Is this Intelligence?

Intelligence

An individual’s ability to understand complex ideas, to adapt effectively to the environment, to learn from experience, to engage in various forms of reasoning, and to overcome obstacles through mental effort.

Intelligenceg Factor

Spearman’s term for a general intellectual ability that underlies all mental operations to some degreePeople who are bright in one area tend to

be bright in otherss factor

Specific intellectual abilitiesSpearman’s influence seen in intelligence

tests such as Stanford-Binet that yield one IQ score to indicate the level of general intelligence

Components of Intelligence Working Memory

Working memory can predict “g”Some equate working memory with “g”

Speed of ProcessingNot always the best predictor in anomalous

individuals

Other componentsInhibitionattention

Intelligence

Primary Mental Abilities Thurstone’s seven relatively distinct capabilities that singly

or in combination are involved in all intellectual activitiesVerbal comprehensionNumerical abilitySpatial relationsPerceptual speedWord fluencyMemoryReasoning

All intellectual activities involve one or more of these areas Believes a single IQ score obscures more than it reveals Suggests a profile indicating strength and weak areas

Howard Gardner’s EightFrames of Mind

Gardner’s Study’s of Intelligence

Developed theory by studying patients with different types of brain damage affecting some forms of intelligence but left others intact

Studied savant syndrome A combination of mental retardation and unusual talent and

abilities

Believes all forms of intelligence are equally important Cultures assign varying degrees of importance to types of

intelligence Various abilities and skills have been valued differently in

other cultures and periods of history

No empiric evidence supports this general theory

Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence

Sternberg Argues that IQ-test performance and real-world

success are based on two different types of knowledge: Formal Academic Knowledge

Knowledge acquired in school Tacit Knowledge

Action oriented and acquired without direct help from others

Educators use teaching methods designed to tap into all three types of intelligenceEffective with low achievers in school Teachers emphasize the practical relevance of formal

academic knowledge and help students apply it to real-world problems

Measuring Intelligence

Binet-Simon TestThe first IQ test

Developed to aid schools in France

Used a scored called mental ageBased on number of items a child got right compared

with the number right of various agesIf number right equaled the average of 8 year olds was

assigned the mental age of 8 regardless of chronological age

Measuring Intelligence

Stern devised Intelligence quotient A simple formula for calculating an index of intelligence

Terman perfected Intelligence quotient and published Binet-Simon Scale with items adapted for American children

Norms Standards based on the range of test scores of a large

group of people who are selected to provide the bases of comparison for those who take the test later

Intelligence Quotient (IQ)An index of intelligence, originally derived by dividing

mental age by chronological age and then multiplying by 100, but now derived by comparing an individual’s score with the scores of others of the same age.

The Range of Intelligence Bell Curve AKA normal curve

The majority of scores cluster around the mean

The further away from the mean score the fewer there areLess than 2% are classified as genius or

mentally retarded

Mental DeficienciesSubnormal intelligence reflected by an IQ below 70 and by

adaptive functioning severely deficient for one’s age. (Old terminology)

Mildly retarded: IQ 55-70 Moderately retarded: IQ 40-55 Severely retarded: IQ 25-40 Profoundly retarded: IQ below 25 Inclusion or Mainstreaming

Educating mentally challenged students in regular rather than special schools

Placing them in regular classes for part of the day Or having special classrooms in regular schools Rely heavily on behavior modification techniques

The IQ ControversyBy what degree can variations in intelligence

be accounted for by genetics, biology, and inheritance?

Nature-Nurture controversyThe debate over whether intelligence and

other traits are primarily the result of heredity or environment

Sir Francis Galton initiated the debate and concluded intelligence was inherited

Environmentalists insist that intelligence is influenced primarily by one’s environmentThe results of nurturing by parents,

teachers, friends, etc.

Nature-Nurture Controversy

HeritabilityAn index of the degree to which a characteristic is estimated to be influence by heredity

some research using the adoption study method supports that genes/heritability influence IQ scores

Nature-Nurture Controversy

Enriched EnvironmentIQ scores can be modified with an enriched environment

The earlier children are adopted, the higher their IQ’s

Infants and children of low IQ, low income mothers who attend education programs scored higher on IQ tests.

Advantages persist into adulthood

Nature-Nurture ControversyRace and IQHistorically Blacks score about 15 points lower than whites on IQ tests1969 Jensen attributed the IQ gap to genetic differences and that environment would not change test scoresMid 1990s Hernstein & Murray - lower IQ scores are

60% genetic and 40% environmental due to social ills of modern society

Poverty, welfare dependency, crime, and illegitimacy

Ramey and others suggest that racial differences are more likely due to Results of poverty and lack of access to educational

opportunities

Dynamic assessment supports environmental effects on IQExaminees are taught the goal and format of each IQ

subtest before testingChildren from middle class already have exposure to

these concepts and thus demonstrate competency

Stereotype threatMinority individuals assume inferiority and testing

becomes self-fulfilling prophecy as they disengage

Gender DifferencesGirls from 18 months on have a larger vocabulary

17 year olds from 1971-1992 on the National Association of Ed. Progress (NAEP)

