2.7 intelligence and achievement
intelligence
main idea
it’s how well we learn, solve problems, and adapt to new things.
something that can be constructed, different cultures define it differently. the ability to be successful at a certain time.
learning from experiences (including failures)
solving problems
using knowledge from intelligence to adapt to new situations
intelligence testing
intelligence tests:
used to measure intelligence
used to compare intelligence with others
intelligence and the brain
larger brain = more gray and white matter = more nerural cell bodies (gray), axons and dendrites (white) = +33 correlation
weak correlation
people that score well on iq test:
retrieve information fast
perceive stimuli quickly
what to remember for ap exam?
intelligence: how well we learn things, problem solve, and adapt to new situations.
reliability: are the scores from the test dependable?
if you take the test again, will you get the same score?
validity: does the test actually test the exact intelligence?
summary
intelligence is like a mental toolbox 🧰 where we have to know which and how to use each tool to help us in different aspects of life.
psychometric psychologist
main idea
they are like the “mathematical test makers of psychology.’ they involve using lots of mathematical equations, measures, and numbers to help measure aspects of the brain, like intelligence or behavior.
what to remember for the ap exam?
psychometric psychologists: are those who make and examine measures of the brain.
psychometrics: a fancy word for “measuring the mind.”
standardization: making sure that the test are the same for everyone.
reliability: results give same results each time an individual takes it.
validity: does the test actually test what it’s meant to test?
norms: the average score
summary
they specifically examine the brain meaning that they help create and exam these tests, making sure that they are fair, reliable, and have validity.
achievement tests
main idea
are the tests that measure what you already know. like they are “report cards in a form of a test.” these test being created by psychometric psychologists.
what to remember for the ap exam?
what do achievement tests measure?: they test what you already know.
don’t confuse it with measuring how smart you are, that is intelligence test (iq). they only measure what is achieved so far.
how are achievement tests different from aptitude tests:
achievement test: only measure what you know right now.
aptitude test: what you are good at doing in the future? they predict whats happening later on in life. like “how the sat measures how well students will do during their first year of college?”
summary
think of achievement tests as a report card that measures how much achieved knowledge we already know, it’s the information that we have already know, which should not be confused with measuring smartness.
aptitude tests
main idea
measure how well we would do on something in the future. they basically predict the future, like a “crystal ball.” it doesn’t measure what we already know (achievement tests), rather it measures how naturally well we would be at something if we had some practice.
examples
the sat: predicting how well we’ll do in college
career test: fitting a job suited to you
what to remember for the ap exam?
aptitude test: predicts how well we’ll do in the future or at a certain job.
aptitude tests vs. achievement test:
aptitude tests: predict
achievement tests: measures what we already know
insurance of fairness
summary
think of it as a map 🗺 that could direct you to where you could go in the future. like when someone says “you’ll be a good artist one day.”
general intelligence
main idea
considered as “g”, charles spearmen had an idea that there is a singular intelligence that powers all of our mental abilities, like solving problems, or learning new vocabulary.
example
like if you’re skill is at lego building then that would apply to building cars as well and eventually building other things.
what to remember for the ap exam?
general intelligence “g”: is the intelligence that powers all our mental abilities.
spearmen: the psychologist who came up with general intelligence.
supporting evidence:
if you’re good at one thing (like reading), then you’re more often to be good at another thing (like math) because “g” is helping you in both.
how is general intelligence tested?:
IQ test to measure general intelligence
to compare to other people
summary
think of general intelligence as a mental engine that powers our mental abilities.
factor analysis
main idea
factor analysis is sorting out data based on how similar they are
purpose
helping psychometric psychologist to identify underlying relationships between traits, simplifying complex data to find strengths and weaknesses.
examples
sorting out different types of intelligence tests results
can reveal patterns that indicate specific strengths and weaknesses in areas such as verbal, mathematical, and spatial reasoning.
what to remember for the ap exam?
factor analysis: is a statistical method used by psychometric psychologists to sort out data based on similarities.
assists: discovers relationships between traits such as intelligence and behavior.
simplifies complex data to identify strengths and weaknesses in areas like verbal, math, and spatial reasoning.
summary
think of it like sorting out toys: stuffed animals, action figures, etc. They all go to their designated box 📦.
stanford-binet intelligence test
main idea
a test that helps figure out how intelligent someone is by surveying their cognitive abilities.
purpose
used to measure someone’s intelligence and compare it to others.
what to remember for the ap exam?
stanford-binet intelligence test: a test that measures intelligence
gives a score that tells a person’s intelligence comparing to others their age.
helps in schools to see who might need extra help or those who are advanced.
summary
think of the stanford-binet test like a game 🧩 , answering questions to advance and once you reach the end you get you’re score and other your level.
