Brain & Dvlpm 4

The Psychometric/Intelligence View

emphasizes individual differences measured by intelligence tests

Intelligence

the ability to solve problems and to adapt and learn from everyday experiences

Intelligence Tests: Binet tests

In 1905, Binet developed an intelligence test for the French Ministry of Education to identify children who were unable to learn in school.

Binet develop the idea of Mental age

an individual’s level of mental development relative to others (not their own age)

Intelligence quotient (IQ) Test

Developed by William Stern, A person’s mental age divided by chronological age (CA) multiplied by 100

Intelligence Tests: The Wechsler Scales

Developed by David Wechsler, provide an overall IQ and several additional composite scores

Multiple Intelligences

Think of intelligence as a number of specific abilities rather than one general ability 

Multiple Intelligences: Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence

• Analytical intelligence: the ability to analyze, judge, evaluate, compare, and contrast.

• Creative intelligence: the ability to create, design, invent, originate, and imagine.

• Practical intelligence: the ability to use, apply, implement, and put ideas into practice.

Multiple Intelligences: Gardner’s 8 Frames of Mind

• Verbal, mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalist

• Everyone has all these intelligences, but to varying degrees.

Standardized tests compare individual performance to

the norm group

Emotional Intelligence

Emphasizes interpersonal, intrapersonal, and practical aspects of intelligence

The Neuroscience of Intelligence - Brain size

Moderately correlated with higher intelligence

The Neuroscience of Intelligence - Brain regions

Intelligence involves a distributed network across the frontal and parietal lobes, rather than a single area.

The Neuroscience of Intelligence - Neural speed

The relationship between neurological processing speed and intelligence is inconsistent.

Heredity matters in influencing intelligence/IQ

Identical twins tend to have more similar IQs than fraternal twins, suggesting a genetic influence

Environment matters in influencing intelligence/IQ

Improved environments, adoption, education, and experiences can increase IQ

Stereotype Threat is when

fearing that your performance will confirm a negative stereotype about a social group you belong to

Education matters in influencing intelligence/IQ

IQ scores have increased rapidly over time, which cannot be explained by heredity alone and is linked partly to increased schooling/education

Social Cognition

The way individuals conceptualize and reason about their social worlds

Adolescent Egocentrism

the heightened self-consciousness of adolescents

3 features of Adolescent Egocentrism: Imaginary audience

belief that everyone around them is just as focused on their appearance and behavior as they are

Ex: A teenager believes that if they have a small pimple on their forehead, the entire school will notice it, talk about it, and judge them for it.

3 features of Adolescent Egocentrism: Personal Fable

the belief that one’s own thoughts, feelings, and experiences are completely unique, special, and far deeper than anyone else's

Ex: A teenager experiencing a breakup might tell their parents, "You don't know what it feels like to be this heartbroken! You've never loved anyone the way I love them!"

3 features of Adolescent Egocentrism: Invincibility Fable

the conviction that one is immune to the natural laws, dangers, and consequences that affect ordinary people

ex: too lucky or skilled to get into a car crash

Adolescent Egocentrism peak in

early adolescence, then declined

Language Development: Metaphor

Adolescents improve at understanding implied comparisons between different things.

Language Development: Satire

Adolescents become better at understanding and using irony or humor to criticize problems or wrongdoing.

Language Development: Dialect

young adolescents often use a variety of language with peers that may differ in vocabulary, grammar, or pronunciation.

Bilingualism

There are sensitive periods in the ability to learn a second language that vary across language systems

Late language learners find it

faster and easier for them to learn new words, but not grammar or pronunciation

Some research suggests more positive

cognitive outcomes for bilingual children and adolescents, but other studies have not found this link.

Writing Organization

Adolescents are better at planning and organizing ideas before writing.

Writing Structure

Adolescents can better connect sentences and organize writing into an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Good writing and reading both require

Metacognitive skills

There is a growing concerns about

students’ lack of writing competence.