Intelligence (Unit 3)

Question 1

What is intelligence?:

Answer 1

• the ability to solve problems and to adapt and learn from experiences
• Some argue that it should include characteristics such as creativity and interpersonal skills
• Individuals may differ from one another
• The IQ test your intelligence and ability to reason against others who have also taken the test
  a) Measuring children with percentile (seen in most kids start to walk at 1, however if fall behind something needs to occur)

Question 2

Neuroscience of intelligence:

Answer 2

• Intelligence in all parts of brain
• Research has found that higher levels of intelligence is linked to a distributed neural network in the frontal and parietal lobes
• Although to a smaller degree, the temporal and occipital lobes, the cerebellum have been linked to intelligence
• Intelligence = distributed across the brain rather than localized in specific regions

Question 3

What is fluid intelligence?

Answer 3

• Involves being able to think and reason abstractly, solve problems, and generate/manipulate new information in real time

Ex; problem solving skills, interpreting statistics, solving puzzles, daily interaction with people (being able to answer and reason with someone’s question), use of critical thinking, etc.

Question 4

What is crystallized intelligence?

Answer 4

• It refers to the accumulation of knowledge, facts, and skills that are acquired throughout one’s life and as they age
• Ex; memorizing text/vocab, recalling how to do something, remembering dates/locations, etc.
• Test on cognitive → as you learn it over a course of time

Question 5

Types of intelligence:

Answer 5

• Modern psychological studies is embedded in a history of viewing development from a -Eurocentric perspective
  Most of the theorists that have proposed theories on intelligence and development are of European origin or residing in North America and are male
• We must keep this in mind when considering methods of types of intelligence or measuring intelligence → may differ to different ethnic groups (different perspective)
• Not everyone is them same

Question 6

How is intelligence measured?

Answer 6

-Most methods focus on the IQ, or Intelligence Quotient;
- Thest tests focus on a standardized method of administration and interpretation of results;
- Norming involves giving the test to a large population so data can be collected comparing different groups

BINET AND WECHSLER SCALE

Question 7

What is the binet test?

Answer 7

Measures your mental age against your chronological age:
- MA = mental development in relation to others
- CA = your actual age
- Analyzes fluid reasoning, knowledge, quantitative reasoning, visual-spatial reasoning & working memory
- At a certain age you must know this certain information, if you know more, than more intelligent

Question 8

What is the wechsler scale?

Answer 8

• This test provides an overall IQ score, however, you also receive a score for 5 categories:
  1. Verbal Comprehension
  2. Working Memory
  3. Processing Speed
  4. Fluid Reasoning
  5. Visual Spatial
• Also compares score to people of the same age

Question 9

Influences of intelligence:

Answer 9

Nature and nurture

Question 10

Nature

Answer 10

• A research review concluded that there are more than 1000 genes that affect intelligence (each one having a small influence);
• However, no one has been able to identify one specific gene that contributes to intelligence;
• Compare fraternal and identical twins to test it and there were no major correlations.

Question 11

Nurture:

Answer 11

Experiences play a big role in intelligence:
- Parents - higher 1Qs for children that were spoken to often in childhood;
- School - more education = increased intelligence.

• Surprisingly, there’s been a major rise in IQ scores - change has taken place in a short period of time so it can’t be genetics - has to be environmental
• Intelligence building is important in terms of environment, having access to resources plays a huge role → however if you go through trauma, your no matter how genetically intelligent someone is, it won’t matter anymore because of the environment as it hinders ability to learn
  Rising 3 points per decade.

Question 12

Infancy -

Answer 12

• 5 scales used to measure intelligence on Bayley’s Scale

6 months: vocalized pleasure and displeasure
-seeking objects they show interest in and beginning to use said objects

12 months: response to simple requests and inhibit behaviour when commanded
- Imitation develops
- Development at earlier childhood stages may allow for stranger IQ development of intelligence

Question 13

Adolescence -

Answer 13

• Development in intelligence may not be stable (in compared to childhood)
• growth in intelligence looks at growth and development of skills
• Nurture: whole there are connections, children are adaptive beings
• the capacity for intellectual change or development is prominent in adolescence

ex. a skill that might be developed for one individual at 14 but for another it is developed at 17

• Nature: intelligence changes but continues to remain connected to earlier points in development

Question 14

Adulthood -

Answer 14

Crystallized vs fluid intelligence