intelligence quotient
main idea
“iq” is a number that helps show how smart someone is compared to others.
purpose
measure someone’s intelligence and helps understand how well they learn and solve problems.
what to remember for the ap exam?
iq: a score used to compare their intelligence with other the same age.
higher iq: better problem solving skills and learning ability
tests: there are different tests that can measure iq, but they all measure how good someone is at thinking and understanding.
summary
like a score on a game that shows how well you did compared to your friends.
mental age
main idea
a concept that measures someones cognitive abilities against average capabilities for that age group.
example
If you are 5 years old and can do what a 6-year-old can do, your mental age is 6. So, it helps us understand if you are learning and growing just like your friends!
purpose
helps understand developmental progression and comparing cognitive abilities between those of different age.
what to remember for the ap exam?
mental age: gives insight in someone’s mental capacuty rather than
summary
think of it as a way to determine how intelligent you are compared to other kids your age.
wechsler intelligence scale (adult and children)
main idea
a test that helps determine how smart both kids and adults are.
example
surveys, looks at the different ways people think and solve issues.
purpose
used to determine how well someone understands things and learn, so teachers can help if they need more support or if they are more advanced.
what to remember for the ap exam?
wechsler tests: helps determine someone’s intelligence level by giving scores comparing to others their age.
summary
think of the wechler intelligence scale like a fun quiz that tells you how smart you are, that tells teachers how to make you learn even better!
crystallized vs. fluid intelligence
crystallized intelligence
main idea
ability to use learned knowledge and experiences.
characteristics
uses facts, concepts, and procedural knowledge
increases with age as someone gains more knowledge and experience over time
examples
ability to solve problems using knowledge gained over time, with the usage of vocabulary and general knowledge about the world.
fluid intelligence
main idea
helps you think fast and solve brand new problems
characteristics
helps figure things out you’ve never seen before, like patterns or conflicts
example
putting together a new toy and figuring out how it works, thats how fluid intelligence works.
summary '
crystallized: stuff you already know from the past.
fluid: like a super thinking power that helps you solve new problems.
triarchic theory of intelligence
main idea
triarchic theory of intelligence is that there are 3 ways to be smart:
analytical intelligence: is like being a detective
helps think and solve problems
if you struggle to solve something, you use analytical intelligence
creative intelligence: is like being an artist or detective
helps come up with ideas and thinking outside the box
making up a new game to have fun with your friends is using creative intelligence.
practical intelligence: is like being a smart problem solver every day
helps figure out how to get things done in real life
the most convenient way to do something
like knowing the quickest way to tie shoes, so you can play. that’s using practical intelligence.
summary
analytical Intelligence: Thinking like a detective to solve hard problems.
creative Intelligence: Using your imagination like an artist to create new things.
practical Intelligence: Solving everyday problems smartly!
multiple intelligences
main idea
howard gardener believed that there are 8 types of intelligences
linguistic intelligence (word smart): having good vocabulary
logical-mathematical intelligence (number smart): being good at math and solving patterns
spatial intelligence (picture smart): thinking in pictures, someone who likes desigining
musical intelligence (music smart)
bodily-kinesiology intelligence: like being a gymnastic
interpersonal intelligence (people smart): understanding and talking to people
interpersonal intelligence (self smart): someone who is self reflective
naturalistic intelligence (nature smart): understanding nature
what to remember for the ap exam:
Gardner's Multiple Intelligences is about understanding that people are smart in different ways (it’s not just about being good at reading or math).
There are 8 different intelligences, and each one helps you do different things in life.
The AP Psychology exam may ask about these intelligences and how they show that intelligence is not just one thing (like being good at schoolwork), but can be about many talents.
summary
think of it as having 8 superpowers that gardner proposed. (like word-smart, people-smart, or music-smart). not everyone is good at the same thing, and that's okay!
emotional intelligence (eq)
main idea
daniel goleman popularized it. eq measures your ability to understand and manage emotions.
what to remember for the ap exam?
there are 4 components in eq:
self awareness of recognizing your own emotions.
self regulation of controlling your own emotions.
social skills of building healthy relationships.
empathy of understanding the emotions of others.
summary
eq is like being a feelings superhero, someone that knows how to interact with others based on their own emotions.
intelligence testing
standardization
main idea
making sure that the test is the same for everyone
what to remember for the ap exam?
standardization: if the test isn’t the same then it isn’t fair everyone, its about making the tests the same for everyone
norm group: test is given to a large group of people to determine what’s “normal”
everyone else that takes the test can compare themselves to the norm group
summary
ensures fairness
reliability
split-half reliability
main idea
way to check if test is consistent
what to remember for the ap exam?
the test is split into two halves (like even and odd questions), and scores from both halves are compared.
summary
ensures consistency