Measurement and stability of intelligence

Question 1

What does IQ stand for?

Answer 1

Intelligence quota.

Question 2

What was IQ originally?

Answer 2

A quotient obtained by dividing an individuals mental age (MA) by a person’s chronological age (CA).

Question 3

What was the problem with the original IQ?

Answer 3

Mental development levels off in adulthood and therefore increases in chronological age cannot match increases in mental age.

Question 4

What is the IQ used currently known as?

Answer 4

Deviation IQ.

Question 5

What is deviation IQ?

Answer 5

Deviation IQ is gathered by comparing scores on a test to norms established by the performance of a representative group.

Question 6

Who first explored intelligence testing?

Answer 6

Francis Galton and Alfred Binet.

Question 7

Describe the Binet-Simon (1905) scale. (2)

Answer 7

• Included 30 brief cognitive tasks measuring language skills, memory, and more.
• Tasks are ordered according to difficulty according to age and gives an indication of a child’s mental age.

Question 8

What is a limitation of the Binet-Simon (1905) scale.

Answer 8

Intellectual development is affected by the environment, so can only be used to compare across similar backgrounds.

Question 9

Describe Yerker’s alpha and beta tests.

Answer 9

Alpha: administered to everyone, interested in verbal abilities.
Beta: Emphasis on non-verbal abilities, administered to those who performed poorly on the Alpha.

Question 10

How have intelligence tests changed over time?

Answer 10

Tests have been changed to reflect changes in theoretical thinking.

Question 11

Do intelligence tests measure intelligence?

Answer 11

Short answer: probably not.
Long answer:
Intelligence is an abstract construct we conclude based on the data available to us.

Question 12

What do intelligence tests actually measure?

Answer 12

All intelligence tests measure samples of behaviour. The behaviour samples are relevant to cognitive abilities.

Question 13

List three applied uses of psychological intelligence tests.

Answer 13

1. Job selection.
2. Self-knowledge.
3. Research.

Question 14

Is intelligence stable?

Answer 14

There is substantial stability in the rank ordering of human intelligence across the human life span, but also substantial change

Question 15

Describe the Concordia study.

Answer 15

WW2 army recruits were tested at age 25.
Canadian soldiers only showed decline in non-verbal ability 40 years after first test.

Question 16

What predicts positive ageing?

Answer 16

• Good cardiovascular.
• Not smoking.
• Good nutrition.
• Physical exercise.