07. Individual and Group Differences in Cognitive Ability

Intellectual Disabilities

Significant limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviors that affect daily life.

Learning Disabilities

Specific difficulties in academic skills despite normal intelligence, often requiring specialized teaching.

Mental Giftedness

Exceptional intellectual abilities or talents that require enrichment or acceleration for development.

Creativity

The ability to produce original and valuable ideas, linked to divergent thinking.

Adaptive Behaviors

Skills necessary for daily living such as communication, social skills, and self-care.

Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales

A standardized measure used to assess adaptive behaviors.

IQ Cut-off Score for Intellectual Disability

Typically set at 70 or 75, indicating significant intellectual limitations.

Mild Intellectual Disability

Characteristic of individuals with IQs between 50-70 who can live independently with minimal support.

Severe Intellectual Disability

For individuals with IQs between 20-34; they require close supervision for very simple tasks.

PKU (Phenylketonuria)

A genetic disorder that can be detected early and treated to prevent further damage.

Prenatal Environmental Factors

Factors like toxins or infections during pregnancy that may lead to learning disabilities.

Specific Learning Disabilities (LD)

Learning difficulties that occur despite normal cognitive ability, affecting academic performance.

Intelligence Tests

Tests commonly used to assess intellectual functioning and diagnose intellectual disabilities.

Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

A plan tailored to meet the educational needs of students with disabilities.

Cause of Learning Disabilities

Lack Motivation, Emotional Problems

Terman's Longitudinal Study

A study tracking gifted individuals to assess their life outcomes and achievements.

Convergent Thinking

A thought process focused on finding a single, correct answer to a problem.

Divergent Thinking

A thought process that generates multiple solutions or ideas for a problem.

Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking

A standardized test measure assessing creativity through open-ended problem-solving.

Family Size and Birth Order

Factors that can influence IQ, with firstborns generally performing better due to more parental attention.

Socioeconomic Status (SES)

A factor positively correlated with IQ, affecting access to educational resources.

Pygmalion Effect

The phenomenon where higher expectations from teachers lead to improved student performance.

Emotional Challenges in Gifted Children

Feelings of isolation and heightened sensitivity often faced by gifted individuals.

Critiques of Terman’s Giftedness Studies

Concerns over sample bias, academic overemphasis, and narrow definitions of intelligence.

Heredity in Intelligence

The genetic component of IQ, influenced significantly by environmental factors.

Cognitive Decline Prevention

Early treatment for metabolic disorders aims to prevent declines in cognitive abilities.

Childhood Learning Strategies

Educational approaches tailored to meet the needs of gifted children.

Neurodevelopmental Factors

Conditions affecting learning disabilities stemming from prenatal or postnatal influences.

Emotional Intelligence

An aspect of intelligence not adequately captured by traditional IQ tests.

Research on Intelligence Influencing Factors

Studies exploring how factors like environment, culture, and race impact IQ scores.

Educational Strategies for Gifted Children

Includes early admission, acceleration, advanced classes, and mentoring to nurture talent.

Specific Learning Disabilities occur

when cognitive abilities and academic achievements don’t align

Causes of learning disabilities

Neurological Conditions (Substance use, low birthweight), Postnatal Factors (Diabetes, Manengitis)