Intelligence What makes us smart? Or not so smart?

Intelligence The ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use knowledge to adapt to new situations. Reification with IQs Is socially constructed thus… Can be culturally specific. According to this definition, are both Einstein and Ruth intelligent?

Theories of Intelligence No one real definition Fluid versus Crystallized Intelligence 4 main theoretical concepts of intelligence….

Charles Spearman and his G factor Used factor analysis and discovered that what we see as many different skills is actually one General Intelligence. If you are good at one subject you are usually good at many others. Jack Bauer is good at torturing, bomb defusing, shooting, figuring out evil plots and saving the country (and he is good looking). Is there anything he cannot do?

L. L. Thurstone Believed in seven primary mental abilities – Word fluency – Verbal comprehension – Spatial ability – Perceptual speed – Numerical ability – Inductive reasoning – Memory Was more informative than just “g”

Howard Gardner and Multiple Intelligences Gardner believed that there exists at least 7 different types of intelligences. 1.Linguistic 2.Logical-mathematical 3.Spatial 4.Musical 5.Body-kinesthetic 6.Intrapersonal 7.Interpersonal 8.Naturalist

Robert Sternberg and his Triarchic Theory Most commonly accepted theory today. Three types of intelligence 1.Analytical (academic problem solving) 2.Creative (generating novel ideas) 3.Practical (required for everyday tasks where multiple solutions exist)

Goleman and his EQ Emotional Intelligence Interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences. Maybe EQ is a better predictor for future success than IQ.

Intelligence and Creativity The ability to produce ideas that are both novel and valuable 5 components: 1.Expertise 2.Imaginative thinking skills 3.Venturesome personality 4.Intrinsic motivation 5.Creative environment Convergent vs. Divergent Thinking

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. Studies show that more educated people have more connections between neurons Einstein’s lower parietal lobe was 15% larger than a typical Canadians…

Brain Function and Intelligence Higher performing brains are less active than lower performing brains (use less glucose). Neurological and perceptual 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 Used Binet’s research to construct the modern day IQ test called the Stanford- Binet Test. IQ=Mental age/Chronological age X 100. A 8 year old has a mental age of 10, what is her IQ? A 12 year old has the mental age of 9, what is his IQ? A boy has the mental age of 10 and an IQ of 200, how old is he?

Problems with the IQ Formula It does not really work well on adults, why? then his IQ would be 50!!!!!! If a 60 year old man does as well as an average 35 year old That makes no sense!!!!!

Wechsler Tests More common way to give IQ tests….does not use the formula but uses the same scoring system. WAIS- Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale WISC – Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children WPPSI- Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence

Types of Tests Aptitude Measure ability or potential. Achievement Tests that measure what you have learned.

How do we construct an Intelligence Test? Standardized: the questions have been piloted on similar populations and the scores fall on a normal distribution. Reliable: Test-Retest, Split-halves Methods. Validity: Content, Predictive or Construct.

Normal Distribution

The Flynn Effect

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 Akrit Jaswal

Extremes of Intelligence – Below 70 Mental retardation – a condition of limited mental ability, indicated by an intelligence score of 70 or below and difficult in adapting to the demands of life; varies from mild to profound. Mental retardation can sometimes have a physical cause – Down syndrome – a condition of retardation and associated physical disorders caused by an extra chromosome in one’s genetic makeup.

Mental Retardation Severity Many with intelligence scores just below 70 have been integrated into regular education classrooms and mainstream society  more happiness and dignity.

Some extraordinarily intelligent children are more isolated and introverted, but most thrive and continue on to higher education. Controversy over gifted children programs: not as many children labeled as gifted are actually extraordinarily gifted “Tracking” children of different abilities can cause them to live up or down to a perception of their intelligence/abilities (self-fulfilling prophecy) Extremes of Intelligence – Above 130

Genetic Influences- Nature… Identical twins that took same test scored as if same person took the test; Thomas Bouchard argued 70% of intelligence score variation was due to gene variation Identical twins have similar gray matter and virtually the same in verbal and spatial intelligence Researchers have been able to produce smarter mice by adding a gene, but they haven’t been able to find the genes that affect cognitive ability By adulthood, genetic factors are more apparent as parental influence wanes.

… vs. Environmental Influences- Nurture As children, mental age and intelligence correlates between siblings. Early Intervention Matters! One needs to allow child to learn for them to learn. Malnutrition can adversely affect intelligence. Schooling Matters! Intelligence scores rise during the school year and drop over the summer. Completing high school leads to a rise in intelligence scores.

Ethnic Similarities and Differences The Facts! – Racial groups differ in their average scores on intelligence tests. – High-scoring people are more likely to attain high levels of education and income. Genetically, people of the same race are more likely to be more different than someone of a different race. Asian students outperform North American students on math achievement and aptitude tests.

Gender Differences Females better spellers more verbally fluent and can remember more words better at nonverbal memory (like locating objects) more sensitive to touch, taste, and color better at math computation higher emotional intelligence - empathy Males better at math problem solving more underachievers more in lower extremes of intelligence better in physics and computer science AP exams better spatial ability

The Question of Bias Scientific bias – however, intelligence tests, like the SAT, are not biased in the fact that they are less valid for some groups. – The predictive validity of the SAT (as in whether it accurately predicts future behaviors) is the same for men and women, blacks and whites, and the rich and poor. Stereotype threat – the self-confirming belief that one will be evaluated based on a negative stereotype. Stereotype threat Are intelligence tests discriminatory? – Yes – they are designed to distinguish individuals apart from their peers. – No – they are not designed to distinguish individuals based on political, racial, or ethnic backgrounds