AP psychology 2.8 (intelligence & achievement)

Memory war

 whether traumatic experiences are repressed & can later be recovered.

Gender war

to what extent does nature or nurture shape the behaviors of men & women.

intelligence war

do each of us have an inborn general mental capacity (intelligence)? And how we measure intelligence without bias?

intelligence (in all cultures)

is the ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use our knowledge to adapt to new situations

In Research Studies

 intelligence is whatever the intelligence test measures. This tends to be “school smarts.

Conceptual Difficulties

Psychologists believe that intelligence is a concept and not a thing.

General Intelligence

the concept that intelligence is a single, overarching cognitive ability that influences performance across various intellectual tasks.

Spearman

 proposed that general intelligence (g) is linked to many clusters that can be analyzed by factor analysis

fluid Intelligence:

involves the ability to reason and think flexibly

Crystallized Intelligence

refers to the accumulation of knowledge, facts, & skills required throughout life

Multiple Intelligences

proposed by Howard Gardner in 1983- challenges the notion of a SINGLE general intelligence.

Linguistic Intelligence

sensitivity to spoken & written languages, ability to learn languages, & capacity to use language to achieve goals

Logical-Mathematical Intelligence

ability to analyze problems logically, carry out mathematical operations, & investigate issues scientifically

Musical Intelligence

skill in performance, composition, & appreciation for musical patterns

Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence

using one’s whole body or parts of the body to solve problems or create products

Spatial Intelligence:

 capacity to think in three dimensions, such as mental imagery, spatial reasoning, and image manipulation

Interpersonal Intelligence

ability to understand & interact effectively with others

Intrapersonal Intelligence

capacity to understand oneself & use such knowledge effectively

Naturalistic Intelligence

 ability to recognize & categorize plants, animals, and other aspects of nature

Savant Syndrome:

a rare condition in which persons with various developmental disorders, including autistic disorder, have an amazing ability or talent

Emotional Intelligence

is the ability to perceive, understand, and use emotions

Assessing Intelligence

Psychologists define intelligence testing as a method for assessing an individual’s mental aptitudes and comparing them with others using numerical scores.

Perceive emotion

Recognize emotions in faces, music and stories

Understand emotion

Predict emotions, how they change and blend

Manage emotion

Express emotions in different situations

use emotions

Utilize emotions to adapt or be creative

Mental Age

the level of performance typically associated with a certain chronological age

Aptitude Tests

are intended to PREDICT your ability to learn a new skill.

Achievement Tests

are intended to REFLECT what you have already learned

Psychometric Assessments 

Are standardized tests designed to measure psychological constructs such as intelligence, personality, aptitude, and achievement. 

Principles of Test Construction 

For a psychological test to be acceptable it must fulfill the following three criteria: standardization, reliability, and validity

Standardization 

administering the test to a representative sample of future test takers in order to establish a basis for meaningful comparison. 

Normal Curve  

Standardized tests establish a normal distribution of scores on a tested population in a bell-shaped pattern called a normal curve. The highest point of the curve is the ‘average’- in testing that is always set to 100.

Reliability 

it yields consistent results (no matter WHO takes it). To establish reliability researchers implement the following procedures

Split-half reliability

dividing the test into 2 equal halves (odd/even) and assessing how consistent the scores are.

Reliability Using Different Tests

 using different forms (versions) of the test to measure consistency between them.

Test-Retest Reliability

 using the same test on two occasions with the same group of people to measure consistency.

Validity

Reliability of a test does NOT ensure validity. Validity of a test refers to what the test is supposed to measure or predict. It measures accuracy.

Content Validity

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

Construct Validity

measures how well a test measure the concept it was designed to measure.

Predictive Validity

 the success with which a test predicts the behavior it is designed to predict (Intelligence Test).

Potential Inequity 

Refers to the unequal distribution of opportunities, resources, or outcomes based on factors such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, or other characteristics.