Testing and Individual Differences Chapter 11 Testing and Individual Differences This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: Any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; Preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images Any rental, lease or lending of the program. ISBN: 0-131-73180-7 Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

How Do We Measure Individual Differences? Measuring individual differences is an essential component of psychology, but strict guidelines and ethical standards must be followed to ensure results and conclusions are valid and appropriate Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Validity and Reliability Validity – A property exhibited by a test that measures what it purports to measure Face validity (looks) Content validity (larger body of knowledge represented) Item analysis Criterion validity Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Validity and Reliability Reliability – A property exhibited by a test that yields the same results over time Test-retest reliability (compare versions of test) Split-half reliability (compare halves of test) Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Standardization and Norms Scientists use statistics to establish a normal curve This curve can be used to describe most phenomena Normal range – Scores falling near the middle of a normal distribution (2/3’s) A statistically significant portion of population should be tested Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

The Normal Distribution of IQ Scores Many Number of Persons Normal Range Few 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 100 IQ Cognitively disabled <70; Giftedness>130 Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Types of Tests Objective tests can be scored easily by machine In subjective tests, individuals are given an ambiguous figure or an open-ended situation and asked to describe what they see or finish a story Inter-rater reliability measures how similarly two different test scorers would score a test Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Ethics and Standards in Testing Ethical concerns related to testing involve: The confidentiality of the test results How to report the results How to use the test to compare individuals The impact of tests on society as a whole How does this work in Education? Tracking, mainstreaming Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

How is Intelligence Measured? Intelligence testing has a history of controversy, but most psychologists now view intelligence as a normally distributed trait that can be measured by performance on a variety of tasks Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

How is Intelligence Measured? Binet Test- looking for “dull” students Binet-Simon Test calculated a child’s mental age and compared it to his or her chronological age In America, testing became widespread for the assessment of Army recruits, immigrants, and schoolchildren. Measures current performance The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (Lewis Terman) was the most respected of the new American tests of intelligence (supposed to test innate intelligence) Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

How is Intelligence Measured? Intelligence quotient – A numerical score on an intelligence test, original computed by dividing a person’s mental age by chronological age and multiplying by 100 IQ=MA/CAX100 Problem??? The original IQ calculation was abandoned in favor of standard scores based on the normal distribution (David Wechsler: WAIS, WISC, WPPSI) assesses performance on a variety of tasks Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Exceptional Child Mental retardation – Often conceived as representing the lower 2% of the IQ range Giftedness – Often conceived as representing the upper 2% of the IQ range Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 What can be done? Educational programs can increase IQ by 15 points Early Intervention is Key Sensory stimulation and interaction help Lewis Terman Longitudinal Study Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

What Are the Components of Intelligence? Some psychologists believe that the essence of intelligence is a single, general factor, while others believe intelligence is best described as a collection of distinct abilities Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

What Are the Components of Intelligence? Savant syndrome – Found in individuals who have a remarkable talent even though they are mentally slow in other domains Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Psychometric Theories of Intelligence g Factor – A general ability, proposed by Charles Spearman as the main factor underlying all intelligent mental activity Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Psychometric Theories of Intelligence Raymond Cattell Crystallized intelligence – The knowledge a person has acquired, plus the ability to access that knowledge Fluid intelligence – The ability to see complex relationships and solve problems (heuristics and algorithms) Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Cognitive Theories of Intelligence Robert Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory Practical Intelligence Analytical Intelligence Creative Intelligence Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory Practical Intelligence Ability to cope with the environment; “street smarts” Analytical Intelligence Creative Intelligence Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory Practical Intelligence Ability to analyze problems and find correct answers; ability measured by most IQ tests Analytical Intelligence also called logical reasoning Creative Intelligence Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory Practical Intelligence Form of intelligence that helps people see new relationships among concepts; involves insight and creativity Analytical Intelligence Creative Intelligence Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Logical-Mathematical Spatial Musical Bodily-Kinesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Often measured on IQ tests with reading comprehension and vocabulary tests Logical-Mathematical Spatial Musical Bodily-Kinesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Often measured on IQ tests with analogies, math problems and logic problems Logical-Mathematical Spatial Musical Bodily-Kinesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Logical-Mathematical Ability to form mental images of objects and think about their relationships in space Spatial Musical Bodily-Kinesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Logical-Mathematical Spatial Ability to perceive and create patterns of rhythms and pitches Musical Bodily-Kinesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Logical-Mathematical Spatial Musical Ability for controlled movement and coordination Bodily-Kinesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Logical-Mathematical Spatial Musical Bodily-Kinesthetic Ability to understand other people’s emotions, motives and actions Interpersonal Intrapersonal Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Logical-Mathematical Spatial Musical Bodily-Kinesthetic Ability to know oneself and to develop a sense of identity Interpersonal Intrapersonal Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Gardner’s Three New Intelligences Naturalistic intelligence Spiritual intelligence Existential intelligence Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Cultural Definitions of Intelligence Cross-cultural psychologists have shown that “intelligence” has different meanings in different cultures John Berry??? Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Self-Fullfilling Profecy Rosenthal & Jacobson proved with Rat Race Educational implications Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

How Do Psychologists Explain IQ Differences Among Groups? While most psychologists agree that both heredity and environment affect intelligence, they disagree on the source of IQ differences among racial and social groups Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

How Do Psychologists Explain IQ Differences Among Groups? Hereditarian arguments maintain that intelligence is substantially influenced by genetics Henry Goddard- Used IQ tests to block immigration Environmental approaches argue that intelligence can be dramatically shaped by influences such as Health Economics Education Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Heritability and Group Differences Heritability – Amount of trait variation within a group, raised under the same conditions, that can be attributed to genetic differences Heritability says nothing about between-group differences Arthur Jensen-IQ differences in race based on genetics. * ignored many aspects Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Heritability and Group Differences Research with twins and adopted children shows genetic influences on a wide range of attributes, including intelligence Research has also shown that racial and class differences in IQ scores can be eliminated by environmental changes Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

IQ differences among groups Sandra Scarr and Richard Weinberg Compared adopted children of opposite race No difference between race Socioeconomic status plays large role in IQ. Why? Head Start- the earlier the better How are IQ tests biased? Herrnstein and Murray Bell curve Study-???? Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 End of Chapter 11 Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007