what did Sir Francis Galton think about intelligence?
thought intelligence was heritable and fixed
what did Alfred Binet think about intelligence?
made a test for school children to determine which ones needed help
-poor marks were not a sign of stupidity but of deficiency
what did Lewis Terman think about intelligence?
he took Alfred Binet’s tests and adapted them for America
-standardized the test and gave it to thousands of children at different ages
what is norming?
an indication of what a group does know which increases reliability for a test
what did David Wechsler think about intelligence?
-created the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale which tested verbal comprehension, visual spatial, fluid reasoning, working memory, and processing speed
-the most commonly used test for intelligence
-he claimed intelligence is multifaceted
-the overall score of intelligence = IQ
what 2 things does the Bell Curve include?
-mean: the average score (100)
-standard deviation: the average dispersion of data around the mean (15)
what is the Flynn effect and what are some reasons it is happening, what is needed to combat it
-the long-term sustained increase in average IQ scores
-happening because of increased educational, health and nutrition, environmental health
-recently, developing countries have higher IQ scores than developed countries (could be because of educational values)
-to keep the average score of 100, the scores need to be re-normed every couple of years
what did Raymond Cattel think about intelligence?
-fluid intelligence: mental gymnastics and working memory (this is better in younger people)
-crystallized intelligence: stable/increasing intelligence and accumulated knowledge (this increases with age)
-the flynn effect is only seen in fluid intelligence
what did Robert Sternberg think about intelligence?
-there were 3 types of intelligence:
-analytical: academic problem solving, analysis, compare and contrast
-creative: thinking outside the box and finding solutions to common problems
-practical: street smarts, thinking on your feet, the most different from the traditional understanding of intelligence
what did Howard Gardner think about intelligence?
-8 intelligences: intrapersonal, linguistic, logic-mathematical, naturalistic, spatial, bodily-kinesthetics, musical, interpersonal
-later added a 9th: existential intelligence which is the ability to ponder big questions
-said they were all independent to each other
-no measure for any of the 9 intelligences
-intrapersonal and interpersonal are emotional intelligences
what do people with emotion intelligence have/experience?
they know:
-what emotions an event will trigger
-can identify, manage, and describe their emotions
-know how to use their emotions to improve decisions
-identify other’s emotions
-it’s easy for them, less neural activity in the brain when solving emotional problems
-better social skills, romantic, and workplace relationships
-happier, healthier, and more satisfied with their lives
what is the definition of intelligence?
the ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and adapt to know situations
what is genetic essentialism?
saying that certain ethnic groups have “inferior” genes which was propaganda that helped support slavery that certain groups were ment to do labour
describe modern IQ tests
-helped fix the bias against ethnic groups by making the questions be more pattern focused
what is the range of reaction theory?
our genetics set hard limits on a given characteristic and our environment determines to which degree our genes are expressed
what does the pre-frontal cortex effect and how do poor children have different ones
-effects working memory, planning, and executive functioning
-children living in poverty have pre-frontal cortexes similar to those who have damaged theirs (less activity in that area of the brain)
how can you increase IQ (mainly before the age of 5)
- nutrition (3.5)
- early education (4 but probably more)
- complex environments (7) ex: high contrast images showing to babies
- socioeconomic status (12-18)
- exercise (10-15)
- memory exercises
- drugs like ritalin for focusing
- transcranial magnetic stimulation
what are self-fulfilling prophecies and what is a brief example?
-a belief or explanation that influences behaviour and leads to the fulfilment of the prediction
-ex: telling a teacher certain students scored high on the first IQ test will make them actually score higher because of different treatment
what is a stereotype threat and a brief example?
-poor performance caused by anxiety experienced when one realizes they are part of a group that is negatively stereotyped
-ex: black people scored lower on IQ tests when they filled out their ethnicity before starting the exam and higher if they filled it after
what are some reasons to even measure intelligence today?
-we should put less emphasis on IQ measures in terms of performance
-should use it for its intended purpose: identifying who needs help
-schools practice the skills needed for IQ tests, scores drop after leaving school
-positive correlation between IQ and health (especially health at older ages)
what is motivation?
wants/needs that move you towards a goal or a process that energizes, guides, and maintains behaviour towards a goal
-motivation can differ but lead to the same behaviour
what did William James think about biological motivations?
-instinct are unlearned behaviours and complex patterns
-he found over 6000 instincts and started naming them instead of explaining them (ex: grinding teeth)
what is homeostasis and how do we maintain it?
-actions taken by the body to stay in physiological equilibrium
-drives are internal states caused by physiological needs
-ex: need: water, drive: thirst, action: drinking
what is drive theory in regards to biological motivations?
any behaviour that has a positive outcome will be repeated
-after something several times, it becomes a habit because arousal is a motivator
