PSY 1200 Lecture Notes - Computer Security, Dishabituation, Vincent Van Gogh
28 May 2023
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1 The Concept of
Intelligence
WHAT IS
INTELLIGENCE?
What does the term intelligence mean to psychologists? Some experts
describe intelligence as the ability to solve problems. Others describe it
as the capacity to adapt and learn from experience. Still others argue that
intelligence includes characteristics such as creativity and interpersonal
skills.
The problem with intelligence is that, unlike height, weight, and age,
intelligence cannot be directly measured. We can’t peel back a person’s
scalp and see how much intelligence he or she has. We can evaluate
intelligence only indirectly by studying and comparing the intelligent
acts that people perform.
The primary components of intelligence are similar to the cognitive
processes of thinking and memory that we discussed in the chapter on
“Information Processing.” The differences in how we described these
cognitive processes in that chapter, and how we discuss intelligence, lie
in the concepts of individual differences and assessment (Elkana &
others, 2019; Kaufman, Schneider, & Kaufman, 2020). Individual
differences are the stable, consistent ways in which people differ from
one another (Richler & others, 2019; Sackett & others, 2017). Individual
differences in intelligence generally have been measured by intelligence
tests designed to tell us whether a person can reason better than others
who have taken the test (Bates & Gupta, 2017; Deckert & others, 2019).
How can intelligence be defined? Intelligence is the ability to solve
problems and to adapt and learn from experiences. But even this broad
definition doesn’t satisfy everyone. As you will see shortly, Robert J.
Sternberg (2018a, b, c) proposes that practical know-how should be
considered part of intelligence. In his view, intelligence involves
weighing options carefully and acting judiciously, as well as developing
strategies to improve shortcomings. Sternberg (2019a, b, c, 2020a, b, c)
also recently described intelligence as the ability to adapt to, shape, and
select environments. In adapting to the environment, if individuals find
the environment suboptimal, they can change it to make it more suitable
for their skills and desires.
Also, a definition of intelligence based on a theory such as Vygotsky’s
would have to include the ability to use the tools of the culture with help
from more-skilled individuals. Because intelligence is such an abstract,
broad concept, it is not surprising that there are so many different ways
to define it.
developmental connection
Information Processing
The information-processing approach emphasizes how
individuals manipulate information, monitor it, and create
strategies for handling it. Connect to “Information Processing.”
developmental connection
Social Contexts
Vygotsky’s theory emphasizes the social contexts of learning
and constructing knowledge through social interaction. Connect
to “Cognitive Developmental Approaches.”
INTELLIGENCE TESTS
What types of intelligence tests are given to children and adults? What
are some contributions and criticisms of intelligence tests?
The Binet Tests
In 1904, the French Ministry of Education asked psychologist Alfred
Binet to devise a method to determine which students would not profit
from typical school instruction. Binet and his student Theophile Simon
developed an intelligence test to fulfill this request. The test consisted of
30 items ranging from the ability to touch one’s nose or ear when asked
to the ability to draw designs from memory and to define abstract
concepts.
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Binet stressed that the core of intelligence consists of complex cognitive
processes such as memory, imagery, comprehension, and judgment. In
addition, he noted that a developmental approach was crucial for
understanding intelligence. He proposed that a child’s intellectual ability
increases with age. Therefore, he tested potential items and determined
the age at which a typical child could answer them correctly. Thus, Binet
developed the concept of mental age (MA), which is an individual’s level
of mental development relative to others. For an average child, MA
scores correspond to chronological age (CA), which is age from birth. A
bright child has an MA considerably above CA; a child with a low level of
intelligence has an MA considerably below CA.
