1. Intelligence
Huh?

2. Module 13 What is “intelligence”?
Who do you think are intelligent people?
Why?
Is intelligence the same thing as smart?

3. Definitions People define “intelligence” in different ways.
Your text explores three different ways of defining intelligence

4. Two-factor Theory
A psychometric approach which measures cognitive ability thought to be involved in intellectual performance
Developed by Spearman in 1904
Intelligence has 2 factors:
General mental ability factor (g) measuring what tasks have in common
Specific factors (s) including specific abilities such as mathematical or verbal skills

5. More two-factor theory
Today, “g” is defined and measured by a person’s performance on standard tests. This is what we call an IQ score.
IQ was developed by Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon (1905) as a way of identifying children in need of extra academic support
IQ is a persons “mental age” divided by their “chronological age” and then multiplied by 100.
ie. A 12 year old who can only perform tasks at a 6-year old level would have an IQ defined as 6/12x100 = 50

6. Yet more 2-factor stuff
IQ scores are largely used to compare students academically or to rate them in terms of mental disability. It does not take into account musical, motor or inter-personal skills.
It is a reliable predictor of academic performance
It is not a good predictor of ability outside traditional white western culture.

7. Multiple-intelligence theory
Gardner (1999) defined at least 9 different types of intelligence: verbal, musical, logical-mathematical, inter-personal, intra-personal, spatial, kinesthetic, naturalistic and existential
He based this on abilities which remain after brain-damage occurs
Advantage: different skills are recognized as intelligence
Disadvantage: difficult to find a standard measure

8. Triarchic Theory
Sternberg (2003) also felt that g was too narrow a theory.
Triarchic theory recognizes 3 components of reasoning process:
Analytical skills such as those measured by IQ
Creative problem-solving skills and learning from experience
Practical thinking skills for coping with the socio-cultural environment

9. More Triarchic Theory
Advantages: does not limit intelligence to cognitive abilities
Disadvantage: a new theory with little scientific support so far

10. Current Ideas
While IQ is predictive of academic success, it is not a good measure of career success.
Multiple intelligences are beginning to be the recognized measure of a person’s abilities by employers.

11. What does a score mean?
Tests which measure ability, and are widely used, must be both valid and reliable (as all good scientific systems should be).
Valid – the tests measures what it is supposed to measure
Reliable – the test is consistent: what a person scores today will be the same as a similar test taken at another time.

12. IQ tests on-line

13. More about IQ
100 is the middle point for IQ scores (the “average”). Points fall to either side in a bell curve.
95% of IQ scores fall between 70 and 130
Below 70 is considered “mild retardation” which is a medical term only
Over 130 is considered gifted.

14. Concerns: IQ tests may be biased in the following ways: Racially
Culturally
Socially
Individuals with test or social anxiety

15. Influences
The “heritability” of IQ is about 50%. So genetic factors contribute to about half of what we consider intelligence
“Reaction range” is the amount of IQ affected by environmental factors. These may cause IQ to increase or decrease by as much as points. Environmental factors are very early influences: IQ cannot be significantly changed after early childhood, although ability can be enhanced.

16. Thinking …