Intelligence
What makes us intelligent
Or
Not so intelligent
Intelligence
• The ability to learn
from experience,
solve problems, and
use knowledge to
adapt to new
situations.
• Is socially
constructed thus…
Can be culturally
specific. According to this
definition, are both
Einstein and Ruth
intelligent?
Is intelligence one thing or
several different abilities?
• To find out scientists
use FACTOR
ANALYSIS:
A statistical procedure
that identifies clusters
of related items on a
test.
• Charles Spearman used
FA to discovery his g or
He saw using FA that doing well in
(general intelligence).
one area of a test predicted that you
will do well in another.
Multiple Intelligences
• Howard Gardner disagreed
with Spearman’s g and
instead came up with the
concept of multiple
intelligences.
• He came up with the idea
by studying savants (a
condition where a person
has limited mental ability
but is exceptional in one
area).
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
• Visual/Spatial
• Verbal/Linguistic
• Logical/Mathematical
• Bodily/Kinesthetic
• Musical/Rhythmic
• Interpersonal
• Intrapersonal
• Natural
Learn More about Gardner
Sternberg’s Three Aspects of
Intelligence
Gardner Simplified
• Analytical (academic
problem solving).
• Creative (generating
novel ideas)
• Practical (required
for everyday tasks
where multiple
solutions exist).
Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
• First called social
intelligence.
• The ability to
perceive, express,
understand, and
regulate emotions.
• Some studies show
EQ to be a greater
predictor for future
success than IQ
Brain Size and Intelligence
Is there a link?
• Small +.15 correlation
between head size and
intelligence scores
(relative to body size).
• Using an MRI we found
+.44 correlation with
brain size and IQ
score.
Brain Function and Intelligence
• Higher performing
brains use less
active than lower
performing brains
(use less glucose).
• Neurological speed is
also a bit quicker.
How do we Assess Intelligence?
• Alfred Binet and Theodore
Simon set out to figure out a
concept called a mental age
(what a person of a particular
age should know).
• They discovered that by
discovering someone’s mental
age they can predict future
performance.
• Hoped they could use test to
help children, not label them.
Terman and his IQ Test
• A 8 year old has a • Used Binet’s research
mental age of 10, what
to construct the
is her IQ?
modern day IQ test
called the Stanford-
• A 12 year old has the
mental age of 9, what is Binet Test.
his IQ?
• A boy has the mental • IQ=Mental
age of 10 and an IQ of
200, how old is he?
age/Chronological age
X 100.
Problems with the IQ Formula
• It does not really work well on adults, why?
If a 60 year old man
does as well as an average 30 year old
then his IQ would be 50!!!!!!
That makes no sense!!!!!
Modern Tests of Mental Abilities
• Wechsler Adult
Intelligence Scale
(WAIS) consists of
11 subtests and cues
us in to strengths by
using…..
Factor Analysis
Aptitude v. Achievement Tests
Aptitude Achievement
• A test designed to • A test designed to
predict a person’s assess what a person
future performance. has learned.
• The ability for that
person to learn.
How do we construct Intelligence
tests?
Tests must be:
• Standardized
• Reliable
• Valid
Standardization
• The test must be pre-tested to a
representative sample of people and
• Form a normal distribution or bell curve
Flynn Effect
Reliability
• The extent which
a test yields
consistent results
over time.
• Spilt halves or
test–retest
method.
Validity
The extent to which a test measures what
it is supposed to measure.
• Content Validity: does the test sample
a behavior of interest
• Predictive Validity: does the test
predict future behavior.
Criterion related validity
Does Intelligence Change Over
Time?
• By age 3, a child’s
IQ can predict
adolescent IQ
scores.
• Depends on the
type of intelligence,
crystallized or
fluid.
Extremes of Intelligence
Group Differences in Intelligence
Test Scores
• The Bell curve is different for Whites
v. Black.
• Math scores are different across
genders and the highest scores are for
Asian males.
Why?
Nature or Nurture
Test Bias?
Tests do discriminate.
But some argue that there sole purpose is
to discriminate.
We have to look at the type of
discrimination.