Thinking and Intelligence

1
Thinking and Intelligence
Problem solving Blocks to solving
problems Solution strategies Thinking under
uncertainty Probability judgments Hypothesis
testing Intelligent thinking Intelligence
testing Controversies about intelligence
2
Thinking Defn

• mental manipulation of images, concepts, words,
  rules, symbols
• involves, inter alia, attention, pattern
  recognition, memory, decision making, intuition,
  knowledge
• problem solving is an outcome of thinking

3
Problem Solving

• What is a problem?
• Defn Difference between current state goal
  state

4
Problem Solving
State the Problem What should I major in? How
do I get an A on the next test? How do get her
to notice me?
Elements Current (initial) state Solution End
(goal) state
Well-defined vs. ill-defined problems
5
Problem Solving Elements
Current (initial) state What subject should I
major in? I have no idea. Ive always wanted
to teach 2nd grade. I really enjoy math and
building things.
How do I get an A on the next test? I just
got a B and hardly studied I busted my !?
and only got a C I have no idea
6
Problem Solving Elements
Goal (end) state Mom, Dad Ive decided to major
in Mom, Dad I got an A on my last psych
test Youll go out with me? Really? Thats great!
Solution (path(s)) Fill out the form. Talk with
an advisor, fill out the form. Talk with
departmental advisors, CRC, college advisors,
friends, family, read, fill out the form.
7
(No Transcript)
8
(No Transcript)
9
Problem Solving - Obstacles
Problem interpretation Fixation cant think
outside box Functional fixedness Duncker
(45) Maier (31) Problem solution Mental set
use previously successful
10
Brainstorming

• You are inside of a room 10 x 10 x 10
• The walls, floor and ceiling are solid concrete
• A steel pipe that extends one foot is embedded in
  the floor
• There is a ping pong ball at the bottom of the
  pipe
• The pipe diameter is 1/16 larger than the ping
  pong ball
• You have about 100 feet of clothes line, a
  carpenter's hammer, a chisel, a box of Wheaties,
  a file, a wire coat hanger, a monkey wrench, and
  a light bulb
• Think of as many ways as possible of removing the
  ball from the pipe w/o damaging the pipe, ball or
  the floor.

11
Duncker (1945)
12
Maier (1931)
13
O T T F F S S ?
E O E R E X N ?
14
1-3
4-6
10-12
13-15
7-9
Fewest of links to disconnect reconnect?
15
Tower of Hanoi
ToH
16
Missionaries Cannibals problem
17
Problem Solving Solution Strategies

• Random may not solve may repeat
• Trial and error may (or may not) solve
• Algorithms rule-based, step-by-step
• Heuristics mental shortcuts

18
Heuristics in problem solving
T E N I C E L I N G I L
I N U T E S O Q
19
Anchoring and Adjustment Kahneman Tversky
(1974)
8 x 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1
1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 5 x 6 x 7 x 8
A A - When estimating, we initially anchor to
an available exemplar and adjustment from it
20
Working backward
21
Means-end analysis(subgoaling)

• Means-ends analysis steps
• 1. ID difference between current goal states
• 2. Create subgoal to reduce difference
• 3. Select apply operator to move to subgoal
• 4. _at_ Goal state? If no, then go to 1

22
Thinking Under Uncertainty
Judging probability Representativeness
h. Availability h. Hypothesis testing Confirmati
on bias
23
Representativeness h.
"for having integrated insights from
psychological research into economic science,
especially concerning human judgment and
decision-making under uncertainty
Probability of membership in a category is
determined by how well and object resembles that
category
Daniel Kahneman 1934 -
truckers
poets
24
Availability h.
Judgments of probability based on what we can
remember (what is available), rather than
complete data.
25
If a card has a vowel on one side, then it has an
even number on the other side
Select the card or cards that you definitely must
turn over to determine whether the rule is true
or false for these four cards
26
Hypothesis testing

• Confirmation bias we seek evidence to confirm
  (rather) than disconfirm our hypothesis (belief).

Am I Psychic?
Phone rings
Doesnt ring
Thinking of you
Not thinking of you
27
If a card has a vowel on one side, then it has an
even number on the other side
Select the card or cards that you definitely must
turn over to determine whether the rule is true
or false for these four cards
28
Intelligence

• Definition
• The aggregate, or global capacity to act
  purposefully, think rationally, and deal
  effectively with the environment.
• Intelligence is an aspect of the total
  personality, rather than an isolated entity. 

29
Intelligence Testing
Alfred Binet 1859 -1911
Sir Francis Galton 1822 -1911
Lewis Terman 1877 -1956
Nature
Nature
Nurture
IQ (Mental age/Chron age) 100
IQ score compare individual scores across groups
30
Contemporary Intelligence Testing
WAIS-R WISC Stanford-Binet
David Wechsler 1896-1981
31
Test Standardization
IQ score compare individual scores across groups
Deviation IQ score 100 15(SD difference)
32
Reliability and validity
Reliability does test yield consistent
scores? test-retest r. alternate forms
r. split-half r.
Validity does test measure/predict what it
claims to measure/predict? content
v. predictive v.
33
Controversies about intelligence
What is intelligence? Role of nature/nurture in
intelligence?
34
What is intelligence?
Charles Spearman 1863 - 1945
L. L. Thurstone 1887 - 1955

• Chas. Spearman g (general) s (specific)
  factors contribute to intelligence
• L. L. Thurstone identified 7 specific factors
• Verbal comprehension - reasoning
• Spatial ability - word fluency
• Number facility - associative memory
• Perceptual speed

35
Fluid vs. crystallized intelligence
Raymond Cattell 1905 - 1998
Fluid intelligence abstract reasoning, memory,
speed of information processing
Diminishes with age
Crystallized intelligence acquired knowledge,
verbal and numerical skills
Increases with age
36
Multiple intelligences
Howard Gardner 1943 -

• 8 separate intelligences
• Linguistic - Logical-mathematical
• Spatial - Musical
• Intrapersonal - Interpersonal
• Naturalistic - Bodily-kinesthetic

37
Triarchic theory of intelligence
Robert Sternberg 1949 -
38
From where does intelligence arise?

• Nature (Heredity)

Or Nurture (Environment)?
intelligence score r2
Twin studies
.86
Identical together
Identical apart
.72
.60
Fraternal together
Non-twin siblings together
.47
Adoption studies
39
Heritability of intelligence

• Heritability degree to which variation of a
  trait within a given population is due to
  heredity
• Heritability
• is an abstract concept.
• is a population concept.
• depends on the environmental range.
• is no cause for therapeutic nihilism.

Summary Heredity determines reaction range
upper and lower bounds but environment helps
determine where within reaction range one will
fall.