Nature of Intelligence

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Nature of Intelligence

• Intelligence- The construct measured by
  traditional intelligence tests and portrayed by
  an IQ score.
• Definition of intelligence varies, however,
  Anastasi defines as, "the ability necessary for
  survival and advancement within a particular
  culture".
• These abilities differ from time to time and
  culture to culture.
• Different abilities are more valuable in
  different cultures.

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Etiology of Intelligence

• Heritability Index and IQ-
• The HI is the degree to which IQ is determined by
  inherited biological factors vs. environmental
  factors.
• Difficult to precisely determine HI due to the
  difficulty teasing out environmental factors from
  biological factors.
• For example, when Identical twins are separated
  at birth, they are not randomly assigned to
  different environments.

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Etiology of IQ (continued)

• Problems with generalizing from twin research due
  to the greater susceptibility of twins to
  prenatal traumas.
• HI's are applicable to populations not specific
  individuals.
• Also, does not measure the degree of
  modifiability.
• IQ is modifiable and even though HI percentages
  are high, the amount of variance not explained is
  significant.

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Etiology of Intelligence

• Bidirectional
• Personality characteristics determine the degree
  to which individual spend learning regarding
  activities within their environments (Atkinson
  Schema).
• Intelligence also influences the degree to which
  environmental characteristics direct individuals
  attention.

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Etiology of Intelligence

• Biological Factors
• Prenatal and perinatal environments
• Nutritional
• Stimulation factors
• Personal/Cultural Factors
• Low achievement drive
• Antisocial attitudes toward authority
• Poor self-concept

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Nature of Intelligence

• Fluid vs. Crystallized Intelligence-
• Fluid Intelligence- Nonverbal, less culturally
  determined mental abilities.
• Crystallized Intelligence- Typically more verbal,
  learned skills/abilities that are more culturally
  dependent.

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Factor Analysis

• Early Factorization of Intelligence-
• Single Factor- Big G(General Factor)- (Charles
  Spearman)
• Multiple Factors Little gs (L. L. Thurstone)
  Different types of IQ including verbal
  comprehension, word fluency, arithmetical
  abilities, spatial abilities, and associative
  memory

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Factor Analysis (continued)

• Hierarchical Model-
• General Ability Full-Scale IQ
• Major Factors Verbal vs. Performance abilities.

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Factor Analysis (continued)

• Minor Factors
• Stanford-Binet
• Fluid Reasoning
• Knowledge
• Abstract/Visual Reasoning
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Working Memory.
• WISC-IV
• Verbal Comprehension
• Perceptual Reasoning
• Working Memory
• Processing Speed.

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Factor Analysis (continued)

• Specific Factors (examples)
• Vocabulary
• Information
• Block Design
• Picture Completion

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Derivation of IQ Factors

• Factors are derived by examining the
  intercorrelations among different subscale from
  intelligence tests.
• Factors may contain different subscales depending
  on the age of the individuals being tested.

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Nonfactors in Traditional IQ Tests

• Many items which could be measures of
  intelligence have never been assessed as such
• Creativity
• Musical/artistic ability
• Emotional insight
• Attitudinal variables such as "eagerness to
  please

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Summary

• The construct of IQ continues to be most closely
  aligned with academically based, verbal measures
  of performance.