Class notes
Intelligence Lecture notes: Intro To Psychology Part 2 (PSY1005S)
- Institution
- University Of Cape Town (UCT)
Focuses on the topic of Intelligence. Includes the theories and some examples from the South African context.
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
IntelligenceWhat is Intelligence?
Two dozen prominent theorists were asked to define intelligence
They gave two dozen somewhat different definitions
Social Intelligence
being good in social contexts
Makes you adaptable
Can tests tell us how smart we are?
Which tests would those be?
Intelligence is fluid- what is intelligent in one community won’t be intelligent in another
Broad definition
The ability to acquire knowledge, to think and reason effectively, and to deal adaptively with the
environment
ability to solve problems
ability to understand and learn complex material
ability to adapt to one’s environment
mental quickness
Intelligence is a socially constructed concept
Skills necessary for success vary from culture to culture
1. within a culture (subcultures)
2. across time
What constitutes intelligence is culture specific
Early misuse
Early misuse to prove social and political ideologies, and consolidate stereotypical beliefs
Eugenics
In SA racial segregation policies informed the development and use IQ tests:
1925: SB test normed for use on white children ⇒ Fick Scale: Then later used on Black, Coloured,
Indian, and White Children
Bantu education was based on notions of Black Intellectual inferiority based on Fick’s test
Effects still linger today, with consequent racial, socioeconomics, and cultural stereotyping.
Tests of mental skills
Tests of mental skills have become an important part of our lives:
Educational
Occupational
Intelligence 1
, Clinical
Social policy decisions
1. Is intelligence a single aptitude or many abilities?
Many abilities
E.g. Some cognitive functions may not work when the brain is damaged
emotional intelligence
2. Why do individuals differ in intelligence (tests)?
3. Is intelligence innate or a product of upbringing?
a bit of both
4. What brain processes underlie intelligence?
5. Can psychometric tests capture intelligence(s)?
a. What do IQ scores mean? What do they predict and how well do they predict it
6. Do various ethnic groups display different performance in I-tests and if so what may explain those
differences?
Intelligence from a historical perspective
Early work on intelligence can be traced to Sir Francis Galton and Alfred Binet.
Sir Francis Galton (1822-1911)
Genetics/eugenics
His idea was that imminence and ‘genius’ ran in families and was hereditary
He thought certain “inherited” mental capacities made eminent people more fit for thinking
To investigate his hypothesis he made physical/sensory measurements on members of eminent family
trees.
Reaction speed, hand strength, sensory acuity, skull size
Results from his tests had poor predictive power but triggered a tradition of controversy
What are the weaknesses in Galton’s methodology?
biases
learning disabilities
different ethnicities and cultural differences
Alfred Binet (1857-1911)
Mental abilities test
His task was to develop an objective intelligence test for school children
Key: Quantification of a child’s current performance
Produced the first workable intelligence test in 1905
Binet’s approach was simple:
1. Test large numebrs of children of various age groups
Intelligence 2
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through EFT, credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying this summary from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller misslakishalove. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy this summary for R125,00. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
79202 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy summaries for 14 years now