Chapter 11: Testing and Individual Differences AP Psychology

Intelligence Testing A term that is used frequently, but often misunderstood is “intelligence.” What exactly is intelligence? Many people disagree about what exactly intelligence is, but most do agree that it is: Relative: defined in relation to the same abilities in a comparison group (usually age) Hypothetically constructed: it is unobservable, but instead inferred from behavior

What is Intelligence? Intelligence ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use knowledge to adapt to new situations

‘relative’ and ‘hypothetical’? SO How do you figure out something that is ‘relative’ and ‘hypothetical’?

Can you truly measure Intelligence? You decide 3rd You decide 5th

http://www.polleverywhere.com/multiple_choice_polls/LTc4NjU0MTcw

Origins of Intelligence Testing This foo’ here be Alfred Binet. Better know him! Intelligence Test a method of assessing an individual’s mental aptitudes and comparing them to those of others, using numerical scores

Origins of Intelligence Testing: Testing IQ IQ (intelligence quotient) became a popular way to classify people in the early 1900s when two French psychologists (Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon) developed a test to identify those students who were gifted, and those who needed extra help.

Origins of Intelligence Testing: Binet-SimonTest The test had four important distinctions: Scores were interpreted at their current performance Used to identify students in need of help, not label them or categorize them Emphasized that training and opportunity could affect intelligence Was empirically constructed Scoring the test was done by calculating the mental age (MA) and the chronological age (CA). MA= The average age at which normal individuals achieve a particular score CA= The number of years since an individuals birth

Origins of Intelligence Testing: Mental Age a measure of intelligence test performance devised by Binet chronological age that most typically corresponds to a given level of performance child who does as well as the average 8-year-old is said to have a mental age of 8

Coming to America Stanford-Binet the widely used American revision of Binet’s original intelligence test revised by Terman at Stanford University The idea of IQ testing became popular in America for three reasons: A huge increase in immigration New laws requiring universal education Military assessing new recruits for WWI It created an inexpensive and objective way to separate those could benefit from education or military leadership training and those who needed assistance.

Downside of IQ Testing Despite its utility, IQ testing had a big downside. Tests ended up reinforcing prevailing prejudices about race and gender. Ignored was the fact that environmental disadvantages limit the full development of people’s intellectual abilities. Same problem of NCLB!!!

Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale When the Binet test was adopted by a Stanford professor, he changed the equation to make intelligence scores into non-decimal numbers. This now became known as the Intelligence Quotient (IQ). =IQ

Are There Multiple Intelligences? Savant Syndrome: Individuals with remarkable, but rare talent,(and usually very specific) even though they are mentally deficient in other areas. Ex. Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man Based off Kim Peak Wanna see what he is like KIM PEEK

Savant Syndrome juxtapositions of severe mental handicap and prodigious mental ability Savant performances include Mentally calculating large numbers almost instantly Determining the day of the week for any date centuries away Playing long musical compositions after only hearing it once.

Savant Clips Alonso Clemens Daniel Tammet Steven Wilcher

Are There Multiple Intelligences? Social Intelligence the know-how involved in comprehending social situations and managing oneself successfully Emotional Intelligence ability to perceive, express, understand, and regulate emotions

Intelligence and Creativity the ability to produce novel and valuable ideas expertise imaginative thinking skills venturesome personality intrinsic motivation creative environment

Theories of Intelligence Spearman’s G Factor: Charles Spearman thought intelligence was a general factor behind all of our mental ability. Catell’s Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence The G factor Fluid- ability to change and adapt Crystal- hard knowledge hard to change

Theories of Intelligence Howard Gardner believed that IQ scores measured only a limited range of human mental abilities. He argued we have seven separate mental abilities he calls the multiple intelligences. Linguistic intelligence ("word smart"): Logical-mathematical intelligence ("number/reasoning smart") Spatial intelligence ("picture smart") Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence ("body smart") Musical intelligence ("music smart") Interpersonal intelligence ("people smart") Intrapersonal intelligence ("self smart") Naturalist intelligence (“nature smart”)

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE WHY IT MATTERS

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW 1990 – Salovey & Mayer coin term “emotional intelligence “it is an intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and action.” 1995 - Daniel Goleman publishes “Emotional Intelligence.”

GOLMAN’S THEORY THE BRAIN HAS EMOTIONAL ARCHITECTURE Limbic structures generate feelings & emotions Reptilian brain downshift as the amygdala performs “neural hijacking” http://www.terrybragg.com/Article_Reptilianbrain.htm

COMPONENTS OF E.I. Self-Awareness Self-Management or trustworthiness Motivation or resilience Empathy or recognizing emotions in others Social skills or handling relationships

COMPONENTS OF E. I. FIRST THREE ARE PERSONAL LAST TWO ARE SOCIAL SELF-AWARENESS SELF-REGULATION MOTIVATION LAST TWO ARE SOCIAL EMPATHY SOCIAL SKILL

SELF-AWARENESS “THE ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE AND UNDERSTAND YOUR MOODS, EMOTIONS, AND DRIVES, AS WELL AS THEIR EFFECTS ON OTHERS Do I know how I’m coming off in this situation?

SELF-REGULATION “THE ABILITY TO CONTROL OR REDIRECT DISRUPTING IMPULSES AND MOODS OR THE ABILITY TO SUSPEND JUDGMENT TO THINK BEFORE ACTING.” Can I stop the R brain downshifting?

