Lecture 5 Flashcards
(27 cards)
Define psychometrics
measuring traits, characteristics of people etc. concermed with individual differences
define reliability
the extent to which a measure yields the same results on repeated trials
define validity
the extent to whcih an instrument measures what it claims to measure
Explain what intelligence is/isnt
- measured by psychometric tests
- dont attempt to measure all human capanilities e.g. emotional competence
- psychometric intelligence refers to human differences measure by mental ability tests.
- fluid intelligence: work things out with no previous knowledge
- crystalised intelligence: established knowledge learnt from enviro
describe the early history of intelligence
Binet & Simon: first ever intelligence tests to distinguish which children would need help in school
Terman: updated test adding to upper end of ability to identify gifted children
Thorndike & Spearman: structure of intelligence (one cog. ability or lots of subskills)
Wechsler: developed deviation IQ scre and developed ests used from early childhood to 90 yrs.
How is intelligence measured?
- standardised tests of intelligence
- restricted in use: to trained psychologists
- individual tests, single item tests, multiple item tests
Give 4 examples of ways to measure intelligence
1) verbal ability - how well you can take in info from enviro using expressive vocal ability test and receptive vocab test
2) Non verbal reasoning skills - resoning ability. Matrix reasoning test and block design task.
3) Working memory - taking in info, hold it in mind and perform operations on it and output info. e.g. letter number sequencing task. List of no. backwards
4) Processing speed - speed of performing cog activities, how quickly you can take in info from your enviro.
what do these 4 ways of testing intelligence have in common?
- positive manifol. took all scores and correlated = if do one in well, will do well in rest.
- all have singer general underlying intelligence called G.
- evidence of general intelligence.
- evidence from meta analusis of 460 datasets demonstrating postivie manifold
Define adoptive design
non relative parent and child but share enviro not genetics. & biological parent shares genetics but not enviro.
Define non adoptive design
parent and child shares genes and enviro
What does ACE stand for
Addictive genetics
Common enviro
External enviro
Define heritability
how much variance is explained by genetics. Proportion of observed differences among individuals attributed to inherited differences in genome sequences/
What is the hierarchal organisation of intelligence
Level 3: variance in g
Level 2: cognitive domain variance e.g. WM
Level 1: specific tests and error variance within each cognitive domain variance
What is IQ
- raw test scores compared against means/norms for age group.
- average 100
- SD in 15’s
- 68% pop have between 85-115 (1SD)
- 2SD below = learning disability
- 2SD above = gifted person
How reliable are IQ measures?
- strong levels of test-retest reliability over short periods (r.0.8)
- strong correlations between dif. IQ tests (.77 < r < 1.00)
- tests show strong rank stability across lifespan
Explain intelligence across the lifespan
- IQ scores correlate with academic achievement and duration in education. - across 33 countries. 105000 pp.
- high IQ correlated with SES - due to duration in ed.
- IQ just one predictor of achievement as education impacts IQ.
What are the 3 main argument points for genetic influence in intelligence (nature)
1) Is intelligence heritable?
2) Heritability
3) Genes and intelligence
What are the 3 main argument points for enviro influences in intelligence (nurture)
1) Education
2) GxE interactions: SES moderates genetic influence on IQ
3) The Flynn Effect
4) Enviro influences on intelligence
5) Adopton as a social intervention on Intelligence
Nurture: Explain Education
data from countries where change in educational policy. took pre and post evaluations so could compare. found for every year spent in education, gain 3 IQ points = causal evidence (N:600,000, 142 STUDIES, Ritchier and Tucker-Drob)
Nurture: Explain GxE interactions: SES moderates genetic influence on IQ
natural tendencies for intelligence are more fully expressed in nourishing environments.
- N: 50K, 14 countries).
- might be born with genes for high intelligence but if not in right enviro, won’t fulfil potential. = gene enviro interaction.
- gradient of this influence of SES is only present in countries with dramatic differences between rich and poor e.g. USA not Europe
Nurture: Explain the flynn effect
- 5 countries
- evidence for gains in fluid intelligence across generations
- meta analysis 2015 confirmed original findings (Pietschnig): IQ risen 2.8 points per decade across 31 countries. IQ increases in generations shows how enviro shapes IQ e.g. access to education, nutrition, technology. Not genetic differences.
CRITICISM: measure correlated of intelligence and indirect measures, cant rank people across generations only within generations.
Nurture: Explain enviro influences on intellignece
- enviro influences can be biological e.g. nutrition or social e.g. schooling
- Childs IQ correlated with family factors e.g. parental input,s, resources in home = social causation
CRITICISM: social causation or social selection
Nurture: Explain adoption as a social interaction on intelligence
- IQ of adopted children greater than non-adopted children who remain in birth family/care, by approx 1 SD.
- IQ same as adoptive siblings despite not sharing genes with them - fam enviros can improve IQ.
CRITICISM: most studies pre sectional. don’t know what aspects of family enviro are boosting IQ & no longitudinal studies available to track changes in IQ. (Ijenzoorn, 2005)
Explain the difference between social causation and social selection
social causation: limited resources/ stressful conditions associated with SES which hinders cognitive development and impacts on IQ.
Social selection: individual characteristics of parents result in lower SES and correlations between parental SES and child IQ, thus reflect heritability
