledge, skill, or accomplishment in a particular area.

Aptitude test

A type of test designed to measure the capability to benefit from education or training, such as the RAADS-R scale for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Interest test

A test that measures self-reported vocational interests and skills, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

WAIS-IV

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, a modern intelligence test designed for adults.

Standardized

A quality of a good test where it is administered to large groups under uniform conditions to establish norms.

Reliable

The ability of a test to produce consistent results when administered on repeated occasions under similar conditions.

Valid

The ability of a test to measure what it is intended to measure.

Average IQ

A standard score interpretation range of $90 - 109$.

Cognition

The mental activities involved in acquiring, retaining, and using knowledge.

Thinking

The manipulation of mental representations to draw inferences and conclusions.

Mental image

A representation of objects or events that are not present.

Prototypes

Typical, highly representative examples of a concept, such as a chair being a prototype for furniture.

Functional fixedness

A type of mental set involving the inability to see an object as having a function other than its usual one.

Mental set

A well-established habit of perception or thought that can act as an impediment to problem solving.

Single feature model

A decision-making strategy where a person makes a decision by focusing on only one feature.

Additive model

A decision-making strategy where important features of each alternative are systematically evaluated.

Elimination-by-aspects

A decision-making strategy where choices are rated based on features and eliminated if they do not meet desired criteria.

Confirmation bias

A personal bias that acts as an impediment to problem solving by seeking only information that confirms one's beliefs.

Generativity

A characteristic of language meaning it is creative and can generate an infinite number of new and different phrases.

Displacement

A characteristic of language that allows it to communicate about ideas, objects, and activities that are not physically present.