PSYC 381 Chapter 6: L6 - Intelligence & Thought
14 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
What are the three characteristics of intelligent people? How are the four
lifespan concepts applied to the study of intelligence and aging? Describe
the dual component model of intellectual functioning. (pp. 187-188)
Intelligence involves three major clusters of related ability.
1. Problem solving ability
2. Verbal ability
3. Social competence
Intelligence consists of many different skills. The four lifespan concepts
are:
1. Multidimensional: they specify many domains of intellectual abilities.
2. Multidirectionality: refers to the distinct patterns of change in abilities
over the life span, with these patterns differing for different abilities.
3. Plasticity: refers to the range of functioning within an individual and the
conditions under which a persons abilities can be modified within a
specific age range.
4. Interindividual variability: acknowledges adults differ in the direction of
their intellectual development.
-The dual component model of intellectual functioning, which includes
two interrelated types of developmental processes are postulated.
1. Mechanics of intelligence, which concerns the neurophysiological
architecture of the mind. This provides the basis for cognitive abilities.
Change is the greatest during childhood and adolescence.
2. Pragmatic intelligence, which concerns acquired bodies of knowledge
available from the embedded within culture.
1.
Describe the two research approaches to the study of intelligence. Describe the
structure of intelligence, including the five levels. Be sure to define primary and
secondary mental abilities, and provide examples. How would you summarize
the changes in intelligence associated with age? (pp. 189-194)
1. psychometric approach -measures intelligence as performance
on standardized tests.
2. cognitive structural approach - ways people conceptualize and
solve problems than with score on tests.
5th level - individual test questions.
4th-organizes these test questions into tests.
3rd- displays interrelationships among performances (primary
abilities) ex. word fluency.
2nd- considered the interrelationships found among the primary
mental abilities at the third level (secondary abilities) ex.
judgement.
1st- refers to the interrelationships among the third-order abilities.
-The changes in fluid and crystallized intelligence as we age indicate
that learning becomes more difficult with age.
2.
Describe the five moderators of intellectual change, and provide examples
of each. (pp. 195-197)
1. Cohort Differences
Do the differences in intellectual performance obtained in
some situations reflect true age-related change or mainly
cohort, or generational, differences?
§
Drawing conclusions is nearly impossible, but trends indicate a
leveling off of cohort differences that may come to a halt in
the early part of the 21st century
§
2. Information Processing
General processing constraints that occur with aging may help
identify mechanisms underlying decline in fluid intelligence
abilities with age
§
Inability to inhibit actions and thoughts
§
3. Social and Life Style Variables
Numerous social and life style variables have been identified
as important correlates of intellectual functioning; people in
cognitively demanding jobs may be less likely to show
noticeable declines in cognitive functioning
§
Education and life style factors may also be a predictor
§
4. Personality
Several aspects of personality have been proposed as
important for understanding intellectual change; eg, self-
efficacy - high initial levels of fluid abilities and a high sense of
internal control led to positive changes in people's
perceptions of their abilities
§
Neuroticism and chronic psychological distress -> rapid
cognitive decline
§
5. Health
Functioning of the brain - eg dementia
§
Cardiovascular disease
§
Exercise helps maintain cognitive fitness and slow down
cognitive decline
§
3.
Summarize the research looking at modifying primary mental abilities.
(pp. 197-199)
-Sherry Willis did a study to determine if age related changes in
intelligence were inevitable or could be modified through training.
-The ACTIVE study researched the effectiveness of cognitive training on
enhancing mental abilities and preserving instrumental activities of daily
living.
-This study found cognitive training improved mental abilities and daily
functioning in older independent living adults.
-Showed positive effects of cognitive training 5 years post intervention
-People who showed mild cognitive impairments did not benefit from
memory training, but did improve in reasoning and speed of processing.
-Declines in fluid abilities may be reversible
4.
Describe Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. What is post-formal
thought, and why is it important? Provide an example. (pp. 199-202)
According to Piaget, intellectual development is adaptation through
activity. He believed development of intelligence stems from the
emergence of increasingly complex cognitive structures.
