HE’S NOT THE SHARPEST TOOL IN THE SHED THEORIES OF HUMAN INTELLIGENCE Lesson Plan 7

Competency Examine the traditional definition and method of intelligence assessment. Summarize definitions and methods of assessing intelligence. Identify IQ tests used today and the limitations of these tests.

Overview How would you define the word “intelligence”? Some people would answer by saying that it is related to how “smart” someone is. Actually, using the word “smart” is just another word for intelligence (and “smart at what?” would be the next logical question). So, again, what is intelligence? As you will learn, this is not such an easy concept to define, and it is even more difficult to measure. The objective of this learning plan is to better understand the nature of human intelligence, from how it is defined to how it is measured. Intelligence is not only defined by what a person actually knows but also by what they are capable of learning and how they apply that knowledge. While testing people to determine what they know seems objective, the question remains about how a person can be tested for what they are capable of learning? As previously described, the field of psychology has developed and evolved throughout the years. Today, psychology is a distinct field of study aimed at explaining today’s more complex theories including those involving multiple levels of intelligence. Many theorists have attempted to explain intelligence and have created methods for testing it as well. Let’s take a look at some of the major theories of intelligence.

Theories of Human Intelligence Alfred Binet, (1857-1911) French researcher- believed intelligence was about judgment and ability to adapt to the world not what someone knows (i.e. facts) Thought intelligence consisted of many abilities Binet and Theodore Simon developed an intelligence test called the Binet-Simon Scale Binet-Simon Scale used to measure children’s development at various ages- to determine normal development range for each age Process was used to place children in school settings Score would give child’s mental age as compared to children with same chronological age The score was referred to as intelligent quotient

Two-Factor Theory of Intelligence Charles Spearman- British psychologist Two-factor theory of intelligence Believed there was a mathematical equation to gauge a person’s intelligence Believed that differences in people’s intelligence were a result of two factors labeled “g” and “s” “G” stood for general intelligence and “s” for specific factors Spearman believed that “g” could be best used to derive one’s overall level of intelligence. To do so, intelligence tests are designed to test a broad amount of topics and areas, as to focus on “g” and to arrive at a single-score IQ score.

Primary Mental Abilities Louis Thurstone- American psychologist Didn’t believe there was a single “g” factor responsible for overall intelligence Believed intelligence was based on several different abilities called primary mental abilities associative memory reasoning computational ability verbal comprehension word fluency spatial visualization perceptual speed

Multiple Intelligences Howard Gardner- cognitive psychologist and Harvard University professor Theory of 8 multiple intelligences verbal/linguistic musical logical/mathematical visual/spatial bodily-kinesthetic intrapersonal (understanding self) interpersonal (understanding others) naturalist

Triarchic Theory of Intelligence Robert Sternberg- cognitive psychologist and Yale University professor Developed Triarchic Theory of Intelligence 3 areas that interact with one another and need to be understood in order to best analyze human intelligence componential or analytical intelligence experiential or creative intelligence contextual or practical intelligence

Emotional Intelligence Daniel Goleman- psychologist and Harvard University professor Emotional intelligence- ability of an individual to control his/her emotions while also understanding the emotions of other people As a result of our physiology many of our emotions are a reflexive or automatic response rather than a conscious decision The more one is able to be in control of his/her emotions and understand the emotions of other people, the more likely this person will be successful

Emotional Intelligence Con’t 5 components that make up emotional intelligence Being in touch with and knowing one’s emotions Being able to control one’s emotions Being able to use one’s emotions Being able to understand various aspects of other people’s emotions Being able to positively interact and influence others by expressing and understanding one’s emotions

Intelligence Testing Most people are familiar with the term “IQ”. The term IQ stands for intelligence quotient, which is a score obtained through a testing process aimed at gauging a person’s intelligence. As we have seen in our survey of intelligence and intelligence theories, IQ testing can be an elusive measure and a controversial topic. How are we to test such a complex area as intelligence? As you have seen, a variety of intelligence theories exists. Likewise, there also exists a variety of testing methods. Each one is contingent on certain beliefs about the nature of intelligence. In the following sections, we will explore some of the more familiar.

Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale IQ testing concept comes from Binet and Terman Actual term developed by Terman at Stanford Have been used with positive and negative outcomes Sometimes misused to provide education for those seen best able to benefit- provided rationale to deny “less intelligence” educational services Used to compare groups and draw conclusions about what group is more intelligent and deny rights to the other group- prevalent in Nazi Germany

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) Developed by David Wechsler in 1939 2 separate scores- based on verbal and performance (spatial)- combined for overall score Allows for weighted points and based on speed and depth of answers Also developed test for children- Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC)

Reliability and Validity Some argue that tests can be biased against those not part of the majority culture, such as ethnic minorities. They argue that minority individuals who score lower on these tests may do so due to a lack of access to the same experiences as those in the majority culture (and those who designed the tests). As such, they argue that the lower score does not necessarily equate to a lower intelligence. Reliability refers to a test’s consistency in being able to attain consistent results. Validity means that the test is measuring what it is supposed to be measuring

Additional Intelligence Testing Formats Culture-fair tests have been designed to address the potential for cultural bias in intelligence testing. This type of testing was designed specifically for individuals whose culture is not that of the majority. Like performance tests, culture-fair tests minimize or eliminate the use of language. They are geared to minimize or eliminate aspects related specifically to the majority culture. This includes cultural beliefs and/or values that may not be congruent with the individual’s cultural background and that would bias the test against the test taker, resulting in validity problems. IQ scores are distributed on a bell-shaped curve with the most individuals falling nearest the center of the curve and having IQ scores between 95 and 104. As scores move both higher and lower, the distribution of these scores becomes lower (fewer people have scores that are either higher or lower than the median score range of 95-104).

Limitations of IQ Tests What intelligence really is has never been fully identified. Most professionals define intelligence in terms of abilities and capacities valued by the particular cultures. In American culture, a large emphasis is placed on quantitative measures, verbal ability and logical reasoning skills. Those people who have large vocabularies, who have good memories or who problem-solve quickly are regarded as having a high intelligence. Some societies may not value the same values. In an agrarian society, perhaps verbal ability is not valued, but the ability to produce food is most important. IQ tests tend to sample many intellectual operations. The final IQ score is an average of these samplings. Therefore, one who scores very high on one subtest and poorly on others, may received an average overall score. In this case, an IQ score could be misleading as to the person’s true intelligence. IQ test may not measure all abilities or be used in the correct context. Beware that IQ tests have specific purposes and uses.