Intelligence

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Intelligence

• Definitions
• Testing
• Culture

2
Definition

• Capacity to think rationally, act purposefully,
  deal effectively with the environment
• Or, what you do when you dont know what to do

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Does g exist?

• General intelligence factor
• That is, smart in one area generally smart in
  another

4
IQ tests

• Normed so average is 100
• Your score on other tests can predict your IQ
• College entry about 106
• College graduation about 110
• Mensa membership 0ver 130

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Alfred Binet

• 1905 France asked to classify levels of retarded
  students
• Developed first intelligence test
• Believed environment shaped IQ

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Lewis Terman

• The Termites -Longitudinal study of geniuses
• Developed Stanford-Binet test 1916 U.S. I.Q.
• Generally found they made more money, had better
  marital adjustment, were happy

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Controversies in Intelligence

• Cultural bias
• Nature-nurture

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Intelligence is heritable

• MZ reared together
• MZ reared apart
• DZ twins reared together
• Sibs together
• Sibs apart

• .86
• .75
• .57
• .45
• .21

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Ethnic variations in IQ

• Mostly due to opportunity
• Koreans in America score high
• Koreans in Japan (where looked down upon) score
  low

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Stereotype Threat

• Claude Steele discovered this.
• If expectations are negative, it can cause people
  to perform below their actual ability level.
• For whom does this apply? Anyone negatively
  stereotyped.

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Stereotype Threat Studies

• Women told theyd have trouble on math test
  compared to men, did have trouble
• Women on the same test NOT told they would have a
  problem scored the same as men. (Spencer et al.
  , 1999).

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Asian Woman study

• Filled out questionnaire designed to remind them
  of FEMALE sex or ASIAN identity
• primed with Asian background were significantly
  higher on the math test than those primed as
  women.
• Control group was mid way between the groups.

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Risk Factors and Intellectual Dev.

• 1. head of house unemployed/working in low-status
  occupation.
• 2. Mom did not complete high school.
• 3. At least 4 children in family.
• 4. No father or stepfather in home.

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Bias in Testing

• Students from lower SES and minority families
  typically score lower than WMC students
• Content of IQ and other tests may reflect
  middle-class experiences

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SAT Analogy item

• Runner-marathon
• envoy-embassy
• Martyr-massacre
• Oarsman-regatta
• Referee-tournament
• Horse-stable

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Just a slight shift in culture

• What is a counterpane?
• What does primogeniture mean?
• What is a lorry?
• What is a toff?
• What is a vest?
• What are knickers?

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Gardners Multiple Intelligences
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Gardners categories

• Linguistic words and language
• Logical-mathematicallogic and numbers
• Musicalmusic, sound, rhythm
• Bodily-kinestheticbody movement control
• Spatial-visualimages and spatial position
• Interpersonalother peoples feelings
• Intrapersonalself-awareness

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And also

• Naturalistnatural environmental
• Spritual/existentialreligion and ultimate issues
• Moralethics, humanity, value of life

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Evidence for Multiple Intell

• Brain damage may sometimes impair 1 intelligence
• Selective competence is possible
• A distinct developmental history

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Criticisms of Gardners theory

• Are these intelligences or just abilities?
• Still doesnt explain why some people are
  brighter than others
• Intelligences are not all essential for
  successful adaptation
• Not much hard scientific evidence