• Piaget outlined two processes that underlie intellectual adaptation:
1. Assimilation: the use of currently available knowledge to make sense
out of incoming information.
2. Accommodation: this involves changings ones thought to make it a
better approximation of the world of experience.
He then stated that there are four structures for the development of
thought.
1. Sensorimotor period: intelligence is seen in the infants actions.
2. Preoperational period: young children believe all inanimate objects
experience the world as they do.
3. Concrete operational period: logical reasoning emerges.
4. Formal operational period: conceive abstract concepts.
Post formal thinking is characterized by recognizing the truth may vary
from situation to situation. Ex. student caught for plagiarism
5.
What is reflective judgement, and how does it develop? Describe the three
distinct styles of thinking. Describe the age differences in how emotion is
integrated with logic. (pp. 202-204)
Reflective judgement is a way adults reason through dilemmas.
-In the first 3 stages, a person needs a "right" answer.
-Stages 4 and 5, nothing is known for certain.
-Stage 6 and 7 understand they must re-evaluate their beliefs
The three distinct styles of thinking are:
1. Absolutist thinking: involves firmly believing there is only one correct
solution
2. Relativistic thinking: involves realizing there are many sides to any
issue.
3. Dialectical thinking: sees the issues in the different view points but
synthesize them into a workable solution
As adults age, they tend to make decisions and analyze problems not so
much on logical grounds as on emotional grounds.
6.
Summarize the research on age differences in decision making. What is
practical problem solving, and how do older adults perform these tasks?
Describe Denny's model of unexercised and optimally exercised abilities.
(pp. 205-209)
-When decision making involves a high degree of working memory, older
adults do not perform as well.
-Older adults search for less information in order to arrive at a decision
-To assess practical problem solving in more focused terms is to use a
research method called Observed Tasks of Daily Living (OTDL).
-This consists of three dimensions that reflect three specific problems in
everyday life: food preparation, medication intake and telephone use.
-There are many individual differences in problem solving based off
emotion and motivation.
-Unexercised ability is the ability a normal, healthy adult would exhibit
without practice or training. Ex. Fluid intelligence
-Optimally exercised ability is the ability a normal, healthy adult would
demonstrate under the best conditions of training or practice. Ex.
crystallized intelligence
7.
Summarize the research on age differences in expertise. How do older
lifelong learners differ from younger learners? (pp. 209-210)
-Experts don't always follow the rules as novices do and are more flexible.
-Experts build up a wealth of knowledge about alternative ways of solving
problems or making decisions.
-Teaching aimed at youth differs from teaching aimed at adults. Adults
have a higher need to know why they should learn something before
understanding it.
-Most adults are motivated to learn by internal factors.
-Effective lifelong learning requires smart decisions about how to keep
knowledge updated
8.
Summarize the research on creativity and aging including neuroimaging
findings. What are the four characteristics of wisdom? Is wisdom related
to age? What are the factors that can help one to become wise? (pp.
210-212)
-The number of creative contributions a person makes tends to increase
through ones 30s. Peak in the early 40s and decline after.
-white matter brain structure is related to creativity.
-Different areas of the prefrontal and parietal areas are responsible for
different aspects of creative thinking.
The four characteristics of wisdom are:
• Wisdom deals with important or difficult matters of life and the human
condition
• Wisdom is truly "superior" knowledge, judgement and advice
• Wisdom is knowledge with extraordinary scope, depth, and balance that
is applicable to specific situations
• Wisdom, when used, is well intended and combines mind and virtue.
-There is no association between age and wisdom
There are three factors that makes one wise.
1. General personal conditions such as mental ability
2. Specific expertise conditions such as mentoring or practice
3. Facilitative life context such as education or leadership experience.
9.
L6 -Intelligence & Thought
Sunday, May 27, 2018
11:07 AM
What are the three characteristics of intelligent people? How are the four
lifespan concepts applied to the study of intelligence and aging? Describe
the dual component model of intellectual functioning. (pp. 187-188)
Intelligence involves three major clusters of related ability.
1. Problem solving ability
2. Verbal ability
3. Social competence
Intelligence consists of many different skills. The four lifespan concepts
are:
1. Multidimensional: they specify many domains of intellectual abilities.
2. Multidirectionality: refers to the distinct patterns of change in abilities
over the life span, with these patterns differing for different abilities.
