Intelligence

g theory or multiple abilities

posits a single, pervasive cognitive ability factor, or "g factor," that influences performance on all intellectual tasks, rather than a collection of multiple, independent abilities

Fluid intelligence

our ability to reason speedily and abstractly; tends to decrease with age, especially during late adulthood. 

crystallized intelligence

our accumulated knowledge and verbal skills; tends to increase with age.

IQ

defined originally as the ratio of mental age (ma) to chronological age (ca) multiplied by 100 (thus, IQ = ma/ca × 100). On contemporary intelligence tests, the average performance for a given age is assigned a score of 100.

mental age

a measure of intelligence test performance devised by Binet; the level of performance typically associated with children of a certain chronological age. Thus, a child who does as well as an average 8-year-old is said to have a mental age of 8.

Modern uses of IQ tests for identifying students in need of educational services

revealing gaps between high potential (IQ score) and lower achievement (academic scores) for learning disabilities, or by pinpointing specific cognitive strengths/weaknesses (like memory, processing) to tailor IEPs for learning disabilities, ADHD, or giftedness,

Standardization

defining uniform testing procedures and meaningful scores by comparison with the performance of a pretested group.

Norming

the process of creating a reference group to standardize a test (establishing norms for comparison

Percentile rank

the percentage of scores that are lower than a given score.

Reliability

the consistency of a measurement, meaning it produces the same results each time it is used under the same conditions.

Validity

the accuracy of a measurement, or how well it measures what it is supposed to measure. 

Construct validity

the extent to which a measurement tool accurately measures the theoretical concept it is designed to assess

Predictive validity

the success with which a test predicts the behavior it is designed to predict; it is assessed by computing the correlation between test scores and the criterion behavior. (Also called criterion-related validity.)

Test-retest reliability

the extent to which a measure produces consistent results when administered to the same individuals at different points in time

Split -half reliability

a measure of internal consistency in psychology that assesses how well different items on a test that measures the same construct produce similar results

Factor analysis

a statistical procedure that identifies clusters of related items (called factors) on a test; used to identify different dimensions of performance that underlie a person’s total score.

Stereotype threat

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

Stereotype lift

a psychological phenomenon where individuals from a non-stereotyped group experience a performance boost after being exposed to a negative stereotype about another group

Flynn effect

the rise in intelligence test performance over time and across cultures.

within-group variation

refers to the range of differences in IQ scores observed among individuals within a single, specific group.

Between-group variation

refers to the differences in the average IQ scores observed between two or more distinct groups being compared. 

Discriminatory uses of intelligence testing

the biased application of these tests to unfairly disadvantage certain groups, a problem rooted in both the tests' content and the historical and social contexts in which they are used

Achievement tests

a test designed to assess what a person has learned. 

aptitude tests

a test designed to predict a person’s future performance; aptitude is the capacity to learn.

Growth mindset

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

fixed mindset

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

Gardner’s MI

intelligence not as a single, general ability, but as several distinct, independent intelligences, challenging the idea of a single IQ score by proposing different ways to be "smart," including Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical, Spatial, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Musical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, and Naturalistic

Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory

defines intelligence as three distinct, yet interconnected, abilities: analytical, creative, and practical

Emotional intelligence

the ability to perceive, understand, manage, and use your own emotions as well as recognize and influence the emotions of others

Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales

• Focus: Broad age range (2-85+), assesses five factors: Fluid Reasoning, Knowledge, Quantitative Reasoning, Visual-Spatial Processing, Working Memory.

• History: Evolved from the Binet-Simon scale, adapted by Lewis Terman at Stanford.

Wechsler Intelligence Scales (David Wechsler)

• WAIS (Adult Intelligence Scale): For adults (16+), provides scores in Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, Working Memory, Processing Speed.

• WISC (Children's Intelligence Scale): For children (6-16).

• WPPSI (Preschool & Primary Scale): For younger children.

• WASI (Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence): A shorter version for quicker screening

Intellectual disability

limitations in both intellectual functioning (reasoning, learning, problem-solving) and adaptive behavior (practical, social, and conceptual skills for daily living)

Gifted

a state of having a great amount of natural ability, talent, or intelligence

Savant

an individual with a significant intellectual or developmental disability (such as autism) who also demonstrates exceptionally advanced cognitive skills in specific areas like memory, music, art, or calculation.

Heritability

a statistical measure that estimates the proportion of phenotypic variation in a population that is attributable to genetic variation among individuals.

Criterion validity

the extent to which a psychological test or measure accurately predicts or correlates with an external, established criterion or outcome.

Face validity

the degree to which a test or research instrument appears to measure what it is intended to measure, based on subjective judgment.

Content validity

the extent to which a test samples the behavior that is of interest.

Equivalent form reliability

a psychometric measure that assesses the consistency of two different versions of the same test. 

Interrater reliability

the degree of agreement or consistency between two or more observers who are rating the same phenomenon. 

Intrarater reliability

the consistency of a single rater's scores over multiple instances or observations of the same phenomenon. 

Terman’s longitudinal study on intelligence

a long-term research project, beginning in 1922, that followed a group of gifted children throughout their lives to understand the factors contributing to intellectual and life success.