Thinking Intelligence What is Intelligence Intelligence is defined

Thinking & Intelligence

What is Intelligence? Intelligence is defined as mental capacity to acquire knowledge, reason and solve problems effectively The core of intelligence consists of general mental abilities in the areas of: reasoning, problem solving, knowledge, memory and successful adaptation to one’s surroundings.

Problem Solving

Problem Solving: The Basics Identifying the Problem Consider all relevant possibilities before jumping to conclusions Selecting a Strategy Trial and error Algorithms: formulas that guarantee a correct outcome if applied properly Heuristics: shortcuts or “rules of thumb” to solving problems, results not guaranteed

Problem Solving Unscramble the following words: ensce dlsoc eltab egtsa htmou sfelh

Problem Solving Answers scene colds table gates/stage mouth flesh

Problem Solving Connect all nine dots with four connecting straight lines without lifting the pencil from the paper.

Problem Solving

Obstacles to Problem Solving Mental Set: tendency to respond to a new problem in the manner used for a previous problem Functional Fixedness: inability to perceive a new use for an object associated with a different purpose Ourselves

Obstacles to Problem Solving: Bias Confirmation Bias: paying more attention to the events that confirm our beliefs and ignoring any contradictory evidence Hindsight Bias: overestimating your ability to predict an event after it has happened “ I knew it all along” Representativeness Bias: categorizing people or events

Obstacles to Problem Solving: Bias

Measuring Intelligence

Measuring Intelligence Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon invented a school abilities test in 1904 that assessed whether or not students were able to handle age appropriate school work The original School Abilities Test consisted of 30 questions. Examples of tasks include: Students are given three words and asked to use them in a sentence Imitate gestures Explain the difference between objects Repeat sentences originally stated by the examiner Define abstract terms

Measuring Intelligence Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (SB 5): is an intelligence test made up of age ranked questions. These questions get harder at each level. There are five cognitive factors on this test: Fluid Reasoning, Knowledge, Quantitative Reasoning, Visual-Spatial Processing, Working Memory

Intelligence Tests Fluid Reasoning: tests one’s reasoning ability i. e. : An apprentice is to a master as a novice is to a ____. Knowledge: tests one’s knowledge on a range of topics i. e. : Why is yeast added to bread dough?

Intelligence Tests Visual-Spatial Processing: ability to copy shapes and put together puzzles or tell directions. Quantitative Reasoning: measure a person’s ability to solve problems involving numbers. i. e. : 5, 10, 15, 20, __

Intelligence Tests Working Memory: measures the test taker’s ability to use short-term memory i. e. : writing an essay or short passage on the spot

Intelligence Quotient (IQ): index of intelligence defined as a person’s mental age divided by his/her chronological age and multiplied by 100. Mental Age: average mental ability people display at a given age Chronological Age: a person’s age in years.

IQ MA X 100 = IQ CA (MA) 12 X 100 = 120 (CA) 10

Problems with Deriving the IQ Score Problem: by mid to late teenage years, gains in mental age scores tend to level off, as people begin to develop mentally in many different areas This would make an adult whose mental age has remained the same since 15, takes the IQ test appear to be mentally retarded, which is not the case IQ= M A = 15 X 100= 50 CA 30

IQ

Intelligence Theories Compared: Psychometrics Pyschometrics: field of mental measurements G factor: theorized by Charles Spearman as The underlying factor across all intellectual domains Biologically innate, and it is at work behind all of our mental activity Fluid & Crystallized Intelligence (R. Cattel) Fluid: the ability to see complex relationships and solve problems Crystallized: the knowledge a person has acquired and the ability to access that knowledge (from semantic memory)

Intelligence Theories Compared: Cognitive Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory: believed that to rely on an IQ score would limit us, as there are factors to our intelligence that are independent of one another Practical Intelligence: ability to cope with the environment, “street smarts” Analytical Intelligence: ability to analyze problems and find correct answers (this ability is measured by IQ tests) Creative Intelligence: ability to see new relationships among concepts using insight and creativity

Intelligence Theories Compared: Cognitive Multiple Intelligence: theory (by Howard Gardner) that suggests there are several specialized types of intellectual ability and their corresponding career paths. Language (linguistic): writer, lawyer, comedian Logic & Math (numeric): scientist, accountant, programmer

Intelligence Theories Compared: Cognitive Visual & Spatial thinking (pictoral): engineer, inventor, artist Music (musical): composer, musician, music critic Bodily-kinesthetic (physical): dancer, athlete, surgeon Intrapersonal (self-knowledge): poet, actor, minister

Multiple Intelligences Interpersonal (social abilities): psychologist, teacher, politician Naturalist (understanding of the natural environment): biologist, natural healer, organic farmer