Search results
- What Is Intelligence?
- History of Intelligence
- Theories of Intelligence
- Intelligence Testing
- Criticism of Intelligence Testing
- Extremes of Intelligence
- Intelligence Today
- References
It might seem useless to define such a simple word. After all, we have all heard this word hundreds of times and probably have a general understanding of its meaning. However, the concept of intelligence has been a widely debated topic among members of the psychology community for decades. Psychologist Robert Sternberg defined intelligence as “the ...
The study of human intelligence dates back to the late 1800s when Sir Francis Galton (the cousin of Charles Darwin) became one of the first to study intelligence. Galton was interested in the concept of a gifted individual, so he created a lab to measure reaction times and other physical characteristics to test his hypothesis that intelligence is a...
As a result, psychologists have developed several contrasting theories of intelligence as well as individual tests that attempt to measure this very concept. After examining the popular competing theories of intelligence, it becomes clear that there are many different forms of this seemingly simple concept. On the one hand, Spearman claims that int...
The Flynn Effect
It is important to regularly standardize an intelligence test because the overall level of intelligence in a population may change over time. This phenomenon is known as the Flynn effect(named after its discoverer, New Zealand researcher James Flynn) which refers to the observation that scores on intelligence tests worldwide increase from decade to decade (Flynn, 1984).
Aptitude vs. Achievement Tests
Other tests, such as aptitude and achievement tests, are designed to measure intellectual capability. Achievement tests measure what content a student has already learned (such as a unit test in history or a final math exam), whereas an aptitude test measures a student’s potential or ability to learn (Anastasi, 1984). Although this may sound similar to an IQ test, aptitude tests typically measure abilities in very specific areas.
Reliability and Construct Validity
Although you may be wondering if you take an intelligence test multiple times will you improve your score and whether these tests even measure intelligence in the first place, research provides reassurance that these tests are both very reliable and have high construct validity. Reliability simply means that they are consistent over time. In other words, if you take a test at two different points in time, there will be very little change in performance or, in the case of intelligence tests, I...
Cultural Specificity
There are issues with intelligence tests beyond looking at them in a vacuum. These tests were created by Western psychologists who created such tools to measure euro-centric values. However, it is important to recognize that the majority of the world’s population does not reside in Europe or North America, and as a result, the cultural specificity of these tests is crucial. Different cultures hold different values and even have different perceptions of intelligence, so is it fair to have one...
Social and Environmental Factors
Another important part of the puzzle to consider is the social and environmental context in which an individual lives and the IQ test-related biases that develop as a result. These might help explain why some individuals have lower scores than others. For example, the threat of social exclusion can greatly decrease the expression of intelligence. A 2002 study gave participants an IQ test and a personality inventory, and some were randomly chosen to receive feedback from the inventory indicati...
IQ scores are generally normally distributed (Moore et al., 2013). That is, roughly 95% of the population has IQ scores between 70 and 130. But what about the other 5%? Individuals who fall outside this range represent the extremes of intelligence. Those who have an IQ above 130 are considered to be gifted (Lally & French, 2018), such as Christophe...
Today, intelligence is generally understood as the ability to understand and adapt to the environment by using inherited abilities and learned knowledge. Many new intelligence tests have arisen, such as the University of California Matrix Reasoning Task (Pahor et al., 2019), that can be taken online and in very little time, and new methods of scori...
Anastasi, A. (1984). 7. Aptitude and Achievement Tests: The Curious Case of the Indestructible Strawperson. Baumeister, R. F., Twenge, J. M., & Nuss, C. K. (2002). Effects of social exclusion on cognitive processes: anticipated aloneness reduces intelligent thought. Journal of personality and social psychology, 83(4), 817. Binet, A., Simon, T., & S...
Introduction. The concept of the self has beguiled—and frustrated—psychologists and philosophers alike for generations. One of the greatest challenges has been coming to terms with the nature of the self. Every individual has a self, yet no two selves are the same.
May 5, 2024 · In psychology, an attitude refers to a set of emotions, beliefs, and behaviors toward a particular object, person, thing, or event. Attitude can also be described as the way we evaluate something or someone. For example, we tend to respond positively or negatively about certain subjects.
3 Self and Identity. For human beings, the self is what happens when “I” encounters “Me.” The central psychological question of selfhood, then, is this: How does a person apprehend and understand who he or she is?
The Psychology of Groups. This module assumes that a thorough understanding of people requires a thorough understanding of groups. Each of us is an autonomous individual seeking our own objectives, yet we are also members of groups—groups that constrain us, guide us, and sustain us. Just as each of us influences the group and the people in ...
Dec 5, 2023 · A person who is fully functioning is able to reach their fullest potential in life. According to the humanist psychologist Carl Rogers, a fully functioning person is in touch with their deepest and innermost feelings and desires. They understand their own emotions and place deep trust in their instincts.
Define personality. Describe early theories about personality development. Personality refers to the long-standing traits and patterns that propel individuals to consistently think, feel, and behave in specific ways. Our personality is what makes us unique individuals.
