1. What is Intelligence? Fluid Intelligence: processing ability
Fluid intelligence decreases after your 20s.
Crystallized Intelligence: knowledge acquired
By age 3 children’s performances can predict future intelligence

2. “g” - factor
Charles Spearman believed there is a general intelligence.
Used factor analysis to identify and quantify abilities in certain areas.
If you’re good at one thing, then you’ll be good at another.

3. Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences

4. Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand your own emotions and those of people around you.
Highly intelligent people can be social morons

5. Autistic/Idiot Savants
Score low on intelligence tests, but have extraordinary skills usually in the form of memory feats, or mathematic, artistic, or musical abilities
Derek Paravicini
Kim Peek

6. Tests
Aptitude tests – attempt to predict future performance (SAT, GRE, ACT)
Achievement tests – attempt to measure what you’ve learned (Regents exams, AP exam)

7. What makes a good test? Standardization and Norms (avg. scores)
Norms determine how well you do compared to a representative sample.
Typically form a normal distribution.

8. What makes a good test? Reliability – consistent results
Test-retest and split-half scores help predict reliability
Validity – the test measures what it is supposed to measure
Criterion related validity – does it measure what’s intended?
Can a test be reliable, but not valid?
Can a test be valid, but have low reliability?

9. First Intelligence Tests
Alfred Binet established a test to identify students who needed additional help in schooling.
Simon and Binet attempted to measure a child’s mental age.
Lewis Terman created the Stanford-Binet Test to determine IQ
Mental Age
Chronological Age
Multiplied x 100 8
10 X 100 = 80

10. Modern Tests of Mental Abilities
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) – set of 11 subtests
Wechsler Scale for Children (WISC)

11. Change over time Flynn effect – we are smarter today Why?
Avg. IQ score 80 yrs. ago was a 76
Goes up about 3 pts. every decade
Why?
Better nutrition?
More education?
More stimulating environments?
Better at taking IQ tests?

12. Stability vs. Change
Baby’s 2-11 months who become bored easily tend to score higher on IQ tests 10 years later.
By age 7 intelligence test scores stabilize.

13. Group Differences Asians score higher than whites
Jews score higher than gentiles
Whites score higher than blacks
About 15 pts. or 1 SD
16% of blacks score higher than avg. white
Hispanics are between whites and blacks and Native Americans are below blacks
What accounts for these differences?

14. Environmental effects
Differences in child-rearing
Commands vs. explanations
TV watching
Inferior schools
Nutrition
Prenatal care
Lead pollution and other toxins

15. Genetic Influences
Adopted children are more similar to their biological parents
Twin studies
163 twins reared apart have similar IQs

16. Social Class and Intelligence
The Eugenics Movement wanted to discourage reproduction of individuals
IQ is strongly related to
Crime
Poverty levels
Welfare