Biological Bases of Intelligence
WRole of Brain Function
Tetris Study by Richard Haier
Participants played for 1 months
Participants with higher intelligence improved the most an showed less brain activity
Role of Speed in Information Processing
Intelligence may reflect efficient mental processing
Findings show that there is a negative correnlation between intelligence and reaction time
The faster your reaction time is, the more intelligent you are
Findings also show that there is a positive \correlation between intelligence and working memory
Alpha Span Task
The participants have to recall words back in alphabetical order whcih shows the storage of information and manipulaiton of information.
This task uses our working memory
E.g. Bed, Hall, Queen, Rose, and Stick
Location of Intelligence in the Brain
The prefrontal cortex is active during “g-loaded” tasks
Other parts of the brain are also important liek the parietal cortex, visual cortex, and etc.
Testing Intelligence
Self-reports of how intelligence oneself is only accounts 0.2 to 0.3. This is why IQ tests are important because they assess our intellgience and we are not good at assessing our own intelligence
Calculating IQ
Standford-Binet IQ Test by Lew Terman
Established norms for each age level which is known as the typical score of a certain age
Came up the idea of mental age; the average or typical score of a specific age
Intelligence Quotient Equation (IQ)
Willhelm Stern
Criticism: Our mental age tends to level out around 16 years old. Once we hit 16, we start scoring the same on intelligence tests
This means that our IQ scores will decrease as we age
Solution: We now use Deviation IQ where each person’s score is compared to the norms of their age group
Deviation IQ Tests are often used to test for gifted intelligence or intellectual disabilities
Eugenics Movement
IQ tests began to be abused
Found that 40% of immigrants were classified as intellectually disabled due to language barriers from other cultures and led to the eugenics movements
Beliefs:
Encourage those with good genes to reproduce (positive eugenics)
Discourage those with bad genes to reproduce (negative eugenics)
In the 1920s of Canada, many people were forcibly sterilized wihtout people knowing.
IQ Testing Today
Most commonly used for adults is the Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) which consisted of 15 subtests used to generate five scores
Overall IQ
Verbal Comprehension
Perceptual Memory
Processing Speed
Children would be used Wechsler Primary and Preschool Scale of Intelligence to determine gifted intellignece or intellectual disabiltiies
Culture-Fair IQ Tests
Consists of abstract-reasoning items that don’t depend on language
E.g. Raven’s Progressive Matrices: Using fluid intelligence abstract reasoning
WPPSI: Measures intellligence in children of 2-11
WISC: measures intelligence in children of 7-11
WPPSI: Measures intelligence in children of 2-7
WISC; Measures intelligence in children of 7-11