Week 8 - Intelligence Flashcards
(38 cards)
What is the main challenge with defining intelligence?
There isn’t one universal definition of intelligence
This reflects the complexity and cultural specificity of the concept.
How does worldview influence the understanding of intelligence?
Our understanding of intelligence is shaped by our own perspectives, whether Western or non-Western
Different cultures have varying definitions of what constitutes intelligence.
Who was Francis Galton?
A pioneer of Western measurement of intelligence, related to Charles Darwin
Galton approached intelligence from a measurable, physical perspective.
What did Galton believe intelligence was primarily linked to?
Superior sensory and physical abilities
He measured traits like handgrip strength and visual acuity.
What was Galton’s core idea about intelligence?
Intelligence meant being ‘better at something’ based on observable physical tasks
This reflects a focus on external, measurable traits.
What significant shift occurred in the understanding of intelligence around the 1900s?
A shift from intelligence as a physical trait to a focus on internal cognitive processes
This was influenced by the need for mass education and social concerns.
What practical need arose from mass education in the 1930s?
The need for large-scale assessment methods for intelligence
Individual physical measurements were impractical for the growing population.
What was the primary motive behind Alfred Binet’s work on intelligence testing?
To help identify children who needed educational assistance
Binet was focused on positive outcomes and educational support.
What is the Binet-Simon Test known for?
It was the first traditional cognitive IQ test
It focused on higher-order mental processes.
What concept did Binet introduce related to children’s cognitive abilities?
Mental age
This relates abilities to age norms and helps identify educational needs.
Who adapted Binet’s test into the Stanford-Binet test?
Louis Terman
The Stanford-Binet test is still in use today.
What is the formula for calculating the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) introduced by William Stern?
(Mental Age / Chronological Age)
This ratio accounts for different rates of intellectual development.
What does modern IQ testing typically use instead of the original ratio?
Deviation IQ
This compares an individual’s IQ score to their age group’s performance.
What is the ‘G’ factor in intelligence theory?
A general mental energy or overarching mental ability
Introduced by Charles Spearman through factor analysis.
What did Louis Thurstone propose about intelligence?
Seven distinct ‘primary mental abilities’ that are relatively independent
This challenged Spearman’s unitary view of intelligence.
What is the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory?
The most widely accepted model of intelligence today, integrating various theories
It acknowledges general intelligence, broad abilities, and narrow abilities.
What are the eight distinct forms of intelligence identified in Dr. Melinda Weber’s study?
Cultural perspectives on successful intelligence
This highlights the cultural specificity of intelligence definitions.
What is a criticism of traditional psychometric IQ approaches?
They have faced heavy criticism due to weak psychometric properties
This includes issues like small sample sizes and cultural bias.
What does Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences propose?
Intelligence consists of several relatively independent intelligences
Gardner initially proposed seven, then added more.
What are the criteria Gardner suggests for something to be considered an intelligence?
Identifiable in specific brain areas, have savants or experts, possess core operations, operationalizable, have a symbol system, develop over time, distinct from other intelligences
These criteria help define intelligences within Gardner’s framework.
What is Robert Sternberg’s view on intelligence testing?
Current tests measure a narrow aspect related to academic success
Sternberg believes intelligence involves how we engage with the world.
What is Robert Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence?
A theory that includes three subtheories: Componential (Analytical), Experiential (Creative), and Contextual (Practical) intelligence.
What does Componential (Analytical) Intelligence involve?
Abstract thinking, processing information efficiently, and problem-solving using metacognition, performance components, and knowledge acquisition.
What is Experiential (Creative) Intelligence?
The ability to deal with novelty, automate familiar tasks, and combine existing knowledge in new ways.
