Intelligence and Psychological Testing

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lecture on intelligence and psychological testing.

Psychological test

A standardized measure of a sample of a person’s behavior.

Standardization

Uniform procedures used in administering and scoring a test (includes a standardization sample and norm development).

Test norms

Information about where a score ranks in relation to other scores on the same test.

Percentile score

The percentage of people who score at or below the score you obtained.

Reliability

The consistency or stability of test scores across administrations or items.

Test-retest reliability

The correlation of scores from the same individuals on two administrations of the same test.

Internal consistency

Whether all items on a test measure the same underlying construct.

Validity

The extent to which a test measures what it is designed to measure.

Content validity

The degree to which test items represent the domain they are supposed to cover.

Face validity

A form of content validity; do the items appear to measure what they intend to measure?

Criterion-related validity

Correlation between test scores and an independent criterion measure of the trait.

Construct validity

Whether test scores relate to other measures as theory predicts (e.g., IQ vs. grades).

IQ (intelligence quotient)

A standardized score calculated as IQ = MA/CA × 100.

Mental age (MA)

A measure of intellectual development based on age-graded problem solving.

Chronological age (CA)

A person’s actual age in years.

Binet

Originator of early intelligence testing; introduced mental age concept.

Stanford-Binet

Lewis Terman’s revision of Binet; popularized IQ scoring.

Wechsler scales

IQ tests for different ages with separate Verbal and Performance (nonverbal) components.

WAIS

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale; provides Verbal IQ and Performance IQ.

WISC

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children.

WPPSI

Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence.

Verbal IQ

IQ derived from verbal subtests on Wechsler scales.

Performance IQ

IQ derived from nonverbal/subtest performance on Wechsler scales.

Subtests (Wechsler examples)

Verbal: Information, Comprehension, Arithmetic, Similarities, Digit Span, Vocabulary; Performance: Block Design, Picture Completion, Digit Symbol, etc.

Normal distribution

A bell-shaped distribution with a mean of 100 and SD of 15 for IQ scores.

Deviation IQ

IQ scores placed within the normal distribution using the standard deviation as the unit.

Flynn effect

Observed rise in IQ scores over time due to environmental factors like education and nutrition.

Heritability

The extent to which variation in a trait is due to genetic factors.

Twin studies

Research comparing identical vs fraternal twins to estimate genetic influence.

Adoption studies

Research comparing IQ similarity to biological vs adoptive parents.

Reaction range

Genetically determined range of potential IQ; environment determines where within that range one scores.

HOME inventory

Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment; assesses intellectual stimulation at home.

SES

Socioeconomic status; related to IQ differences across groups.

Group tests

Tests administered to groups (e.g., SAT, ACT) for efficiency.

Bayley Scales of Infant Development

Assess infant development across motor and mental scales; yields Developmental Quotient (DQ).

Crystallized intelligence

Knowledge-based ability derived from schooling and culture.

Fluid intelligence

Problem-solving ability independent of acquired knowledge; culture-fair to an extent.

Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory

Three components: contextual (practical), experiential (automatization), and componential (analytical).

Gardner’s eight intelligences

Multiple intelligences: logical-mathematical, linguistic, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalist.

Emotional intelligence

Ability to perceive, use, understand, and regulate emotions; related to effective emotion management.

Stereotype threat

Risk that confirming negative stereotypes impairs performance on tests.

Raven’s Progressive Matrices

Culture-fair nonverbal test of abstract reasoning.

Intellectual disability

Subaverage general mental ability with adaptive deficits, originating before age 18; IQ below 70.

Mild/moderate/severe/profound

IQ ranges with corresponding levels of adaptive functioning impairment.

Organic vs environmental origins of MR

MR may be caused by biological factors (organic) or environmental factors.

Giftedness

IQ typically above 130; often socially mature and high achievers but not necessarily genius.

Abecedarian Project

Early intervention program starting in infancy; long-term IQ and achievement benefits.

Group differences in IQ (mean trends)

Lower SES and minority status often associated with lower group mean IQ scores.

Crystallized vs fluid dichotomy

Crystallized: knowledge from culture; Fluid: problem-solving ability independent of knowledge.

G factor (Spearman)

General intelligence factor that influences performance across many cognitive tasks.

S (specific abilities)

Particular abilities that contribute to performance on specific tasks.

Stereotype bias in testing

Bias in tests due to cultural/linguistic biases; culture-fair tests aim to reduce this.