Module 28 - Intelligence Assessment and Dynamics

What is meant by the term "mental age?"

The level of performance typically associated with a certain chronological age

When and why were intelligence tests created, and how do today's tests differ from early intelligence tests?

A new French law required all children attend school, so to minimize bias in placing children in classes, Binet created the mental age test. Now, today's tests show overall intelligence and separate scores for different areas.

How to achievement tests and aptitude tests differ?

Achievement tests reflect what you have learned, whereas aptitude tests predict what you will be able to learn.

List and briefly describe the three different kinds of intelligence in Sternberg's triarchic theory.

Analytical-assessed by intelligence tests with well defined problems and one right answer. Creative-demonstrated in innovative smarts Practical-required for everyday tasks that may be poorly defined and have multiple solutions

What are the traits of those at the low and high intelligence extremes?

At low extreme, people tend to have intellectual disabilities and score 70 or below on IQ tests. At high extreme, people score over 135 and tend to be healthy, well adjusted, and academically successful and have successful careers.

Discuss the significance of the following individuals with regard to the history of intelligence testing: Binet, Stern, Terman, & Wechsler.

Binet created the idea of "mental age", which identified how well children could perform schoolwork. Terman revised Binet's tests to become the Stanford-Binet. From these tests, Stern derived the famous IQ tests. In the 20th century, Wechsler created the most widely used test, the WAIS which helps realize Binet's aim, to identify those who could benefit from special educational opportunities.

How has concepts of Gf, Gc, and the CHC theory affected our understanding of intelligence?

Cattell and Horn formulated a theory of general ability based on Gf and Gc. The CHC theory affirms a general intellectual ability factor, but also identifies more specific abilities, like reading, writing, memory, and processing speed.

To what two things does the term "standardization" refer?

Defining uniform testing procedures and meaningful scores by comparison with the performance of a pretested group

How do Gardner's and Sternberg's theories of multiple intelligences differ, and what criticisms have they faced?

Gardner proposed 8 independent intelligences(critics-are all our abilities intelligences, or are they talents?), whereas Sternberg proposed 3(critics-3 domains may be less independent and may actually share underlying g factor).

How does aging affect crystallized intelligence (Gc) and fluid intelligence (Gf)?

Gf declines in older adults who lose recall memory and processing speed. But Gc increases in age with accumulated knowledge

Describe the theory of intelligence offered by Spearman.

He believed that intelligence underlies all mental abilities and is therefore displayed in all areas. Through factor analysis, those who score high in one area, typically score high in other areas as well.

What was originally meant by the term "Intelligence Quotient" or IQ (explain how the ratio was calculated)? In comparison, how is modern day IQ score on a test such as the WAIS interpreted?

IQ defined mental age divided by chronological age, multiplied by 100. Now, modern IQ scores represent overall intelligence, verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory and processing speed.

How stable are intelligence test scores over the life span?

The stability of intelligence test scores increases with age. At age 4, scores begin to predict adolescent and adult scores. By age 11, scores are very stable and predictable.

What is an intelligence test?

a method for assessing an individual's mental aptitudes and comparing them with those of others, using numerical scores

What are cross-sectional studies?

a study in which people of different ages are compared with one another at one time. Means comparing two different eras, with different educations, family sizes, and affluence.

What is a normal curve?

a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many types of data

Name Gardner's eight intelligences.

linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, intrapersonal, interpersonal and naturalist

What are the four components of emotional intelligence?

perceiving emotions, understanding emotions, managing emotions and using emotions

What are longitudinal studies?

researchers study the same individuals at different times in their life span. Participants that survive the length of the study might be the healthiest and brightest.

How is emotional intelligence different from the traditional view of intelligence? Give two examples of skills thought to reflect emotional intelligence.

social intelligence is an important indicator of life success, where emotional intelligence is a key player, consisting of perceiving, understanding and managing emotions. They predict social success and emotional well-being. Skills include managing conflicts, and success in relationships, career, and parenting.

How is intelligence typically defined?

the ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use knowledge to adapt to new situations

Differentiate between the terms validity and reliability.

validity is the extent a test measures or predicts what its supposed to, whereas Reliability is the extent to which a test yields consistent results, whereas