Intelligence

1. Psychological testing (includes standardization, test norms, percentile

score, reliability [e.g., test-retest], and validity [e.g., criterion-related,

content, construct] (some in text only)

2. History of intelligence testing (includes Galton, Binet, Terman,

Wechsler, WAIS, Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory, Gardner)

3. Assessing contribution of heredity vs. environment on intelligence

(includes twin and adoption studies)

4. The "general" vs. "specific" debate (includes examples or analogies

for each)

5. Components of Spearman's ("g factor") vs. Sternberg's explanation of

intelligence vs. Gardner’s explanation

6. Correlates of creativity with personality and mental health

Objectives

Reliability -Informal Definition:

The consistency and stability of

measurement

How We Evaluate Psychological Measures:

Reliability & Validity

Validity -Informal Definition:

Extent to which a test measures

what it is supposed to measure

The Evolution of Intelligence Testing

• Sir Francis Galton (1869) – Hereditary Genius

• Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon (1905)– Binet asked to develop test for use with French school children

– Binet-Simon Intelligence Scale

• Mental age

• Lewis Terman (1916)– Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale

• Intelligence Quotient (IQ) – MA/CA x 100

• David Wechsler (1955)– Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale

( adapted from Thomson Higher Education, 2007, 2001)

Defining Intelligence

Wechsler’s Definition:

“Global capacity to act purposefully, think rationally, and

deal effectively with the environment.”

(adapted from Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2001)

Other psychologists are more likely to use “cognitive abilities” or “mental

abilities” versus “intelligence.”

Also called “paper-and-pencil” tests for most common

way given to applicants

May measure overall mental ability (”G”) or specific

cognitive areas (verbal, quantitative, memory,

reasoning; “facets”) reflecting debate over general

versus specific intelligences

Common examples include Wonderlic Personnel Test,

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, and MANY others

WARNING: Potential for adverse impact on members of protected classes

Cognitive or Mental Abilities Tests

Multiple Aptitude Test Batteries

Ployhart, R. E., Schneider, B., & Schmitt, N. (2006). Staffing organizations: Contemporary practice and theory

(3rd ed.; p. 409). Mahwah, NJ Lawrence Erlbaum.

Average Wonderlic Scores

Guion, R. M., & Highhouse, S. (2006). Essentials of personnel assessment and selection (p. 240). Mahwah, NJ Lawrence Erlbaum.

(adapted from Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2001)

Group Tests

• WAIS is example of individually-administered test

• In contrast, “Group Tests” are given to several

people with less supervision; usually contain

multiple-choice items

– Army Alpha was first group intelligence test;

developed to screen for admission to officer

candidate school during World War I

(adapted from Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2001)

Cognitive Abilities Tests: Criterion-Related Validity Estimates

(Hunter, 1986)

* “Corrected” values from meta-analyses

Occupation

Validity for “Job

Performance”

Criterion*

Manager

Clerical

Sales clerk

Vehicle operator

Industrial

.53

.54

.27

.28

.37

Cognitive Ability, Job Complexity, & Job Performance

Normal

Distribution

and IQ

Scores

Heredity and Environment

• “Nature AND Nurture” - Intelligence is probably a combination of heredity (genetics) ANDenvironment (upbringing)

• “Twins Studies” are used to look at relative contributions of each factor

– Fraternal Twins: Conceived from two separate eggs

– Identical Twins: Develop from single egg and have identical genes

(adapted from Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2001)

Studies of IQ similarity

Reaction Range: Heredity & Environment

Alternative Ways of Viewing Intelligence

• G-Factor: General ability factor; assumed to

explain high correlations among various

intellectual measures

• Sternberg - Triarchic Theory of Intelligence

• Gardner - Multiple Intelligences: Argues there

are several specialized types of intellectual ability

( adapted from Thomson Higher Education, 2007, 2001)

Spearman’s g.

Spearman found that

specific mental talents

(S1, S2, S3, and so

on) were highly

intercorrelated. Thus,

he concluded that

all cognitive abilities

share a common core,

which he labeled g for

general mental ability.

(adapted from Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2001)

Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence

Analytical – abstract reasoning, judgment, evaluation

Creative – creativity, inventiveness, deal with new problems

Practical – learn and deal with everyday problems

Logical – Mathematical

Linguistic

Musical

Spatial

Bodily-Kinesthetic

Interpersonal

Intrapersonal

Naturalist

Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences

( adapted from Thomson

Higher Education, 2007,

2001)

Creativity &

Mental

Illness?