1. Intelligence: Theories
EDU 330: Educational Psychology
Daniel Moos, PhD

2. Intelligence: Introduction (I)
What comes to mind when you hear “diversity”?

3. Intelligence: Introduction (II)
How is intelligence studied?
Factor Analysis:
Statistical analysis used to measure a latent variable (i.e. can’t directly measure the variable)
Results identify underlying manifest variables (i.e. variables that can be directly measured)

4. Intelligence: Introduction (III)
Example of Factor Analysis: How is athletic ability measured at NHL tryouts?
Athletic Ability
Strength
Speed
Agility

5. Intelligence: Factor Models (I)
Charles Spearman (1927)
Two factors
g factor  domain-general and homogeneous (i.e. intellectual functioning relatively homogenous across a number of different tasks)
Specific factor  Specific factors that are pertinent to specific task (but…g factor is what most interested Spearman)
g factor

6. GARDNER’S THEORY OF INTELLIGENCE
Dimension Description Example
Linguistic
Ability to use language
Logical
Reasoning, numbers, symbols
Musical
Sensitivity to pitch, tone
perceive the visual-spatial world accurately
Spatial
Kinesthetic
Ability to use body coordinated movements
Interpersonal
Understanding of social interactions
Intrapersonal
Understanding of self
Naturalistic
Recognize similarities/diff in physical world

7. GARDNER’S THEORY OF INTELLIGENCE
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” (Albert Einstein)
Misconceptions
Strength in a particular intelligence means student will excel on all tasks within that domain
Ability is destiny
Every student should be taught every subject in eight different ways to develop all types of intelligence
Multiple intelligences = Learning Styles

8. STERNBERG’S TRIARCHIC THEORY OF INTELLIGENCE (I)
Analytical
(componential)
Creative
(experiential)
Practical
(contextual)
*Prior knowledge
For: solving problems, learn new information, making judgments, evaluating, problem solving
*Novelty problems
Unique situations
*Automation
Apply learned material to novel situation
*Adaptation
Adapt to environment
*Shaping
Change environment
*Selection
Select new environment

9. STERNBERG’S TRIARCHIC THEORY OF INTELLIGENCE (II)
Content Area
Declarative Knowledge
Analysis
Creative
Practical
Language Arts
Remember Tom Sawyer’s Name
Compare the personality of Tom Sawyer with Huck Finn
Write short story with Sawyer as main character
Describe how you would use Sawyer’s power of persuasion
Mathematics
Remember formula Distance = Rate X Time
Solve word problem using D = R x T formula
Create your own math word problem using formula
Show how to use formula to estimate driving from 1 city to another
Social Studies
Remember factors that led to US Civil War
Compare arguments of opposing sides in US Civil War
Write a page of journal from the viewpoint of soldiers on one side
Discuss the applicability of lessons to today’s world
Science
Name main types of bacteria
Analyze how immune system fights bacteria
Suggest ways to cope with increasing immunity of bacteria to antibiotics
Suggest 3 steps to reduce chances of bacterial infection

10. STERNBERG’S TRIARCHIC THEORY OF INTELLIGENCE (III)
Identify one activity that supported each of these three areas of intelligence
Content Area
Declarative Knowledge
Analysis
Creative
Practical
Language Arts
Remember Tom Sawyer’s Name
Compare the personality of Tom Sawyer with Huck Finn
Write short story with Sawyer as main character
Describe how you would use Sawyer’s power of persuasion
Mathematics
Remember formula Distance = Rate X Time
Solve word problem using D = R x T formula
Create your own math word problem using formula
Show how to use formula to estimate driving from 1 city to another
Social Studies
Remember factors that led to US Civil War
Compare arguments of opposing sides in US Civil War
Write a page of journal from the viewpoint of soldiers on one side
Discuss the applicability of lessons to today’s world
Science
Name main types of bacteria
Analyze how immune system fights bacteria
Suggest ways to cope with increasing immunity of bacteria to antibiotics
Suggest 3 steps to reduce chances of bacterial infection

11. Intelligence: Nature or Nurture?
Foster parent-child
 The relationship between intelligence scores for a child and foster parent is mildly positive
Parent-child
Siblings reared together
Fraternal twins (two eggs)
Identical twins (one egg splitting) reared apart: .75
Identical twins reared together
Note: Data from 1963

12. Intelligence: IQ Tests (I)
Mental Age: Represents number passed by average child of same age
Example: If a child passed a number of items equal to the number passed by the average 15-year old, that child would have a mental age of 15 (regardless of the child’s chronological age)
Intelligence Quotient:
(mental age ÷ chronological age) x 100
Example: A 10 year-old with a mental age of 10 =
(10/10) x 100 = 100
Example: A 21 year-old with a mental age of 21 =
(21/21) x 100 = 100
Example: A 10 year-old with a mental age of 9 =
(9/10) x 100 = 90
Example: A 10 year-old with a mental age of 11 =
(11/10) x 100 = 110

13. Intelligence: IQ Tests (II)
Issues with IQ Tests
Does mental age = intelligence?
Example: 7-year old and 10-year old have same mental age; comparable intelligence?
Example: Two children with IQ of 120
5 year-old (mental age of 6)
10 year-old (mental age of 12)
IQ tests are standardized
May not accurately measure intelligence among minority children, ELL (test administration may bias results)