LEARNING GOAL 8.2: EVALUATE DIFFERENT THEORIES AND MEASURES OF INTELLIGENCE. Intelligence

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory Argues for at least eight types of intelligence: Verbal-LinguisticMusical-Rhythmic Logical-MathematicalInterpersonal Bodily-KinestheticIntrapersonal Visual-SpatialNaturalistic (contemplating a ninth intelligence: existential) Helped us to value more types of mental ability Critics say that some of Gardner’s types are skills/talents, not intelligences

Sternberg’s Tri-Mind Theory Argues for three types of intelligence:  Analytic: analyzing, comparing, and evaluating information  Creative: inventing, designing, and adapting to situations  Practical: applying and using information in the real world Traditionally, our idea of intelligence aligns with analytic intelligence Practical intelligence is better for predicting managerial/occupational success

Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence Theory Academic intelligence vs. emotional intelligence  Emotional intelligence: ability to understand and manage both oneself and one’s relationships with others May be a better predictor of professional and personal success Emotional intelligence tests are currently being developed

Spearman’s General Intelligence Theory Observed that people who are good at one thing will tend to be good at other things as well Claimed that any multiple intelligences are all rooted in one general intelligence There is not yet consensus in the psychological community as to exactly what intelligence is, which makes it all the harder to evaluate how intelligent a person is…

IQ Test – The First Version Developed by Alfred Binet of France Assumed that as you get older, you can answer more sophisticated sorts of questions Based on what difficulty level you can answer, the test determined your mental age (MA); this may differ from your actual chronological age (CA) To calculate your IQ:IQ = MA x 100 CA The assumption that you can answer more difficult questions as you age only really applies to children

Revisions to the IQ Test Lewis Terman of Stanford revised the earliest version, creating the Stanford-Binet IQ test Added test questions that were more critical- thinking based Scored test against a normal distribution of your peers, rather than calculating “mental age”

Criticisms of the IQ Test Oversimplifies intelligence – tries to wrap up all your varied mental abilities in just one number Culturally biased  Many questions are highly verbal, making it difficult for language learners  Education specialists have tried to make a fairer IQ test using pictures, but nearly any test item, whether verbal or pictorial, makes certain cultural assumptions about the test-taker