Thinking And Intelligence

Cognition

All the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.

Concepts

Mental groupings (categories) of similar objects, events, ideas, or people. Ex: Chairs, Genius

Prototypes

Mental images or best examples of a concept. Ex. Desk Chair, Women with glasses

Algorithms

Methodical procedures that guarantee you solve a problem. Ex. Recipes, Searching every aisle

Heuristics

Simple thinking strategies that allow for speedier judgments but are also more prone to error. Ex. Educated guess, Common sense decision, Checking a specific aisle

Insight

A sudden realization of the solution to a problem.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to search for info. that supports your preconceptions and ignores/distorts info. that contradicts them.

Intuition

Effortless, immediate feelings (gut instincts).

Availability Heuristic

If an event comes readily to mind, we assume it must be common. Ex. See many places crashes on the news so now you don’t go on planes.

Critical Thinking

Thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, uncovers hidden values, weighs evidence, and assesses conclusions.

Overconfidence

The tendency to be more confident than correct. Ex. Too confident about a math test that you don’t study for but then do bad.

Belief Perseverance

Clinging to beliefs even after evidence has proven them wrong. Ex. Childhood vaccinations lead to autism.

Framing

The way an issue is posed/worded can affect decisions and judgments. Ex. Adding shipping price to actual price.

Creativity

The ability to produce new and valuable ideas.

Ability

Skills/knowledge that you already have.

Aptitude

Your ability to acquire skills/knowledge (potential ability).

Convergent Thinking

Finding a single, correct solution to a problem.

Divergent Thinking

Considering many different options to think in novel ways.

5 Ingredients to Creative Innovation

Expertise, Imaginative thinking skills, A venturesome personality, Intrinsic motivation, A creative environment.

Intelligence

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

General Intelligence Theory

Charles Spearman: Humans have 1 general intelligence (g) that predicts out abilities in many different academic areas. (Can easily be measured with testing)

Triarchic Theory

Robert Sternberg: Analytical, Creative, and Practical Intelligence.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ or EI)

Daniel Goleman: is expressed by perceiving, understanding, managing emotions and using emotions to adapt thinking.

Multiple Intelligences Theory

Howard Garnder: 8 different intelligence: Naturalist, Spatial, Linguistics, Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Logical-mathematical, Musical, Bodily-kinesthetic.

Savant Syndrome

Condition in which a person with limited mental ability has an exceptional specific skill.

Whats the most correct Intelligence Theory

General Intelligence

2 Ingredients for Success

Ability and Motivation

Alfred Binet

Developed the 1st Intelligence test.

Lewis Terman

Copied Binet’s test at Stanford University. Adapted to measure in teenagers and adults.

Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale

Original goal was to find ones IQ.

Mental Age/Actual Age x 100 = IQ

Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

Intellectual Disability

A conditioned of limited mental ability and difficulty adapting to the demands of life. Ex. Down Syndrome

Down Syndrome

An example of mild to severe intellectual disability

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)

Most widely used individual intelligence test today.

Heritability

The amount of differences between people that come from their genes. Ex. Height, eye color, intelligence. Intelligence Heritability: 50-80%

Positive and Negative Environmental (Nurture) Factors on Intelligence

Positive: Healthy prenatal care, stimulating environments, higher socioeconomic status, healthy diet/sleep patterns, highers educated guardians.

Negative: Malnutrition, poverty, abuse/mistreatment/neglect, low environmental stimulation (missed/hindered critical periods), lower educated guardians.