Individual Variations

Intelligence

Controversies and Issues in

Intelligence

Intelligence TestsTheories of

Multiple Intelligences

What is Intelligence?

IntelligenceThe ability to solve problems

The capacity to adapt and learn from experience

Some argue intelligence includes characteristics such as creativity and interpersonal skills

We can only evaluate intelligence indirectly

There are individual differences in intelligence

Binet Intelligence Tests

Mental Age

Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

Normal Distribution

• An individual’s level of mental development relative to others

• A score designed to measure intelligence.

• A symmetrical distributionMajority of the scores fall in the middle Few scores in the extremes

The Normal Curve

Stanford-Binet – 5th edition

Fluid reasoning (abstract thinking)

Knowledge (conceptual information)

Quantitative reasoning (math skills)

Visual-spatial reasoning (understanding visual forms and spatial layouts)

Working memory (recall of new information)

Five Aspects of Cognitive Ability

Two Aspects of Intelligence: verbal and non-verbal

The Wechsler Intelligence Scales

WPPSI-III Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence - ages 4 to 6.

WISC-IV Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - ages 6 to 16.

WAIS-III Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale

Age-related versions provide an overall IQ and verbal and performance IQs.

WISC-IV Sample SubscalesVerbal Subscales

SimilaritiesA child must think logically and abstractly to answer a number of

questions about how things might be similar.

Example: “In what way are a lion and a tiger alike?

ComprehensionThis subscale is designed to measure an individual’s judgment

and common sense

Example: “What is the advantage of keeping money in a bank?”

Nonverbal SubscalesBlock Design

A child must assemble a set of multicoloredblocks to match designs the examiner shows.

Strategies for Interpreting Intelligence Test Scores

Avoid unwarranted stereotypes and negative expectations about students based on IQ scores

Don’t use IQ tests as the main or sole characteristic of competence

Especially be cautious in interpreting the meaningfulness of an overall IQ score

Group Intelligence TestsAdvantage

More convenient and economical

DisadvantagesExaminer cannot:

establish rapportdetermine student’s level of anxiety

Student:might not understand instructionsmight be distracted by other students

Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence

Practical: use, apply, implement, put into practice

Analytical: analyze, judge,

evaluate, compare/contrast

Creative: create, design, invent, originate, and

imagine

Cindy always does very well on both standardized and classroom tests and gets good grades in school. However, she does not write original stories well, nor would anyone say that she has much common sense.

Sternberg’s Triarchic TheoryTheory into Practice

Q: In what form of intelligence is Cindy high? Explain.

Trent does not do well on standardized tests. His grades are not very high. However, Trent is very imaginative and a wonderful storyteller. Trent’s classmates beg him to read his stories to the class. Trent hopes to be a novelist one day. However, he often turns in work that does not conform to teacher expectations or directions.

Q: In what form of intelligence is Trent high?Explain.

Sternberg’s Triarchic TheoryTheory into Practice

Ken doesn’t do very well in school. However, he is very popular with his peers and has excellent leadership skills.

Q: In what form of intelligence is Ken high?Explain.

Sternberg’s Triarchic TheoryTheory into Practice

Gardner’s Eight Frames of Mind

• Verbal skills: ability to think in words and use language to express meaning (authors, journalists)

• Mathematical skills: ability to carry out mathematical operations (engineers, accountants)

• Spatial skills: ability to think three-dimensionally (architects, artists, sailors)

• Bodily-kinesthetic skills: ability to manipulate objects and be physically adept (surgeons, dancers, athletics)

Gardner’s Eight Frames of Mind• Musical skills: a sensitivity to pitch, melody,

rhythm, and tone (composers, musicians)• Intrapersonal skills: ability to understand oneself

and effectively direct one’s life (theologians, psychologists)

• Interpersonal skills: ability to understand and interact with others (teachers, mental health professionals)

• Naturalist skills: ability to observe patterns in nature and understand natural & human-made systems (farmers, ecologists, landscapers)

Carrie loves to read and write stories.

Gardner’s Eight Frames of MindTheory into Practice

Q: Which of Gardner's eight frames of mind is she displaying when she engages in these activities? Explain.

Jane is an excellent athlete, excelling at soccer, basketball, and baseball.

Q: Which of Gardner's eight frames of mind is Jane displaying when she engages in these activities? Explain.

Gardner’s Eight Frames of MindTheory into Practice

Steve loves to play the piano, trumpet, and drums and is quite good at all of them.

Q: Which of Gardner's eight frames of mind is Steve displaying when he engages in these activities? Explain.

Gardner’s Eight Frames of MindTheory into Practice

Tanesha is a good friend. People often open up to her and tell her things they would not share with other people. She never betrays a trust.

Q: Which of Gardner's eight frames of mind is Tanesha displaying when she engages in these activities? Explain.

Gardner’s Eight Frames of MindTheory into Practice

Gardner’s Eight Frames of Mind

• Expose students to materials designed to stimulate a range of human abilities.

• If students have opportunities to use their bodies, imaginations, and different senses, each will find something they are good at.

Some Recommendations

Some Warnings• No reason to assume every subject can be taught in

eight different ways • Don’t assume its enough to apply just one type of

intelligence

According to Salovey and Mayer (1990) emotional intelligence is the ability to:

Perceive and express emotion accurately and adaptively

Understand emotion and emotional knowledge

Use emotion to facilitate thought

Manage emotions in oneself and others

Emotional Intelligence

Do Children Have Many Intelligences?

Critics: Research base to support multiple intelligences has not yet been developed.

Classification schemes seem arbitrary.

The Value of General Intelligence Tests: People good at one type of intelligence task are likely to excel at others.

General intelligence scores predict school and job performance.

Nature vs. Nurture in Intelligence

Nature: Genetic components provide a propensity for a particular developmental trajectory.

Nurture: Enriching environments can improve school achievement and the acquisition of skills.

Ethnicity and IQ Testing

The consensus is that due to environmental factors, on average in the United States, children from African American and Latino families score lower than white children on IQ tests.

This gap is narrowing, especially in college.Role of environment is clear in adoption studies where children move into a middle-class environment.

Between-Class Ability Grouping and Tracking

AdvantagesNarrows class skill rangePrevents “less able” students from holding back more talented students

DisadvantagesStigmatizes students in lower trackMay have fewer resources, less-experienced teachers, and lower expectationsSegregates students by SES and ethnicity

Strategies for the Use of Tracking

Use other measures of knowledge and potential to place students (rather than IQ test).

Avoid labeling groups as “low,” “middle,” and “high.”

Don’t form more than 2-3 ability groups

Consider student placements as subject to review and change.

Especially consider alternatives to tracking for low-achieving students.