PSYC1200 Chapter 2: Intelligence

Intelligence

the ability to learn from experience, using knowledge to adapt, and solve problems

Intelligence Test

an assesment to determine one’s mental aptitudes relative to others, devised by Alfred Binet

Artificial Intelligence

A mix of cognitive psyc. and comp-sci, programming systems to mimic human thought processes like reasoning, learning, and language.

Computer Neural Networks

Network of computers that mimic the brain’s interconnected cells.

Mental Age

A concept developed by Binet that connects one’s intellectual age to their chronological age. If your score reflects that of an 8 year old, you are mentally 8 years old with a physical age of __.

Stanford-Binet

Widely used American revision of Binet’s IQ test, but expanded to older ages and revised by Terman at Stanford.

Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

the ratio of mental age to chronological age, IQ= (MA/CA) x 100 = Mean

Main problem with IQ tests

used to screen immigrants, making them seem inferior to Angelo-Saxon heritage by masking discrimminatory ideology with science

Angelo-Saxon Heritage

White, Northern European descent 

2 Controversies on Intelligence

Single or several abilities? Can we locate/measure intelligence with modern neuroscience tools?

Factor Analysis

a statistical method that identifies clusters of related items(factors) on a test ie: grouping 100 songs based on genre (rape, r&b, kpop)

General intelligence

Factor that spearment and others believed underlines specific mental abilities ie: if youre good at subject A, youre likely to be good at subjects B and C

Savant Syndrome

One that’s limited in mental ability, but really excels at a specific skill

Social Intelligence

Excels in comprehending and managing various social situations,

Emotional Intelligence

The ability to percieve, understand, and manage emotions from others and themselves.

Creativity

the ability to produce novel ideas. involves expertise and imaginative thinking.

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)

a widely used intelligence test that was modeled after Binet’s original with verbal and performance subtests

WISC-III

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children

WAIS-III

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults

Verbal skills

general trivia, arithmetic, vocabulary, comprehension

Performative Skills

Picture completion, object assembly, block design

What do IQ Tests Measure?

Speed/Span of Working Memory and Brain Function

Aptitude Test

A test designed to predict one’s future performance, measures the capacity to learn

Achievement Test

A test designed to assess what material has been learned

Standardization

Defining meaningful scores by comparing them with the “standardized group”

Normal Curve

Symmetrical Bell Shaped Curve That Describes the Distribution of different traits, including intelligence.

Reliability

the extent as to how reproduceable results are

Validity

the extent to which a test predicts what it’s supposed to. ie: measures the correct attribute or behavior.

Content Validity

the extent to which a test measures/predicts waht it’s supposed toacross all relevant areas of the subject matter.

Criterion

behaviour (college grades) that a test (SAT) is designed to predict

Predicted Validity

the assessment of how well a test applies to real world situations

Mental retardation

limited mental capacity with an IQ below 70. struggles with adapting to daily life.

Down Syndrome

mental retardation associated with physical deformities due to an extra chromosome.