SELF-REGULATION ABILITY TO RELAX ABILITY TO MANAGE STRESS ABILITY TO CONTROL MOODS ABILITY TO RECOVER FROM EMOTIONAL UPSET MORE QUICKLY ABILITY TO EMPLOY THE 6 SECOND PAUSE

SELF-REGULATION PEOPLE WHO SELF-REGULATE CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE OF TRUST AND FAIRNESS REDUCE EMOTIONAL REACTIVITY IN ENVIRONMENT

MOTIVATION “A PASSION TO WORK FOR REASONS THAT GO BEYOND MONEY OR STATUS” JOB CAPABILITIES Achievement drive Commitment Initiative Optimism

EMPATHY “THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE EMOTIONAL MAKE-UP OF OTHER PEOPLE.”

EMPATHY ABILITY TO TAKE OTHER’S PERSPECTIVE CARING ATTITUDE CAN BETTER READ VERBAL & NONVERBAL CUES ATTUNED TO NEEDS & EMOTIONS OF OTHERS

EMPATHY EMPATHY BUILDS ON SELF-AWARENESS. THE MORE OPEN WE ARE TO OUR OWN EMOTIONS, THE MORE SKILLED WE ARE IN READING OTHERS’ EMOTIONS

SOCIAL SKILLS “PROFICIENCY IN MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS AND BUILDING NETWORKS.” Using your empathetic knowledge

ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS Work Profile Questionnaire—EI Version Emotional Competence Inventory 360 Emotional Intelligence Appraisal BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory Mayer-Salovey-Caruso-EI Test

Emotional Intelligence: Criticism Gardner and others criticize the idea of emotional intelligence and question whether we stretch this idea of intelligence too far when we apply it to our emotions.

Assessing Intelligence How do we measure intelligence?….if we even really can!

Assessing Intelligence Aptitude Test a test designed to predict a person’s future performance aptitude is the capacity to learn Achievement Test a test designed to assess what a person has learned

Assessing Intelligence Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) most widely used intelligence test subtests verbal performance (nonverbal)

Assessing Intelligence: Sample Items from the WAIS From Thorndike and Hagen, 1977 VERBAL General Information Similarities Arithmetic Reasoning Vocabulary Comprehension Digit Span PERFORMANCE Picture Completion Picture Arrangement Block Design Object Assembly Digit-Symbol Substitution

David Wechsler Wechsler developed the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and later the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), an intelligence test for preschoolers.

WAIS WAIS measures overall intelligence and 11 other aspects related to intelligence that are designed to assess clinical and educational problems.

Intelligence Tests The Wechsler Intelligence Scales The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Third Edition is the most commonly used test of intelligence for adults WAIS-III is divided into to parts, one that focuses on verbal abilities and one that focuses on performance skills Also a version for children, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Third Edition

Intelligence Tests Group Tests Intelligence tests that can be given to large groups Advantages Quick scoring No examiner bias Easier to establish norms Disadvantages Less likely to detect someone who is ill or confused Might make people nervous Learning disabled children often perform worse

Intelligence Tests Performance tests Culture-fair tests Tests that minimize the use of language Used to test very young children or people with retardation Also can be used to test those unfamiliar with English Culture-fair tests Tests designed to reduce cultural bias Minimize skills and values that vary from one culture to another

Measuring Individual Differences Psychology relies heavily on testing individuals, it is part of the foundation for psychological analysis. To be effective, however, strict guidelines must be followed. Validity: Does the test actually measure what we say it does/what we want it to? Ex. Reading on a math test Face validity: Does the test look like it tests what it is supposed to test? Content validity: Each part of the test is representative of the larger body of knowledge.

Measuring Individual Differences Criterion Validity: The behavior (such as college grades) that a test (such as the SAT) is designed to predict Predictive Validity: The success with which a test predicts the behavior it is designed to predict.

Assessing Intelligence Greater correlation over broad range of body weights 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Little corre- lation within restricted range Football linemen’s success Body weight in pounds 180 250 290 As the range of data under consideration narrows, its predictive power diminishes

Measuring Individual Differences The second part of a credible test is reliability. Reliability: A test yields the same results over time Test-Retest or Split-Half Reliability Reliable, but not valid Not reliable, not valid Reliable and valid

Assessing Intelligence Standardization defining meaningful scores by comparison with the performance of a pretested “standardization group” Normal Curve the symmetrical bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many physical and psychological attributes most scores fall near the average, and fewer and fewer scores lie near the extremes

Creating Validity and Reliability The most efficient way to create validity and reliability is to use a standardized test. In the most basic sense, a standardized test means: The administration and scoring is the same for each test The results of the test can be used to draw a conclusion about the test takers in regard to the objectives of the test. Ex. AP test, S.A.T.

Judging Normal A “normal curve” is applied to test to determine establish “norms.” When a statistically significant sample of the population has been tested, strong conclusions can be drawn. A normal range for IQ scores is 70-130. Scores below 70 indicate mental retardation while scores above 130 are considered gifted.

Normal Distribution of IQ Scores

Degrees of Mental Retardation

Causes Not much is known for reasons behind mild retardation (90% of all diagnosed) PKU (phenylketonuria) – liver fails to produce an enzyme necessary for early brain development Down Syndrome – is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. Fragile X syndrome – boys harder hit due to only one X chromosone

Types of Tests There are two main types of tests: Objective Tests: Tests that have one set answer, that can be scored easily by machine Ex. Multiple choice Subjective Tests: Tests in which individuals are given ambiguous figures or an open ended question which requires some interpretation and analysis. Ex. FRQs Inter-rater reliability

Sample Subjective Test The Rorschach Inkblot Test is one of the most widely known, and inaccurate subjective tests. The following slides are real inkblots from the test that was, at one time, a widely used test. Today, it has lost much, if not all of its credibility in determining intelligence or mental illness.