Intelligence & IQ Testing I

Course Title: Intelligence & IQ Testing I
Course Code: PSY 202-5
Instructor: Dr. Avideh Gharehgazlou (Dr. G)
Contact Information:
- Email: agharehgazlou@torontomu.ca
- Office Hours: Tuesdays 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
- Office Location: JOR 917
Teaching Assistants:
- Kiana Greenly (kiana.greenly@torontomu.ca)
- Mary-Jo Daher (mary.daher@torontomu.ca)

Textbook: Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding, Fifth Edition by Lilienfeld, Lynn, & Namy, Pearson Canada

Research Contributions: 3% (must notify researchers 24 hours prior if unable to attend)
Written Assignment: 25% (Due February 10th)
Midterm Exam: 34% (Scheduled for March 3rd)
Final Exam: 34% (Date TBA)
Low-Stakes Tasks: 4% (Throughout the term)
Research Experience: 3% (Throughout the term)

Total: 100%

Part 1:
- Identify the original article behind a fake press release.
- Compare the original and press release, identifying 5 factual errors or misrepresentations.
- Reference the original in APA style (7th edition).
Part 2:
- Write an accurate press release based on the research article.
- Avoid complex statistics and use simpler language in the explanation of results.
- Provide a catchy title for the press release and reference the article in APA style.
Submission Guidelines:
- Submit one document with clear headings.
- Adhere to the page limit to avoid deductions.
- Use original language and avoid direct quotes.
- Submission via Turnitin.com with adherence to academic conduct guidelines.

No Class on February 17th
Participation Methods:
- Via PollEv.com or text messaging to facilitate engagement.

Intelligence Quotient (IQ): A measure of intelligence.
Historical perspective:
- Edwin Boring (1923): Defined intelligence as the performance on intelligence tests.

Sir Francis Galton (1822-1911):
- Suggested that intelligence results from sensory capacities and believed individuals with better sensory capabilities acquire more knowledge.
- Conducted sensory tests to measure abilities in participants, influencing later assessments of intelligence.
James McKeen Cattell:
- Imported Galton's tests to the United States, which initially explored intelligence based on sensory perception.

It's established that intelligence involves more than just good sensory skills, as correlations between different measures of sensory capabilities are weak.

Alfred Binet & Theodore Simon:
- Developed the first intelligence tests to objectively assess students needing special educational assistance.
- Their test included diverse items requiring higher mental processes, differentiating it from Galton's focus.

Intelligence is generally agreed to encompass:
- Abstract Thinking: Understanding hypothetical concepts.
- Adaptation: Learning to adapt to new situations.
- Knowledge Acquisition: The ability to learn and benefit from experience.

Tests developed by Binet & Simon showed positive correlations among items (0.2 to 0.3 correlation coefficients) despite differing contents.
Modern IQ tests maintain this characteristic.

Charles Spearman:
- Proposed the existence of a general intelligence factor ('g') accounting for variations in intellect between individuals.
- 's' represents specific abilities relevant to particular test items.
- An example includes a person with high 'g' performing poorly in a spatial reasoning task due to low 's'.

Critics argue that 'g' implies a hierarchy of intelligence that fails to account for diverse intellectual abilities.
Supporters maintain that substantial research supports the correlation among different intellectual tasks.

Cattell & Horn's Distinction:
- Fluid Intelligence: Ability to solve new problems.
- Crystallized Intelligence: Knowledge accumulated over time.
- Fluid intelligence is believed to feed into crystallized intelligence as individuals grow.
Age Effects:
- Fluid abilities decline with age, whereas crystallized abilities can improve.
- High gray matter volume in the frontal lobe is associated with less decline in fluid abilities as individuals age.
Associations:
- Crystallized intelligence is moderately associated with openness to experience, raising questions about causation.

Howard Gardner (1983):
- Proposed that intelligence is not a single entity but consists of multiple intelligences, each with unique attributes.
Gardner identified eight intelligences:
1. Linguistic
2. Spatial
3. Logico-mathematical
4. Musical
5. Naturalistic
6. Intrapersonal
7. Interpersonal
8. Bodily-Kinesthetic
9. Existential intelligence (tentative)
Linguistic: An author or poet who uses words effectively to convey messages.
Spatial: An architect who designs buildings and visualizes complex structures.
Logico-mathematical: A mathematician solving complex equations or a scientist conducting experiments.
Musical: A musician who composes or performs music with a deep understanding of rhythm and melody.
Naturalistic: A biologist or environmentalist who understands and interacts with nature and wildlife.
Intrapersonal: A psychologist who understands personal emotions and motivations, utilizing self-reflection.
Interpersonal: A teacher who engages effectively with students and understands their needs.
Bodily-Kinesthetic: An athlete or dancer who excels in physical coordination and movement.
Existential intelligence (tentative): A philosopher pondering existential questions about life and existence.

Critics note that Gardner's model is ambiguous and challenging to empirically verify.
Questions remain regarding which abilities are considered intelligences, and the independence of proposed intelligences from general intelligence ('g').

Robert Sternberg: Identified three types of intelligence:
- Analytical Intelligence: Logical reasoning skills, akin to 'book smarts', closely related to 'g'.
- Practical Intelligence: Known as tacit intelligence, concerned with real-world problem-solving abilities.
- Creative Intelligence: Involves generating novel solutions, distinct from analytical intelligence.
Sternberg's research on practical and creative intelligences continues to evolve but emphasizes that they do not always correlate with analytical intelligence.

Questions persist about whether analytical intelligence is distinct from 'g' or merely a subtype.
Practical intelligence measures often overlap with job knowledge, making clear distinctions complicated.

Historical perspectives on intelligence include sensory capacities (Galton, Cattell) and evolved into broader definitions encompassing abstract thinking and adaptability (Binet, Simon).
Modern psychology recognizes both general and specific abilities (Spearman) alongside fluid and crystallized intelligence (Cattell, Horn), with ongoing debates around multiple intelligences (Gardner) and the Triarchic model (Sternberg).