1. Chapter 12
Intelligence

2. Intelligence Intelligence
Defining intelligence is difficult as there are many different definitions
Some see intelligence as a label for what intelligence tests measure
Some take a broader view – that intelligence involves the ability to learn from experience, think in abstract terms & deal effectively with one’s environment

3. Assessment of Intellectual Abilities
Intelligent tests
Key that they measure what they intend to measure
Reliability
A test with good reliability will yield reproducible & consistent results
Assessed by correlating two sets of scores
Test-retest reliability – person takes test twice – scores correlate
Alternative form reliability – two forms of same test correlate highly
Internal consistency – test items correlate highly with each other
Interjudge reliability – ratings of judges correlate highly

4. Assessment of Intellectual Abilities
Validity
A test with good validity is one that measures what it’s meant to measure
Criterion/empirical validity – correlating test score with some external criterion can assess validity
Criterion problem in assessment – where there is no “truth” against which to validate the test
Construct validity – where test scores correlate with the predicted outcomes of the theory underlying the research

5. Assessment of Intellectual Abilities
Early intelligence tests
Early ideas that intelligence was linked to exceptional sensory & perceptual skills are no longer supported
First successful intelligence tests developed by Alfred Binet who proposed the concept of mental age (bright children perform above actual age, slow child performs below actual age)
The Stanford-Binet intelligence scale
Binet scales revised to create Stanford-Binet which introduced concept of IQ (intelligence quotient)

6. Assessment of Intellectual Abilities
...The Stanford-Binet intelligence scale
IQ scores

7. Assessment of Intellectual Abilities
The Wechsler intelligence scales
Wechsler felt Stanford-Binet relied on language ability & was not suitable for adults so developed WAIS which included verbal scale & performance scale
The factorial approach
Binet & Wechsler considered intelligence to be a general capacity for reasoning – not all agree
Spearman proposed presence of “g” (general factor) underlies performance on different tests
Factor analysis – method to discover minimum underlying factors/abilities to explain correlation pattern

8. Contemporary Theories of Intelligence
Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences
Mental processes underlie intelligent behavior
Seven distinct types of intelligence that are independent & each operate separate module in brain
1. linguistic intelligence,
2. musical intelligence,
3. logical-mathematical intelligence,
4. spatial intelligence,
5. bodily-kinesthetic intelligence,
6. intrapersonal intelligence,
7. interpersonal intelligence

9. Contemporary Theories of Intelligence
Anderson’s theory of intelligence & cognitive development
Differences in intelligence result from differences in the “basic processing mechanism” that implements thinking, which in turn yields knowledge
Two different “routes” to knowledge – first involving basic processing mechanism, which operates through specific processers, to acquire knowledge. Second route involves use of modules to acquire knowledge which comes automatically if module has matured enough

10. Contemporary Theories of Intelligence
Sternberg’s triarchic theory
Theory has three sub-theories
Componential sub-theory – deals with thought processes
Experiential sub-theory – deals with effects of experience on intelligence
Contextual sub-theory – considers effects of environment & culture
Most highly developed is componential sub-theory which includes meta-components, performance components & knowledge-acquisition components

11. Contemporary Theories of Intelligence
Ceci’s bioecological theory
Everyday intellectual performance cannot only be explained by IQ or biological notions of general intelligence
Rather, intellectual performance depends on interaction between multiple cognitive potentials with a rich, well-organized knowledge base
This highlights impact of environment on IQ – more environmental risks child exposed to – lower the IQ

12. Contemporary Theories of Intelligence
Comparing theories of intelligence
Research continues to explore complex relationship between biological & environmental factors

13. Genetics & Intelligence
Contribution of genetics
Heated debates concerning contribution of genetics to individual’s intelligence
Heritability
Researchers often quantify extent to which groups differ by measuring variance – percentage of variance that accounted for by genetic differences = heritability
Twin studies indicate heritability of intelligence to be between 60 – 80 percent but environment also plays a role

14. Genetics & Intelligence
...Heritability

15. Genetics & Intelligence
...Heritability
Misunderstandings about heritability
Heritability refers to differences among individuals in a population, not to differences within individuals
Heritability of trait not a single, fixed number – subject to change if circumstances change
Heritability does not explain source of mean differences between groups
Heritability does not tell us about the effects of environmental changes on the average level of a trait

16. Emotional Intelligence
Four critical components
Accurate perception & expression of emotions – being able to read emotions of others helps you anticipate possible threats & helps you empathise with others
Ability to access and generate emotions in the service of thinking & problem solving – being able to access current feelings & anticipate future feelings gives us important information for decision making
Understanding emotions & emotional meanings – we may accurately perceive an emotion but if we don’t understand why we are feeling that way, we can’t do much about it

17. Emotional Intelligence
...Four critical components
Emotional regulation – being able to manage and regulate your emotions appropriately – learning how to regulate emotions is critical to relationships with others & to our own health
People with higher emotional intelligence tend to be healthier, psychologically and physically

18. General Learning Disability
Individuals whose intellectual & practical skills fall far below average said to suffer from general learning disability
World Health Organization criteria – individual must have both sub-average scores on IQ test & show significant problems in performing everyday tasks
Severity of general learning disability varies greatly from mild (IQ 50-69) – profound (IQ < 20)

19. General Learning Disability
Causes of general learning disability
Large number of biological factors can cause general learning disability
Before birth – chromosomal (e.g. Down’s syndrome, fragile X syndrome), gestational disorders (e.g. maternal high blood pressure, diabetes), prenatal exposure to toxins (e.g. alcohol, drugs), prenatal exposure to rubella, herpes or syphilis
Early childhood – infections, physical trauma, metabolism & nutrition problems (e.g. PKU and Tay-Sachs disease), & gross brain disease
Also, socio-cultural factors can influence general learning disability (e.g. socio-economic class)

20. General Learning Disability
Treatments for general learning disability
Children with general learning disability who receive intensive and comprehensive intervention from birth enhance their development of basic skills
Interventions include – behavioral interventions, medication, social programs to optimise the child’s environment etc.
If interventions stopped, benefits seen in the short term often diminish with time