Testing and Individual Differences

Intelligence and how it is tested/differs in people

Intelligence

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

General Intelligence

all mental abilities

Factor Analysis

used to identify different dimensions of performance that underlie a person’s total score

Savant Syndrome

someone who has limited mental ability but is really good at one skill

Emotional Intelligence

the ability to perceive, manage, and use emotions

Achievement Test

assesses what you have learned

Aptitude Test

predicts what you can learn

WAIS

most widely used aptitude test for adults

Reliability

the extent to which a test yields consistent results

Validity

the extent to which a test measures what it’s supposed to

Content Validity

samples the behavior it’s testing

Predictive Validity

predicts a behavior it was designed to predict

Crystallized Intelligence

our accumulated knowledge and verbal skills (increases with age)

Fluid Intelligence

our ability to reason speedily and abstractly (decreases with age)

Intellectual Disability

a condition of limited mental ability

Heritability

the proportion of variation among individuals in a group

Stereotype Threat

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