Observational learning + intelligence

Observational learning

Observational learning occurs when an organism’s responding is influenced by the observation of others, who are called models.

four key processes in observational learning

Bandura identified four key processes that are crucial in observational learning.The first two—attention and retention—highlight the importance of cognition in thistype of learning:

Attention. To learn through observation, you must pay attention to another person’s

behavior and its consequences.

• Retention. You may not have occasion to use an observed response for weeks, months,

or even years. Thus, you must store a mental representation of what you have witnessed

in your memory.

• Reproduction. Enacting a modeled response depends on your ability to reproduce the

response by converting your stored mental images into overt behavior.

. Finally, you are unlikely to reproduce an observed response unless you are

motivated to do so. Your motivation depends on whether you encounter a situation in

which you believe the response is likely to pay off for you.

mental age

Mental age is a measure of a person's cognitive ability compared to the average ability of others at different ages. It was first introduced by Alfred Binet in intelligence testing.

• used to calculate IQ

IQ

IQ (Intelligence Quotient) is a score used to measure a person's intellectual ability compared to others. It is typically calculated based on standardized intelligence tests.

An intelligence quotient (IQ) is a child’s mental age divided by chronological age, multiplied by 100.

WAIS

The WAIS (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale) is an intelligence test designed to measure the cognitive abilities of adults

Normal distributions and deviations

• The normal distribution is a bell-shaped curve used to represent how characteristics (like IQ scores) are spread out in a population. Most people’s scores are near the average (center), and fewer people have very high or low scores.

  In terms of IQ:

  • The mean (average) IQ is set at 100.

  • The standard deviation (SD) is 15.

    .

  A deviation IQ score shows where a person stands in comparison to others based on this normal distribution, not how many questions they answered correctly. For example:

  • A score of 115 means the person is 1 SD above average.

  • A score of 85 means the person is 1 SD below average.

  • A score of 100 means they are average.

reliability

Reliability refers to how consistent a test is in measuring something over time. A reliable test gives similar results when taken multiple times. For IQ tests, reliability is high, with correlation scores often in the .90s, which means the results are very consistent. However, factors like motivation or anxiety can sometimes affect the score, making it unrepresentative of a person's true abilities on a specific test day. Despite this, IQ tests are still considered exceptionally reliable, but scores should be interpreted carefully.

validity

Validity refers to whether a test actually measures what it’s meant to measure. Even if a test is reliable (gives consistent results), it can still be invalid if it doesn't measure what it's supposed to.

For example, IQ tests are good at measuring intelligence needed for school performance, but they may not fully capture other types of intelligence, like practical or social intelligence.

While IQ tests are valid for predicting academic performance, they are limited to measuring a narrow, academic type of intelligence, not all the different kinds people might think of when they hear "intelligence."

vocational success

Vocational success refers to achieving success in one's career or job.

people with higher IQs are more likely to have higher-status jobs and better job performance. However, the relationship is moderate—meaning that while IQ can help, it's not the only factor in career success.