Intelligence: Theories

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Intelligence Theories

• EDU 330 Educational Psychology
• Daniel Moos

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Intelligence Introduction (I)
Why is it important to consider intelligence?
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Intelligence Introduction (II)

• How is intelligence studied?
• Factor Analysis
• Statistical analysis used to measure a latent
  variable (i.e. cant directly measure the
  variable)
• Results identify underlying manifest variables
  (i.e. variables that can be directly measured)

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Intelligence Introduction (III)

• Example of Factor Analysis How is athletic
  ability measured at NHL tryouts?

Athletic Ability
Strength
Speed
Agility
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Intelligence Factor Models (I)

• Charles Spearman (1927)
• Two factors
• g factor ?
• domain-general and homogeneous (i.e. intellectual
  functioning relatively homogenous across a number
  of different tasks)
• Specific factor ?
• Specific factors that are pertinent to specific
  task (butg factor is what most interested
  Spearman)

g factor
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GARDNERS THEORY OF INTELLIGENCE
Dimension Description
Example
Linguistic
Ability to use language
Logical
Reasoning, numbers, symbols
Musical
Sensitivity to pitch, tone
Spatial
Perceive words accurately
Kinesthetic
Ability to use body coordinated movements
Interpersonal
Understanding of social interactions
Intrapersonal
Understanding of self
Naturalistic
Recognize similarities/diff in physical world
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STERNBERGS TRIARCHIC THEORY OF INTELLIGENCE
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Intelligence Thought Question

• Parents at an elementary school back-to-school
  night wanted to know why their child wasnt
  ability grouped in every content area. They felt
  their child was being held back by the lack of
  ability grouping. How would you answer their
  question?

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Intelligence Ability grouping (introduction)

• Is intelligence Nature or Nurture?
• Some interesting Intelligence correlations
• Foster parent-child .20
• Parent-child .50
• Siblings reared together .49
• Fraternal twins .53
• Identical twins reared apart .75
• Identical twins reared together .87
• Note Data from 1963

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Intelligence Ability grouping (I)

• Ability grouping Placing students of similar
  abilities into groups, and attempting to match
  instruction to needs of the groups (Lou, Abrami,
  Spence, 2000)
• Elementary
• Between-class grouping Divides students at a
  certain grade into levels (e.g., high, average,
  low)
• Within-class grouping Divides students in a
  class into subgroups based on reading or math
  scores
• Joplin plan Regroups across grade levels
• MS, HS
• Tracking Places students in different classes or
  curricula on basis of achievement

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Intelligence Ability grouping (II)

• What are some pros and cons of ability
  grouping/tracking?
• Pros Teachers can adjust methods, instructional
  pace and materials to better meet needs of
  learner
• Cons Logistical problems, improper placement,
  stigmatization, negative effects of homogeneous
  groups (as opposed to heterogeneous groups)
• WHAT DO YOU THINK???

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Intelligence Learning Styles

• Define the term Learning Style...
• Mixed results on learning styles...
• TO WHAT EXTENT SHOULD TEACHERS CONSIDER STUDENTS
  LEARNING STYLES?

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Intelligence Socioeconomic status (I)

• Socioeconomic status (SES) Combination of
  parents income, occupation, and level of
  education that describes relative standing in
  society
• Powerful predictor in student achievement,
  particularly test scores, grades, suspension
  rate, and dropout rates (Macionis, 2006)
• Why do think that SES is such a powerful
  predictor?

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Intelligence Socioeconomic status (II)

• SES influences learning in at 3 ways
• Note The below describes group differences
  individuals within a group vary widely

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Intelligence IQ Tests (I)

• Testing childrens intelligence
• Mental Age Represents number passed by average
  child of same age
• Example If a child passed a number of items
  equal to the number passed by the average 15-year
  old, that child would have a mental age of 15
• Intelligence Quotient
• (mental age chronological age) x 100
• Example A 10 year-old with a mental age of 10
• (10/10) x 100 100
• Example A 21 year-old with a mental age of 21
• (21/21) x 100 100
• Example A 10 year-old with a mental age of 9
• (9/10) x 100 90
• Example A 10 year-old with a mental age of 11
• (11/10) x 100 110

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Intelligence IQ Tests (II)

• Issues with IQ Tests
• Does mental age intelligence?
• Example 7-year old and 10-year old have same
  mental age comparable intelligence?
• Example Two children with IQ of 120 ? 5 year-old
  (mental age of 6) and 10 year-old (mental age of
  12) Developmental difference?
• IQ tests are standardized
• May not accurately measure intelligence among
  minority children (test administration may bias
  results)