What Is Intelligence?

• Adaptive thinking or actions (Piaget)

• Ability to think abstractly, solve problems? Characteristics of Intelligence

• Genetic determination about 50%

• Environmental influence about 50%

Creativity: Ability to produce novel responses appropriate in context, valued by others

A trait – can be identified, measured A single attribute? Spearman Many attributes? Thurstone

•Seven primary mental abilities Spatial ability, perceptual speed, numeric reasoning, verbal meaning, word fluency, memory, inductive reasoning

IQ tests and IQ score - Intelligence quotient (IQ) tests attempt to measure an individual’s probable performance in school and similar settings.

Fluid Intelligence: Decreases in older adults

•Used to solve novel problems

•Skills: reasoning, seeing relationships, inferences,

•Free of cultural influences Crystallized Intelligence: Increases

with age

•Knowledge from experiences (learned)

•General information, vocabulary, etc.

Not measured with IQ tests: 8 types1) Linguistic2) Logical-mathematical3) Musical 4) Spatial 5) Bodily-kinesthetic6) Interpersonal 7) Intrapersonal8) Naturalist

Extraordinary talent in one area Otherwise mentally retarded Musical, artistic, calculation abilities

Practical (Contextual) Component • Adapting to the environment• “Street smart,” age group, culture, etc.

Creative (Experiential) Component• Response to novelty

Analytical (Componential) Component• Information processing • Efficiency of strategies

Intelligent answers, not correct ones!!

• How well can you succeed in life?

• Robert Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence

The “standard” in traditional IQ testing Age-graded items used Older Version: Concept of mental age (MA)

• IQ = MA/CA X 100

• MA- mental age

• CA – chronological age

• IQ score of 100 is average

• 12 year old child who has a MA of 10 has an IQ of…

• 10 year old child who has a MA of 14 has an IQ of…

Widely Used Today

•WPPSI: ages 3-8

•WISC-IV: ages 6-16

•WAIS-IV: adults Five IQ Scores Derived

• Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) • Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) • Working Memory Index (WMI) • Processing Speed Index (PSI)• Full Scale IQ (FSIQ), based on the total combined

performance of the VCI, PRI, WMI, and PSI •

Normal Distribution

Normal Distribution

Developmental Quotient (DQ)•Bayley Scales: Ages 2-30 months•Correlations with Child IQ are low

to zero•Useful for diagnostic purposes

Best Predictors of IQ•Measures of information

processing•e.g., attention, speed of

habituation, preference for novelty

DQ does not predict later IQ IQ at age 4 predicts later IQ IQ Gains Due to:

•Parents who foster achievement

•Neither strict nor lax parenting IQ Drops: Poverty

•Cumulative Deficit Hypothesis

Brain growth spurt at age 11/12 (puberty)

•Formal operational thinking

• Improved memory and processing skills

•Stability of IQ evident IQ score a good predictor of school

achievement

Strong Relationships Between:

• IQ and occupational prestige

• IQ and job performance

• IQ and good health/longevity IQ decline by age 80 (longitudinal studies)

•C-S studies show cohort effects

•Fluid IQ peaks at about age 24

•Crystallized (verbal) unchanged until 80’s

Decline: Poor health, unstimulating lifestyle

Gain (or maintain)

•Above average SES

• Intact marriages

• Intellectually capable spouses

•Active lifestyles “Use it or lose it!”

The Flynn Effect: Increases in IQ generally Genes: Accounts for half (Twin studies) Home environment; higher SES helps

• Environment is powerful

• Parental involvement and stimulation Firstborn, smaller family are advantages Racial and ethnic differences

• Stereotype threat

• Culture bias in IQ test (need more culture-free tests)

Raven’s Progressive Matrices• Psychologists created “culture-reduced” tests

without language. It tests abstract reasoning ability (non-verbal intelligence or performance IQ)

Below-average intellectual functioning: IQ 70

Limited adaptive behavior: Before age 18

•Self-care and social skills (ADL’s) Below age-appropriate expectations Causes

•Organic: e.g., Down syndrome

•Cultural-familial: genes & environment

High IQ Special abilities: math, arts, leadership Renzuli: combination high IQ, creativity,

and task commitment Can be identified by 18 months Terman’s “Termites”

•Remarkable into adulthood

•Well adjusted

Ability to produce novel responses Divergent thinking: A variety of solutions Convergent Thinking

•Focusing on best solution

•Measured by IQ test

Freedom, originality, humor, violence, playfulness

More fantasy and pretend play More open to new experience Little genetic influence: Related to home

•Value nonconformity and independence

•Encouragement of curiosity and playfulness

•Freedom to explore independently

Increases in the 20’s, 30’s, and early 40’s

•Then declines Peak Times Vary by Fields

•Humanities scholars peak in 60’s

•Artists peak in 30’s and 40’s

•Scientists peak from 40’s to 70’s Enthusiasm and experience required.