OCR Psychology - Biological explanations of intelligence

What did Spearman label general intelligence as?

(g)

What is fluid intelligence?

The ability to reason in abstract ways to novel problems

What is crystallised intelligence?

The ability to acquire knowledge through experience

What was the sample that Bouchard and McGue used?

Over 100,000 pairs of siblings, 111 studies worldwide + 526 familial IQ correlations

What was the concordance for intelligence in MZ twins?

+0.86

What was the concordance for intelligence in DZ twins?

+0.60

What is social homogamy?

Selecting a mate with similar IQ as they are in the same social circle

What is assortive mating?

Individuals with similar genes mating with each other purposefully

What was the aim of Van Leeuwen et al.’s study?

To test whether phenotypic assortment / social homogamy affects variations in IQ scores

What research method did Van Leeuwen et al. use?

Correlational study

What correlational design did Van Leeuwen et al. use?

Twin family design - comparing IQ of twins, their siblings + parents

What was the sample in Van Leeuwen et al.’s study?

112 families with a mean age of 9 year old twins + siblings between 9 and 14

What sampling method was used in Van Leeuwen et al.’s study?

Self selected sampling - recruited from Netherlands Twin Registry

What materials were used in Van Leeuwen et al.’s study?

Raven’s standard progressive matrices + Raven’s advanced progressive matrices

How was Van Leeuwen et al.’s procedure standardised?

Cheek swabs taken for DNA at home prior to testing + participants tested at VU University separately

What results had the highest correlations in Van Leeuwen et al.’s study?

IQ scores for MZ twins

What is the heritability of IQ?

67%

What % of IQ is affected by the environment

33%

What can be concluded from Van Leeuwen et al.’s study?

Phenotypic assortment explains similarities in parents’ IQ better + genetic factors are the main influence on IQ

How does Raven’s Progressive Matrices reduce Van Leeuwen et al.’s study’s ethnocentrism?

It is not based on one culture

What is an application of Van Leeuwen et al.’s study?

How classes are set + grades are predicted

Why does Raven’s Progressive Matrices have good internal validity?

It tested in a consistent way

Why does Raven’s Progressive Matrices have good external validity?

It gives similar results on different occasions / matches other IQ tests

What reduces the validity in Van Leeuwen et al.’s study?

Using the Raven’s Progressive Matrices as they test for (g) one dimensional measure of intelligence

How long did the intelligence tests go on for in Van Leeuwen et al.’s study?

5 hrs + there were breaks

What is the most widely used IQ test in the western world for children? (6 - 16)

Wechsler intelligence scale for children (WISC)

What does WISC measure?

Verbal comprehension index, visual spatial index, fluid reasoning index, working memory index + processing speed index

What is visual spatial information?

Processing visual stimuli + understanding spatial relationships between objects

How is WISC ethnocentric?

Based on language skills - culturally biased but it measures different types of intelligence

How is WISC-V administered?

Individual children are tested face-to-face in sessions (15 mins - 3hrs), separate scores are produced for each aspect of the children’s IQs + overall the scores relate to general intelligence (full scale IQ)

What is the most widely used IQ test for adults / adolescents in the western world?

Wechsler adult intelligence scale (WAIS)

How many subtests does WAIS have?

15

What does the Raven’s standard progressive matrices measure?

Fluid intelligence - through how the children sort pictures, pen + paper, 60 items in 5 sets

How many items does Raven’s advanced progressive matrices have?

48

Why are the Raven tests easier to administrate than WISC?

Can be administered to groups + does not require movement (inclusive for people with physical disabilities)