Intelligence: Interpretations and Mechanisms Flashcards
(10 cards)
Cognitive Psychology Approach to Intelligence
explains and describes underlying mental processes, it asks what mechanisms produce variations in performance
key topics:
brain size
elementary cognitive tasks
neuropsychology
Cognitive Psych: Brain Size and Intelligence
normally, more neurons means one is smarter (r=0.24)
organ size matters - larger animals are generally smarter than smaller animals
what is the psychometric approach to intelligence
thought of as “mind-measuring”, using numbers to assess how well one is doing (quantitative)
it measures the levels of different abilities (how strong/weak someone is in a particular skill), the structure (how the diff skills are organised/linked), and the overall intelligence (g)
key tests of intelligence in the psychometric approach
stanford-binet
wechsler scales (WAIS, WISC)
Woodcock-Johnson III
Cog Psych : Elementary Cog Tasks in Intelligence
g means faster and more efficient neuronal firing OR processing
types of tasks:
inspection time (a stimulus flashes up then ppts shown A or B and asked which they saw) - correlates with IQ r=0.40
simple reaction time (respond if stimulus appears)
choice reaction time (respond differently depending on stimulus that appears - splits into decision time and movement time)
reaction time can also predict dying sooner and poorer mental health, alongside IQ (for any at once r=0.3, higher for choice than simple - if all in a varied series, r=0.6)
the slower the reaction, the more variable
evoked potentials = higher IQ according to WAIS is correlated with more activation in cortex that deals with higher cognitive function
Cognitive: Neuropsychology in Intelligence: Luria’s Pioneering Clinical Work
distinguished between simultaneous (comparing and integrating) and sequential (ordering and planning) processing
this inspired Das and Naglieri’s Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) which is an IQ test that also features planning and attention
AND
inspired Kaufman’s test (used elements of standard IQ test and Luria’s system - performance-based tasks to avoid confounds due to cultural/language unfamiliarity)
Abilities partly localised and modular:
in diff lobes
in diff parts of cortex (language in left hemisphere, spatial in right hemisphere)
What makes a good intelligence test?
variety of many tasks (more coverage of g and higher internal consistency)
tasks more g-loaded = backwards digit span or Raven’s Progressive Matrices
standardised administration as diff conditions can influence result
practical consideration
norm referencing = IQ only makes sense in the context of how others do - be representative of every person/age/culture
validity = meta-analysis of IQ predicting job performance is r=0.5 - Criminals IQ is on average 10 points below normal - IQ predicts early death from heart disease and accidents (but not cancer) and reaction time mediates the difference - r=0.7 for IQ over the lifespan - motivation and luck also play a role
(ability (IQ) = drive (x luck) = success
Validity in Intelligence: Case Study
Terman studied high IQ people called “Terman’s Termites” - high IQ didn’t guarantee good life experiences
Some people with IQ less than 140 won Nobel Prizes
Langan (IQ 190-210) worked as a bouncer, has a resentful attitude and poor social skills and a potentially deprived upbringing - he won money on a game show and his life got better
Validity in Intelligence: practice
Outliers book states 10,000 hours means you’re good at it
successful musicians practice more
Passion and obsession drive want to practice
Flynn Effect
re-norming of IQ tests as samples change
in 20th century Flynn noticed new test-takers did better on the older version of test before re-norming
from 1930, IQ has risen 1/3 or 2/3 of an IQ point per year (10-15 points per generation)
BUT verbal scores on Standard Aptitude Test in USA declined from 1960s to 1970s (but have picked up now)
it is the less smart that are getting smarter
FLYNN EFFECT SUGGESTS:
environment matters to IQ, for genetic change can’t have happened so quickly - it may be due to more cognitive stimulation nowadays, particularly of an abstract sort (ie tv show plots getting more complicated and more electronic devices etc)
AND that IQ can’t be taken too seriously
OR suggests there’s better nutrition today (taller ppl and bigger brains as well) - supplementing diets with iodine or vitamin in populations these are deficient increases childhood IQ levels - Dutch army recruits have rising IQ scores, unaffected by famine in WW2
evidence the flynn effect is stopping - Raven’s Progressive Matrices isn’t that g-loaded (50% G, 10% fluid intelligence, 25% specific) - and reaction times have been decreasing since Victoria period - and genes for low IQ are less selected so IQ has declined and same trajectory will continue
OTHER POSSIBILITIES:
test-taking familiarity (BUT Flynn effect is stronger in ppts who take IQ scores less)
better child-rearing? this is unlikely