3. Plasticity: refers to the range of functioning within an individual and the
conditions under which a persons abilities can be modified within a
specific age range.
4. Interindividual variability: acknowledges adults differ in the direction of
their intellectual development.
-The dual component model of intellectual functioning, which includes
two interrelated types of developmental processes are postulated.
1. Mechanics of intelligence, which concerns the neurophysiological
architecture of the mind. This provides the basis for cognitive abilities.
Change is the greatest during childhood and adolescence.
2. Pragmatic intelligence, which concerns acquired bodies of knowledge
available from the embedded within culture.
1.
Describe the two research approaches to the study of intelligence. Describe the
structure of intelligence, including the five levels. Be sure to define primary and
secondary mental abilities, and provide examples. How would you summarize
the changes in intelligence associated with age? (pp. 189-194)
1. psychometric approach -measures intelligence as performance
on standardized tests.
2. cognitive structural approach - ways people conceptualize and
solve problems than with score on tests.
5th level - individual test questions.
4th-organizes these test questions into tests.
3rd- displays interrelationships among performances (primary
abilities) ex. word fluency.
2nd- considered the interrelationships found among the primary
mental abilities at the third level (secondary abilities) ex.
judgement.
1st- refers to the interrelationships among the third-order abilities.
-The changes in fluid and crystallized intelligence as we age indicate
that learning becomes more difficult with age.
2.
Describe the five moderators of intellectual change, and provide examples
of each. (pp. 195-197)
1. Cohort Differences
Do the differences in intellectual performance obtained in
some situations reflect true age-related change or mainly
cohort, or generational, differences?
§
Drawing conclusions is nearly impossible, but trends indicate a
leveling off of cohort differences that may come to a halt in
the early part of the 21st century
§
2. Information Processing
General processing constraints that occur with aging may help
identify mechanisms underlying decline in fluid intelligence
abilities with age
§
Inability to inhibit actions and thoughts
§
3. Social and Life Style Variables
Numerous social and life style variables have been identified
as important correlates of intellectual functioning; people in
cognitively demanding jobs may be less likely to show
noticeable declines in cognitive functioning
§
Education and life style factors may also be a predictor
§
4. Personality
Several aspects of personality have been proposed as
important for understanding intellectual change; eg, self-
efficacy - high initial levels of fluid abilities and a high sense of
internal control led to positive changes in people's
perceptions of their abilities
§
Neuroticism and chronic psychological distress -> rapid
cognitive decline
§
5. Health
Functioning of the brain - eg dementia
§
Cardiovascular disease
§
Exercise helps maintain cognitive fitness and slow down
cognitive decline
§
3.
Summarize the research looking at modifying primary mental abilities.
(pp. 197-199)
-Sherry Willis did a study to determine if age related changes in
intelligence were inevitable or could be modified through training.
-The ACTIVE study researched the effectiveness of cognitive training on
enhancing mental abilities and preserving instrumental activities of daily
living.
-This study found cognitive training improved mental abilities and daily
functioning in older independent living adults.
-Showed positive effects of cognitive training 5 years post intervention
-People who showed mild cognitive impairments did not benefit from
memory training, but did improve in reasoning and speed of processing.
-Declines in fluid abilities may be reversible
4.
Describe Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. What is post-formal
thought, and why is it important? Provide an example. (pp. 199-202)
According to Piaget, intellectual development is adaptation through
activity. He believed development of intelligence stems from the
emergence of increasingly complex cognitive structures.
• Piaget outlined two processes that underlie intellectual adaptation:
1. Assimilation: the use of currently available knowledge to make sense
out of incoming information.
2. Accommodation: this involves changings ones thought to make it a
better approximation of the world of experience.
He then stated that there are four structures for the development of
thought.
1. Sensorimotor period: intelligence is seen in the infants actions.
2. Preoperational period: young children believe all inanimate objects
experience the world as they do.
3. Concrete operational period: logical reasoning emerges.
4. Formal operational period: conceive abstract concepts.
Post formal thinking is characterized by recognizing the truth may vary
from situation to situation. Ex. student caught for plagiarism
5.
