AP Psych Unit 7 Intelligence

Flashcards for reviewing key concepts from a Psychology AP lecture on Testing and Individual Differences.

Controversy

Does each of us have an inborn general mental capacity (intelligence), and can we quantify this capacity as a meaningful number? For example, deciding whether someone is naturally gifted in problem-solving.

Intelligence

A general intelligence factor underlies specific mental abilities and is measured by every task on an intelligence test. For example, excelling in both math and verbal tests due to high g.

Analysis

A statistical procedure that identifies clusters of related items (called factors) on a test. For example, grouping vocabulary and reading comprehension questions together on a verbal ability test.

Savant

A condition in which a person otherwise limited in mental ability has an exceptional specific skill. For example, being able to calculate complex math problems in your head, but being limited in communications skills.

Intelligences

Linguistic, Logical-mathematical, Musical, Spatial, Bodily-kinesthetic, Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Naturalist. For example, a botanist having naturalist intelligence.

Grit

Passion and perseverance in the pursuit of long-term goals. For example, continuing to practice the violin for many hours a day.

Intelligences

Analytical (academic problem-solving intelligence), Creating intelligence, Practical intelligence. For example, using common sense when fixing a car.

Components

Perceive emotions, Understand emotions, Manage emotions, Use emotions for adaptive or creative thinking. For example, knowing when to comfort someone.

Intelligence

The ability to perceive, understand, manage, and use emotions. For example, being able to tell what emotions someone is feeling by looking at their face.

Testing

Reaction time, sensory acuity, muscular power, and body proportions. For example, measuring hand strength to determine intelligence.

Binet

He identified French school children in need of assistance; he also introduced the concept of mental age. For example, creating a test to see if students needed help with Math.

Age

A measure of intelligence test performance devised by Binet; the chronological age that most typically corresponds to a given level of performance. For example, if an 8 year old can do what a 10 year old is capable of, then the 8 year old, has a mental age of 10.

Terman

He revised Binet's original intelligence test; this revision is known as the Stanford-Binet Test. For example, his updated version of the test became the standard in the United States.

Stanford-Binet

The widely used American revision (by Terman at Stanford University) of Binet's original intelligence test. For example, a test used to see if students qualified for advanced learning courses.

Quotient

Defined originally as the ratio of mental age (ma) to chronological age (ca) multiplied by 100 (thus, IQ=ma/ca \times 100). On contemporary intelligence tests, the average performance for a given age is assigned a score of 100, with scores assigned to relative performance above or below average. For example, a child with a mental age of 12 and chronological age of 10 would have an IQ of 120.

Achievement

Tests designed to assess what a person has learned. For example, a math exam that is given after a math class.

Aptitude

Tests designed to predict a person's future performance; aptitude is the capacity to learn. For example, a musical test designed to see if someone will be successful in music.

WAIS

The WAIS is the most widely used intelligence test; contains verbal and performance (nonverbal) subtests. For example, this test is used to measure the cognitive ability of adults and older adolescents.

Standardization

Defining uniform testing procedures and meaningful scores by comparison with the performance of a pretested group. For example, giving the test to a large number of people, and using it to determine a baseline.

Curve

A symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many physical and psychological attributes. Most scores fall near the average, and fewer and fewer scores lie near the extremes. For example, the peak of this curve represents the most common score on a test.

Reliability

The extent to which a test yields consistent results, as assessed by the consistency of scores on two halves of the test, on alternate forms of the test or on retesting. For example, a scale measuring someone's weight by saying they weight 100 lbs, then 250 lbs, then 130lbs.

Validity

The extent to which a test measures or predicts what it is supposed to. For example, a measuring tape that accurately measures the height of a door.

Content

The extent to which a test samples the behavior that is of interest. For example, a vocabulary test for students learning Greek by only quizzing them on words from the chapter that they have just learned.

Predictive

The success with which a test predicts the behavior it is designed to predict; it is assessed by computing the correlation between test scores and the criterion behavior (also called criterion-related validity). For example, SAT scores being useful in predicting college GPA.

Cohort

A group of people from a given time period. For example, all living people born in 1999.

Intelligence

Our accumulated knowledge and verbal skills; tends to increase with age. For example, knowing more vocabulary words as you get older.

Intelligence

Our ability to reason speedily and abstractly; tends to decrease during late adulthood. For example, solving puzzles becoming harder as you age.

Disability

A condition of limited mental ability, indicated by an intelligence score of 70 or below and difficulty in adapting to the demands of life. Formerly referred to as mental retardation. For example, someone with an IQ of 60 having difficulty performing basic life skills.

Syndrome

A condition of mild to severe intellectual disability and associated physical disorders caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21. For example, someone with limited cognitive and physical abilities due to genetics

Define Heritability

The proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute