AP Psychology - Intelligence

intelligence

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

Spearman’s General Intelligence

Charles Spearman believed that we have one general intelligence (or g). It is the heart of all of our intelligent behavior, from navigating the sea to excelling in school. Spearman’s belief stemmed in his work with factor analysis.

factor analysis

a statistical technique used to identify clusters of related items on a test. Spearman used it to find evidence for “g”.

Thurstone’s Counter Argument

Thurstone gave 56 different tests to people and mathematically identified seven clusters of primary mental abilities. However, when studied by other investigators, there were still some evidence of a g factor.

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences

Howard Gardner identified eight relatively independent intelligences.

• Linguistic

• Logical-mathematical

• Musical

• Spatial

• Bodily-kinesthetic

• Intrapersonal

• Interpersonal

• Naturalist

savant syndrome

a condition in which a person otherwise limited in mental ability has an exceptional specific skill, such as in computation or drawing, excels in one area, but not in basic/other areas

Sternberg’s Three Intelligences (Triarchic Theory)

Robert Sternberg agreed with Gardner, but created his own theory that we have three types of intelligences.

• Analytical Intelligence: Assessed by intelligence tests

• Creative Intelligence: Demonstrated in innovative smarts

• Practical Intelligence: Required for everyday tasks that may be poorly defined and may have multiple solutions.

grit

the passion and perseverance in the pursuit of long-term goals. “Sticking with it” even when things get rough.

emotional intelligence

the ability to perceive, understand, manage and use emotions

• social skills

• decision making

• empathy

• self-awareness

• self-regulation

fluid intelligence

our ability to reason speedily and abstractly, solve novel problems and see patterns. Think “street smarts.”

• tends to decrease w/ age (starts around 20s/30s)

crystallized intelligence

our accumulated knowledge and verbal skills. Think “book smarts” and wisdom.

• tends to increase w/ age

psychometrics

the scientific study of the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, and traits

standardization

defining uniform testing procedures and meaningful scores by comparison with the performance of a pre-tested group

reliability

the extent to which a test yields consistent results

• test-retest method

• split-half method

test-retest method

measures a test’s consistency by seeing if the same people get similar scores when taking the same test at different times

split-half method

assesses a test’s internal consistency by dividing it into 2 halves, administering it once, and then correlating the scores from both halves

validity

the extent to which a test measures or predicts what it is supposed to

• construct validity

• predictive validity

construct validity

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

predictive validity

the success with which a test predicts the behavior it is designed to predict, assessed by computing the correlation between test scores and the criterion behavior

intelligence quotient (IQ)

the ration of mental age to chronological age multiplied by 100.

• IQ = (ma/ca)*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

stereotype threat

the fear that one’s performance might confirm a negative stereotype, leading to actual underperformance in the area due to pressure

stereotype lift

the performance improvement experienced by members of a non-stereotyped group when they perform a task, often by making a downward comparison with a negatively stereotyped group, boosting their self esteem and motivation

The Flynn Effect

The observed, long-term, worldwide trend of rising scores on a standardized intelligence (IQ) tests

intra-group variability (variation of IQ scores)

the natural differences or spread of scores inside a single group, reflecting inconsistencies among individuals under the same conditions

inter-group variability (variation of IQ scores)

the differences or variation observed between 2 or more distinct groups in an experiment or study

achievement test

a standardized assessment measuring what a student has already learned in a specific subject

• Gardner’s intelligences, Triarchic Theory

aptitude test

a standardized assessment measuring a person’s potential to learn or succeed in a specific area

• SAT, ACT, fluid and crystallized intelligence

fixed mindset

the belief that your intelligence, talents, and abilities are static

growth mindset

the belief that intelligence, abilities, and talents can be developed through dedication, effort, and perseverance

norms

the unwritten rules, standards, or expectations that guide acceptable and expected behavior within a specific group or society, dictating how people should act, think, and feel in different social situations to maintain order and cohesion.

Stanford-Binet

Originally developed by Alfred Binet in France to identify children needing special education. Revised at Stanford University

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)

The most widely used intelligence test for adults. Include verbal and performance (nonverbal) subtests. Also WISC for children.