Intelligence and Psychology Flashcards

Flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture notes on Intelligence and Psychology, including historical perspectives, influential figures, and controversies surrounding IQ testing.

How does society often view intelligence, and what does this perspective ignore?

According to society, intelligence is often seen as a fixed trait that can be reliably assessed, but this ignores the historical and cultural roles of society in shaping the concept of intelligence.

How do psychologists define intelligence?

The ability to learn, recognize problems, and solve problems.

Before the 1700s, what primarily defined human differences?

Prior to the 1700s, human differences were mainly defined by language and religion.

What was the claim made by Gould about Morton's skull measurements, and what do recent re-evaluations suggest?

Morton's measurements were believed to be influenced by pre-existing societal biases, although retesting suggests some correlations between general intelligence and cranium size.

What did scientists show for the first time regarding DNA tests and intelligence?

Intelligence could potentially be predicted using DNA tests.

What was Francis Galton's focus of research, and what did he advocate for?

Hereditary of human abilities and the idea that successful people should breed to improve the population.

What did Galton's ideas arguably mark the beginning of?

Mental testing and 'brass' psychology.

What theory initially influenced Binet's tests, and what practice did he later abandon?

Binet's tests were initially influenced by Galton's hereditary theory of IQ, but Binet later abandoned craniometry.

What were Binet's concerns regarding his intelligence tests?

A single score might not be the best approach to defining intelligence, that is not superposable or linear, and feared misuse as a label.

According to Henry Goddard, what did scores on the Binet test indicate, and what did he believe about feeble-minded individuals?

Scores obtained on the Binet test were due to innate, determined intelligence, and feeble-minded individuals needed managing.

What historical example is provided to illustrate the concept of a 'good-bad family'?

Henry Goddard's work on the Kallikak Family.

How did Goddard's administration of IQ tests affect diagnoses of immigrants, and what conclusions did he draw?

Reduced the rate of diagnosis to 40% but still considered it high, leading to conclusions about new immigrants being inferior.

What was a key issue with the WWI era IQ tests?

Culturally biased items that favored the white middle class.

What does historical reflection on IQ involve?

The relationship between individuals, politics, and societal factors in the history of IQ assessment.

What was intelligence construction an outcome of?

Intelligence construction was an outcome of popular Galton’s Darwinism ideas and an appetite to measure it to justify the social strata of the time.

What was Goddard using Binet's tool for?

Goddard was using Binet’s tool for political and social purposes to identify feeble mindedness, and his work was to influence immigration policy.