Females outperformed males in reading and writingMales out performed females in science and mathMales were nearer the bottom in writing and reading comprehensionHormonal differences may contribute to boys higher math scores

Social differences, a greater contributor to math score differencesParental expectations – boys are expected to do better

in mathBoys who do well at math are considered ‘talented’Girls who do well at math are considered ‘hard workers’Parent’s beliefs about their children’s talents by age 6

predict the child’s belief about their own abilities at age 17

This belief is smaller today than in previous yearsSpatial tasks - Males tend to perform better on

some than females.Spatial abilities may be enhanced by prenatal exposure

to androgenHigh blood levels of testosterone are associated with

good performance on spatial tasks

Creativity

The ability to produce original, appropriate, and valuable ideas and/or solutions to problems.

Snow, genuine creativity “is an accomplishment born of intensive study, long reflection, persistence, and interest.

A weak to moderate correlation between creativity and IQ High intelligence does not necessarily mean high

creativity

Creativity

Genuine creativity rarely appears in sudden flashes Four stages in creative problem-solving process

1.Preparation–searching for information to help solve the problem

2.Incubation-letting the problem “sit” while the relevant information is digested

3. Illumination-being suddenly struck by the right solution

4.Translation-transforming the insight into useful action

Divergent ThinkingThe ability to produce multiple ideas, answers, or

solutions to a problem for which there is no agreed-on solution

Is novel, original, and involves the synthesis of an unusual association of ideas;

Is flexible, switching quickly and smoothly from one stream of thought or set of ideas to another;

It requires fluency, the ability to formulate an abundance of ideas.

High degree of divergent thinking demonstrated by creative thinkers

Both brain hemispheres highly active during creative thinking

CreativityConvergent Thinking

The type of mental activity measured by IQ and achievement tests

Consists of solving precisely defined, logical problems for which there is a known correct answer

Demonstrated by greater activity in the left frontal cortex

Creativity

Highly creative thinking is associated with activity in both hemispheres, but with significantly higher levels in the right hemisphere (a).

During thinking that is not creative (b ) activity is largely restricted to the left hemisphere.

Creativity

Measuring individual differences in creativity Tests emphasize original approaches to arriving at solutions

for open ended problems or for producing artistic works Unusual Uses Test

Asks respondents to name as many uses as possible for an ordinary object (such as a brick)

Consequences Test Asks test takers to list as many consequences as they can

that would be likely to follow some basic change in the world (gravity being reduced by 50%)

Remote Associations Test The essences of creativity is the thinker’s ability to fit

together ideas that to the noncreative thinker might appear remote or unrelated

Creativity

Exceptionally creative individuals Have a great deal of expertise in a specific area build up by

years of discipline and practice Open to new experiences and ideas – even those that seem

odd to others Inherently curious and inquisitive Independent thinkers less influenced by the ideas of others More likely to be motivated by the anticipation, excitement,

and enjoyment of their work than by a desire to please others. Creative endeavor requires hard work and persistence in the

face of failure Albert Einstein published 248 papers on theory of relativity Mozart created 609 musical compositions before death at 35

years of age.

Who are the

TYPE I – THE SUCCESSFUL

90% of identified gifted students Have learned the system. Many believe they will "make it on their own." They tend to go through the motions of

schooling.May underachieve in college and later

adulthood.

TYPE II – THE CHALLENGING Type II's are the divergently gifted.Systems fail to identify Type II gifted children Possess a high degree of creativity Feel frustrated because the school system

has not affirmed their talents and abilities. Struggle with self esteemPoor SOCIAL COGNITIONType II's may be "at risk"

eventual dropouts - for drug addiction or delinquent behavior- if appropriate interventions are not made by junior high.

Type III - The Underground

Known as "the underground gifted.“Generally, want to hide their giftedness. Sometimes it is not acceptable to stand out

in one’s culture.In general, are gifted girls Sometimes males dominateNeed Support for transition.

Type IV- The Dropouts

Type IV gifted students are angry. have interests that lie outside the realm of

the regular school curriculum Were identified very late, perhaps not until

high school. School has failed them

Type V - The Double-Labeled

Gifted children who are physically or emotionally handicapped in some way, or who have learning disabilities.

The vast majority of schools do not identify these children,

Do not exhibit behaviors that schools look for in the gifted..

These children may deny that they are having difficulty

These students are ignored

Type VI The Autonomous Learner Few gifted children demonstrate this style at a very early age

although parents may see evidence of the style at home.

Like the Type I's, these students have learned to work effectively in the school system.

They have learned to use the system to create new opportunities for themselves. They do not work for the system; they make the system work for them.

They are well respected by adults and peers and frequently serve in some leadership capacity within their school or community.

Type VI students are independent and self-directed. They feel

secure designing their own educational and personal goals.

Is intelligence culturally dependant?

What constitutes “intelligence” in other cultures?

Is one kind of “intelligence” better than another?

Can we change “intelligence”? Do our tests really measure “intelligence”? How can we do it better?