AP Psych Unit Two: Thinking and Intelligence

g factor (Charles Spearman)

Theory of general intelligence. Scoring high on one factor often means scoring high on all factors

Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

measures a persons cognitive ability in comparison to others. (Mental age/physical age x 100)

Use of IQ Tests

clinical diagnostics for intellectual disabilities or neurological conditions, and educational assessments for identifying learning disabilities or placing students in gifted programs

Standardization

the process of establishing uniform procedures for administering and scoring tests to ensure that results can be compared accurately across individuals

IQ Normal Curve

Mean of 100 and Stdev of 15

Reliability

consistency of a measurement, meaning it will produce the same results under the same conditions.

Construct validity

the extent to which a test or other measurement accurately assesses the theoretical concept it is intended to measure

Predictive validity

the success with which a test predicts the behavior it is designed to predict

Test-retest reliability

measures the consistency of a test by administering it to the same group of people on two different occasions and then correlating the results to see how stable the scores are over time

Split-half reliability

a method for assessing the consistency of a test by dividing it into two equivalent halves and comparing the scores from each half. A high correlation between the two halves indicates that the test is reliable

Multiple intelligence theory (Howard Gardner)

suggests that intelligence is not a single general ability but is composed of several distinct types of intelligences 

Factor analysis related to g

Factor analysis mathematically extracts a single common factor from a set of diverse cognitive tests.

Stereotype threat

Fear of confirming negative stereotypes about your racial or ethnic group. Can negatively impact performance on assessments

Stereotype lift

performance boost due to positive stereotypes about a racial or ethnic group

Flynn effect

Observed rise in IQ scores over time

Intragroup IQ variation

differences within a group. more variability

Intergroup IQ variation

differences between groups. less variability

Discriminatory uses of intelligence testing (Lewis Terman)

Believed certain ethnic groups were smarter than others. Thought that less intelligent groups should not be allowed to reproduce (eugenics)

Achievement tests

measure an individual's knowledge and skills in a specific subject area, typically based on what has been taught in a classroom

Aptitude tests

a standardized assessment that measures a person's natural ability to learn or perform specific tasks

Growth mindset

the belief that intelligence, abilities, and talents can be developed through dedication, hard work, and persistence

Fixed mindset

the belief that intelligence, talents, and abilities are static traits that cannot be developed

Cognition

all mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

Algorithmic problem solving

methodical or logical procedure for problem solving. often guarantees a solution but may take a long time

Heuristic problem solving

a simple thinking short cut to solving a problem. speedier but more error-prone

Obstacles to problem solving

Confirmation bias and fixation

Confirmation bias

a tendency to search for info that confirms preconceptions

Functional fixedness (Fixation)

inability to see a new use for an object or see a new perspective

Mental set

tendency to approach a problem with the mindset of what has worked for us previously

Framing

the way an issue is posed/framed can significantly affect decisions and judgement

Gamblers fallacy

the mistaken belief that a random event is more likely to occur in the future because the opposite outcome has happened repeatedly in the past

Sunk cost fallacy

tendency to persist with a course of action because of the time, money, or effort already invested in it

Executive functions

working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control

Availability heuristic

estimating the likelihood of event based on their availability in our memory

Representative heuristic

estimating the likelihood of events based on how well they fit particular prototypes (based on expectations and stereotypes)

Schemas

a concept or framework that organizes and interprets info

Creativity

Ability to produce novel and valuable ideas. Composed of expertise, imaginative thinking skills, a venturesome personality, creative environment, and intrinsic motivation

Prototypes

mental image of best example of a category

Convergent thinking

an ability to provide a single correct answer

Divergent thinking

ability to consider different options and think in novel ways

Insight

a sudden often novel realization of the solution to a problem

Priming

phenomenon where exposure to one stimulus influences a person's response to a subsequent stimulus, often by activating associated concepts in memory (ex. seeing the color yellow and then recognizing bananas)

Concepts

mental grouping of similar items, events, people or ideas

Improve creativity

develop expertise, leave time for incubation of ideas, leave time for mind to roam freely, and experience other culture/ways of thinking

Validity

Validity is the accuracy of a measurement, meaning it measures what it is intended to measure

working memory

ability to temporarily hold/manipulate info

cognitive flexibility

ability to switch between different thoughts and strategies

Inhibitory control

the ability to suppress dominant actions, ignore distractions, and manage impulses to guide behavior toward a goal

Assimilating

interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas

Accomodating

adapting our current schemas to incorporate new info