Intelligence Tests

Psychometric

the scientific study of the measure of human abilities, attitudes and traits

standardization

two-part test development procedure 

1. Establishes test norms from the test results of the larger representative sample

2. Ensures that the test is both administered and scored uniformly for all test takers 

Norms:

Each test taker completes the test under the same conditions as all other participants in the sample group 

• Norm-referenced test to compare sample group of test takers to entire population taking the test 

normal curve

the 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 extreme

Flynn Effect

IQ scores have been rising worldwide 

reliability

the tendency of a test to produce the same scores again and again each time it is given to the same people 

Test-retest reliability

• *Best for intelligence, administering a test twice at two different points in time

Spilt- Half reliability

• Comparing the results of one half of a test with the results from the other half

assesses the internal consistency of a test by comparing scores from two halves of the test.

Validity:

the degree in which a test actually measure what is supposed to measure

Content validity

test measures all aspects of what it is designed to measure

tools overall value

Construct Validity

how much a test measures a concept or trait

quality

Predictive validity

test accurately predicts the behavior it is designed to predict

cross-sectional study

research that compares people of different ages at the same point in time

longitudinal study

research that follows and retests the same people over time

cohort

a group of people sharing a common characteristic, such as being from a given time period

heritability

refers to why people in a group differ from one another

how much their differences are attributed to their differing genes

growth mindset

a focus on learning and growing rather than viewing abilities as fixed

fixed mindset

the view that intelligence, abilities and talent are unchangeable , even with effort

stereotype threat

a self-confirming concern that one will evaluated based on a negative stereotype

undermine their performance

girls

on average better spellers, more verbally fluent, better at reading and locating objects, detecting emotions and more sensitive to touch, taste and color

boys

better spatial ability and complex mathematics, boys and girls hardly differ at math performance

out number girls in both low and high extremes

intelligence is polygenetic

influence by many genes

eugenics movement

used to inappropriately discriminate against specific groups