What is reflective judgement, and how does it develop? Describe the three
distinct styles of thinking. Describe the age differences in how emotion is
integrated with logic. (pp. 202-204)
Reflective judgement is a way adults reason through dilemmas.
-In the first 3 stages, a person needs a "right" answer.
-Stages 4 and 5, nothing is known for certain.
-Stage 6 and 7 understand they must re-evaluate their beliefs
The three distinct styles of thinking are:
1. Absolutist thinking: involves firmly believing there is only one correct
solution
2. Relativistic thinking: involves realizing there are many sides to any
issue.
3. Dialectical thinking: sees the issues in the different view points but
synthesize them into a workable solution
As adults age, they tend to make decisions and analyze problems not so
much on logical grounds as on emotional grounds.
6.
Summarize the research on age differences in decision making. What is
practical problem solving, and how do older adults perform these tasks?
Describe Denny's model of unexercised and optimally exercised abilities.
(pp. 205-209)
-When decision making involves a high degree of working memory, older
adults do not perform as well.
-Older adults search for less information in order to arrive at a decision
-To assess practical problem solving in more focused terms is to use a
research method called Observed Tasks of Daily Living (OTDL).
-This consists of three dimensions that reflect three specific problems in
everyday life: food preparation, medication intake and telephone use.
-There are many individual differences in problem solving based off
emotion and motivation.
-Unexercised ability is the ability a normal, healthy adult would exhibit
without practice or training. Ex. Fluid intelligence
-Optimally exercised ability is the ability a normal, healthy adult would
demonstrate under the best conditions of training or practice. Ex.
crystallized intelligence
7.
Summarize the research on age differences in expertise. How do older
lifelong learners differ from younger learners? (pp. 209-210)
-Experts don't always follow the rules as novices do and are more flexible.
-Experts build up a wealth of knowledge about alternative ways of solving
problems or making decisions.
-Teaching aimed at youth differs from teaching aimed at adults. Adults
have a higher need to know why they should learn something before
understanding it.
-Most adults are motivated to learn by internal factors.
-Effective lifelong learning requires smart decisions about how to keep
knowledge updated
8.
Summarize the research on creativity and aging including neuroimaging
findings. What are the four characteristics of wisdom? Is wisdom related
to age? What are the factors that can help one to become wise? (pp.
210-212)
-The number of creative contributions a person makes tends to increase
through ones 30s. Peak in the early 40s and decline after.
-white matter brain structure is related to creativity.
-Different areas of the prefrontal and parietal areas are responsible for
different aspects of creative thinking.
The four characteristics of wisdom are:
• Wisdom deals with important or difficult matters of life and the human
condition
• Wisdom is truly "superior" knowledge, judgement and advice
• Wisdom is knowledge with extraordinary scope, depth, and balance that
is applicable to specific situations
• Wisdom, when used, is well intended and combines mind and virtue.
-There is no association between age and wisdom
There are three factors that makes one wise.
1. General personal conditions such as mental ability
2. Specific expertise conditions such as mentoring or practice
3. Facilitative life context such as education or leadership experience.
9.
L6 -Intelligence & Thought
Sunday, May 27, 2018 11:07 AM
Document Summary
Describe the dual component model of intellectual functioning. (pp. Intelligence involves three major clusters of related ability: problem solving ability, verbal ability, social competence. The dual component model of intellectual functioning, which includes two interrelated types of developmental processes are postulated: mechanics of intelligence, which concerns the neurophysiological architecture of the mind. Change is the greatest during childhood and adolescence: pragmatic intelligence, which concerns acquired bodies of knowledge available from the embedded within culture. Describe the two research approaches to the study of intelligence. Describe the structure of intelligence, including the five levels. Be sure to define primary and secondary mental abilities, and provide examples. How would you summarize the changes in intelligence associated with age? (pp. 5th level - individual test questions. the changes in intelligence associated with age? (pp. 189-194: psychometric approach -measures intelligence as performance on standardized tests, cognitive structural approach - ways people conceptualize and solve problems than with score on tests.
