Intelligence I

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Intelligence I

• Donald Weasenforth

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Defining intelligence

• What is intelligence?
• How is it tested?

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Definition

• Academic theoretical
• David Wechsler the capacity of an individual
  to understand the world about him and his
  resourcefulness to cope with its challenges.
• Operational practical
• Test measurements

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Intelligence Tests

• Stanford-Binet
• Alfred Binet (1857-1911)
• Lewis Terman (Stanford University) 1916
• Latest version in 1986
• Capacities measured (2-23-year-olds)
• Crystallized abilities
• Fluid-analytic abilities
• Short-term memory

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Crystallized Abilities

• Abilities needed to acquire and use information
• Promoted by formal education
• E.g., Quantitative
• Verbal relations

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Fluid-Analytic Abilities

• Abilities that enable a person to understand
  complex problems, especially nonverbal problems
• Developed independent of formal education
• E.g., Pattern analysis
• Paper folding and cutting

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Results

• Standard Age Score (SAS)

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Intelligance II

• Donald Weasenforth

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Wechsler Intelligence Tests

• Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)
• Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-R)
• Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of
  Intelligence (WPPSI)

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WAIS-R

• 1939, revised in 1981
• Designed for adults (17-74)
• Decrease reliance on verbal skills
• Verbal scale
• Performance scale
• Total score g (general intellectual ability)

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(No Transcript)
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Gifted and Talented

• Achievement excellence in
• Psychomotor ability
• Visual performing arts
• Leadership
• Creative productive thinking
• Specific academic area
• Intelligence (IQ gt 130)

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Characteristics associated with Giftedness

• Emotional independence from parents
• High achievement drive
• Competitive striving
• Curious nature

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Terman Study

• L. M. Terman
• 1,500 gifted children
• 60 years
• Conclusions
• Experience advantages in almost everything
• Taller, faster and better coordinated
• Better eyesight
• Fewer emotional problems
• Stay married longer

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Variations in Intelligence

• Donald Weasenforth
• ESLS0315

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Variations across Gender

• Global measures
• Language
• Verbal abilities ? ?
• Reading abilities
• Fine dexterity
• Mathematical reasoning
• Spatial relations

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Intelligence and Academic Training

• Increased ability in males
• Slightly related to academic training
• Mathematical reasoning
• Enrollment in advanced math classes
• Divergent abilities from ages 13 to 17
• ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

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Variations across Age

• Correlations of IQ across ages
• Before 7-8 years of age
• Assessment at early ages
• Comparative value of results
• Diagnostic value of results
• Lifetime variations
• Cross-sectional studies
• Peak at 20
• Decline at 40

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Variations across Age

• Lifetime variations
• Longitudinal studies
• Increase until mid-50s
• Specific abilities
• Vocabulary
• Verbal fluency
• Fluid abilities (speed, adaptation, flexibility
  abstract reasoning
• Crystallized abilities (acquired knowledge,
  accumulated experiences, general information)

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Intelligence II

• Donald Weasenforth
• ESLS0315

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Nature versus Nurture

• Innate, inherited factors
• Environmental factors
• Results of research indeterminate
• Conceptualization/Definition of intelligence
• Research design
• Limitation of identical genetic make-up
• Limitations to controlling environments

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Twins Studies

• 2 dependent variables
• Genetic similarity
• Similarity of environment
• Meta-analysis of numerous studies
• Results

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Results
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Conclusions

• Correlations for identical twins highest
• Correlations for similar environments highest
• It is fairly clear that genetic similarity is a
  significant factor of intelligence level.
• It appears that environment is a significant
  factor, but less significant than genetic
  similarity.

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Variations in Intelligence

• Don Weasenforth

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Gender as Variable

• Purpose of IQ tests and investigation of gender
  differences
• ?
• Verbal abilities, reading, fine dexterity
• ?
• Mathematical reasoning, spatial relations
• Result of nature or nurture?

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Age as Variable

• Assumption intelligence increase with age
• Correlation of IQ scores across age (lt8)
• Pedagogical use of IQ scores
• Variable findings depending on research method
• Cross-sectional design
• Longitudinal design

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Age as Variable

• IQ decline around/after 50 years of age
• Verbal fluency and fluid intelligence
• Speed, adaptability, flexibility, abstract
  thinking
• Vocabulary and crystallized intelligence
• Schooled and experientially-based knowledge

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IQ Variation Nature or Nurture?

• Confounding factors ambiguity of definition,
  research design
• Twins research
• Genetic similarity Nature?
• Environmental similarity Nurture?