ch7

• Defining intelligence: three classes

  • Emphasis on adjustment to environment
  • Emphasis on the ability to learn
  • Emphasis on abstract thinking
• Adjustment to environment


  • Adaptability in new situations
  • Capacity to deal with a range of situations
• Ability to learn


  • Educability
• Abstract thinking


  • Ability to use symbols and concepts
  • Verbal and numerical symbols
• g (general intelligence)


  Elements common to intelligence tests
• s (specific intelligence)


  Unique factors of a given test
• Thurstone's approach


  • Group factor concept (rather than just g factor)
  • Primary mental abilities: Numerical facility, Word fluency, Verbal comprehension, Perceptual speed, Spatial visualization, Reasoning, Associative memory
• Ratio IQ


  Mental age (MA): index of mental performance<|>Chronological age (CA): actual age in years<|>IQ = MA/CA * 100<|>Limitations for older adults
• Deviation IQ


  Adjusts for chronological age (CA) limitations<|>Assumption is made that intelligence is normally distributed throughout the population<|>Comparison to CA group<|>Same score will mean the same thing for people with different CAs
• Heritability


  Behavioral genetics: evaluates both genetic and environmental influences<|>Environmental influencers: Raised together/separated
• From 1972 on, Americans' IQ scores have on average increased 3 points each decade
• Flynn effect


  Explanation: People getting smarter, more exposed to cognitive tasks found on IQ tests
• Stanford-Binet Scales


  • 5 cognitive factors: Fluid reasoning, Quantitative reasoning, Visual-spatial processing, Working memory, Knowledge
• Wechsler Scales


  • Deviation IQ based
  • Designed for adults
  • Performance scale and Verbal scale
  • Each made up of subtests
  • Each subtest gets an IQ score
  • Full Scale IQ
• Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales (WAIS-IV)

  • Published in 2008 (ages 16-90)
  • Scoring system: Index scores and Full Scale IQ Score
  • 15 subtests
  • Reversal items
• Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV)

  • Ages 6-16
  • 4 major indices: Verbal comprehension, Perceptual reasoning, Working memory, Processing speed