The original definition of intelligence is…
–ability to profit from experience, acquire knowledge, think abstractly, act purposefully, or adapt to changes in the environment
What is the traditional approach to intelligence?
-psychometric approach
What does the psychometric approach measure?
-mental abilities, traits, processes
Define: factor analysis
- statistical method
- identifies clusters of correlated items on a test that measure a common factor
Psychometric psychologists believe a general ability, or ________ underlies various abilities and talents measured by intelligence tests
-g factor
The first widely used intelligence test was devised by psychologist….
-Alfred Binet
Define: mental age (MA)
-a measure of mental development in terms of the average mental ability of a given age
(does not necessarily correspond to chronological age)
Define the original: intelligence quotient (IQ)
- measure of intelligence computed by:
- dividing mental age by chronological age, and multiplying the result by 100
What was a flaw of the original intelligence quotient (IQ)?
- score necessary to be in top percent of age group varied by age
- scores clustered around averages in some ages, and spread out in others
How are intelligence tests scored today?
- average is set around 100
- constructed so 2/3 of all people score around 85-115
- individual scores are computed from established norms
Who revised Binet’s test and established norms for American children?
-Lewis Terman
What was Lewis Terman’s version of the intelligence test called?
- the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale
- first published 1916
- has been revised many times since
David Wechsler designed another intelligence test chiefly for adults. What was it called?
-Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)
Wechsler also designed a test for children as well. What was it called?
-Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Childred (WISC)
What did Wechsler’s test measure?
- IQ score
- verbal comprehension
- perceptual reasoning
- processing speed
- working memory
What was the sole purpose of these early intelligence tests?
-to identify children with learning problems, not to rank all children
When was it that IQ tests changed their purpose from measuring disability, to categorizing people according to their “natural ability”?
-Once the IQ test was brought to America
What did America overlook when designing their first IQ tests?
-there are many ethnic groups that do not share the same background and experience
Testing experts discovered cultural values and experience can affect…
- attitude towards exams
- motivation
- competitiveness
- comfort in solving problems independently
- familiarity with test conventions
Performance on IQ tests and others depends on expectation’s of one’s performance. What can affect one’s expectations of performance?
-cultural stereotypes
Define: stereotype threat
-a burden of doubt someone feels about his/her performance, due to negative stereotypes about his/her group’s abilities
What is another factor to take into account for group test score differences?
-groups just plainly differ on average, in some skill or ability
