Intelligence & Thinking

Christina Moorman

Intelligence • Intelligence is from the

D. Pig-Latin word ellencgenceintay

C. French word integenteB. Latin word intellectus

A. Greek word inteleca

IntelligenceB. Latin word intellectus

Galton• Concluded that intellectual

abilities were heritable • Developed models for the

statistical tests that we use today  

• Developed logic of twin/adoptive parent studies  

Galton•Was the cousin of…

A. Piaget

B. Socrates

C. Darwin

D. Binet

Galton

C. Darwin

Intelligence•Modern Definition :

A person’s ability to

•Learn and Remember information  

•Recognize concepts and their relations  

•Apply the information to their own behavior in an adaptive way  

Intelligence

1. Differential

approach

2. Developmental approach

3. Information-processing approach

A. Investigates the types of skills people use to think and solve various types of problems

B. Devise tests that identify and measure individual differences in people’s abilities to solve problems

C. Studies the ways in which infants learn to perceive, manipulate & think about the world

3 Major Approaches to Studying

Intelligence1. Differential

approach

B. Devise tests that identify and measure individual differences in people’s abilities to solve problems

• Especially used in the classroom

Intelligence2.

Developmental approach

C. Studies the ways in which infants learn to perceive, manipulate & think about the world

• Piaget

Intelligence3. Information-

processing approach

A. Investigates the types of skills people use to think and solve various types of problems

• Cognitive psychology

IntelligenceIs Intelligence a global trait, or is it

a composite of separate, independent abilities??

•Like “athletic ability”

Intelligence3 Theories of Intelligence

1. Spearman’s Two-Factor Theory

2. Information-Processing Theory

3. Neuropsychological Theory

Spearman’s

• Intellectual ability is determined by 2 factors :

Two-Factor Theory

A. g factor & s factor

B. t factor & f factor

C. s factor & t factor

D. f factor & g factor

Spearman’s Two-Factor

TheoryA. g factor & s factor

g factor

• general factor • common to all intellectual tasks

• analogies: LAWYER:CLIENT::DOCTOR:

g factor

· apprehension of experience – perceiving & understanding what just happened

· eduction (figuring out) of relations – perceiving the relationship between things

· eduction of correlates – apply a rule learned from one case to another

Made up of :

LAWYER:CLIENT::DOCTOR:

s factor • factor specific to a particular test

Information-Processing Theory

•Sternberg•Triarchic theory

Triarchic theory

1. Componential intelligence – Metacomponent – Performance components – Knowledge acquisition components

2. Experiential intelligence 3. Contextual intelligence

Triarchic theory

1. Componential

2. Experiential

3. Contextual

A. Ability to deal effectively with new situations and automatically solve old problems

B. Mental mechanisms people use to plan and execute tasks

C. Intelligence reflecting learned behaviors

Triarchic theory

1. Componential

2. Experiential

3. Contextual

B.

A.

C.

Factor Analysis

•Spearman & Pearson

• identify common factors that are being examined among groups of tests

• Factors: abilities that affect performance on more than 1 test

Factor Analysis

•Thurstone

• found 7 factors

•contradicted Spearman?

Factor Analysis

•Eysenck•Second-order factor could be g

Factor Analysis

•Cattell • Found 2 second-order factors 1. Fluid intelligence

2. Crystal intelligence

Neuropsychological Theory

•Gardner

• based on a neurological analysis of human abilities

Neuropsychological Theory

• Falls into 7 categories :– linguistic, musical, logical-mathematical,

spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal and intrapersonal

– All are well represented in the brain

• Advantages

IntelligenceWe clearly cannot measure the intellectual ability of people in other cultures against our own

standards!

Intelligence Testing

• Controversial topic

• It an accepted means of evaluation degree of mental retardation

Intelligence Testing

•Binet• sensory tests alone cannot determine intelligence

• Mental Age (MA)

• Intelligence Quotient (IQ) MA/CA * 100

Intelligence Testing

• Binet’s test is now called : A. Binet-Simon Scale

B. Binet Intelligence QuestionaireC. Binet Scale of IntelligenceD. Stanford-Binet Scale

Intelligence Testing

D. Stanford-Binet Scale

• Tasks grouped according to MA

Intelligence Testing

•Wechsler •WAIS stands for :

A. Wechsler Animal Intelligence ScaleB. Wechsler Animated Interest SurveyC. Wechsler Adult Intelligence ScaleD. We’re All Insane Sometimes

Intelligence Testing

C. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale

• Armed Forces• Tests verbal & performance abilities

separately

- Identify brain damage

• Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC)

• Revised versions

Intelligence Testing

•Possible problems

Intelligence:Nature vs. Nurture

• Nature – Heritability

• Nurture - Newborns do not possess substantial intellectual ability - Drugs - Genetics - Educational influences

Intelligence:Nature vs.

Nurture•50/50 of variability

•Race

Thinking• Categorizing, reasoning,

solving problems• Hidden • Language , shapes &

images • Unconscious

Thinking•Three important elements

1. Classifying

2. Logical reasoning

3. Problem solving

Classifying •Concepts are :

A.Categories of objects, actions or states of being that share some attributesB. Concrete memories formed

from ideasC. Thoughts that can be verbalized D.Gathering at which lots of

loud music is played

ClassifyingA. Categories of objects, actions

or states of being that share some attributes

• Generalization!

• Natural concepts & Formal concepts

Classifying• Natural concepts

- Categorization based on our own

perceptions & interactions• Exemplars - collections of memories of particular things that share similar characteristics

Classifying• 3 Types of Natural Concepts

1. Basic-level concepts

• Distinctions between categories

Classifying•3 Types of Natural Concepts2. Superordinate concepts

• Collections of basic concepts

Classifying• 3 Types of Natural Concepts

3. Subordinate concepts • Specific types of concepts

Logical reasoning

•Deductive

A. Inferring general principals or rules from specific facts

B. Inferring specific instances from general principals or rules

C. To purchase on sale

• Inductive

Logical reasoning

• Deductive • Inductive B. inferring specific instances from general principals or rules

A. inferring general principals or rules from specific facts

• Syllogisms • Logical errors

Problem solving

• Problem solving is :

A. Finding a path to the solution

B. Ultimate function of thinking

C. Algorithms & Heuristics

D. All of the above

Problem solving

D. All of the above

• Finding a path to the solution

• Ultimate function of thinking

• Algorithms

• Heuristics

Problem solving

Intelligent problem solving involves more than trying out various actions to see whether

they bring one closer to the solution; it involves PLANNING!

Planning = trying it out in our heads.

Questions?

The End