INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

What is it? Difficult to define.What is it? Difficult to define. Associated with problem-solving ability, Associated with problem-solving ability,

speed of processing, large number of speed of processing, large number of items in working memory, learning items in working memory, learning capacity, logic.capacity, logic.

One or many?One or many?

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

Psychometric approachPsychometric approach Early attempts at quantificationEarly attempts at quantification Simon and Binet, France (children)Simon and Binet, France (children) Concept of intelligence quotient: mental Concept of intelligence quotient: mental

age divided by chronological age x 100.age divided by chronological age x 100. Adapted for adults in U.S., army selection: Adapted for adults in U.S., army selection:

Stanford-Binet. Instead of individual Stanford-Binet. Instead of individual testing, group testing.testing, group testing.

Fuelled the philosophical current that Fuelled the philosophical current that intelligence is innate. Misuses.intelligence is innate. Misuses.

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS): Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS): Verbal and Performance ScalesVerbal and Performance Scales

Biases:Biases:• educational leveleducational level• SESSES• culture and subcultureculture and subculture

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

Factors affecting test performance:Factors affecting test performance:• healthhealth• exercise, fitnessexercise, fitness• anxietyanxiety• motivationmotivation• experience with testsexperience with tests• vision and hearingvision and hearing

Probably inappropriate for older adults.Probably inappropriate for older adults.

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

Issues in adult intelligenceIssues in adult intelligence::• One or many?One or many?• Increment, decrement or no change?Increment, decrement or no change?• How much interindividual variability?How much interindividual variability?• Can it be improved?Can it be improved?

Theories of adult intelligenceTheories of adult intelligence::• Spearman’s g (factor analysis)Spearman’s g (factor analysis)• Thurstone: PMAs (primary mental abilities)Thurstone: PMAs (primary mental abilities)• Cattell and Horn: fluid and crystallizedCattell and Horn: fluid and crystallized

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

Theories of adult intelligenceTheories of adult intelligence (Cont’d): (Cont’d):• Gardner: multiple intelligencesGardner: multiple intelligences• Sternberg: triarchicSternberg: triarchic• Baltes: dual processBaltes: dual process• Piaget: organismicPiaget: organismic• Perlmutter: three tierPerlmutter: three tier

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

Gardner’s Theory: Seven different abilities Gardner’s Theory: Seven different abilities

or talentsor talents• linguisticlinguistic• logical-mathematicallogical-mathematical• musicalmusical• spatialspatial• bodily-kinestheticbodily-kinesthetic• interpersonalinterpersonal• intrapersonalintrapersonal

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

STERNBERG’S TRIARCHIC THEORY:STERNBERG’S TRIARCHIC THEORY:

1.1. Componential element: efficiency in Componential element: efficiency in information processing, analytic capacity.information processing, analytic capacity.

2.2. Experiential element: approach to tasks, new Experiential element: approach to tasks, new or old, originality of thinking. Old tasks or old, originality of thinking. Old tasks automatic, leaves more working memory for automatic, leaves more working memory for new tasks.new tasks.

3.3. Contextual element: relationship to Contextual element: relationship to environment, social skills, “street smarts”. environment, social skills, “street smarts”. Knowledge of “unwritten rules”, ability to pick Knowledge of “unwritten rules”, ability to pick up “what’s going on”.up “what’s going on”.

• The last two are not measured by classical IQ The last two are not measured by classical IQ tests.tests.

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

Psychometric Approach to IntelligencePsychometric Approach to Intelligence

Primary Mental Abilities: intelligence is composedPrimary Mental Abilities: intelligence is composedof several independent abilities (Thurstone):of several independent abilities (Thurstone):• numbernumber• word fluencyword fluency• verbal meaningverbal meaning• associative memoryassociative memory• reasoningreasoning• spatial orientationspatial orientation• perceptual speedperceptual speed

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

Secondary Mental Abilities: relationshipsSecondary Mental Abilities: relationships

amongst primary abilities:amongst primary abilities:• crystallized intelligencecrystallized intelligence• fluid intelligencefluid intelligence• visual organizationvisual organization• auditory organizationauditory organization• short-term acquisition and retrievalshort-term acquisition and retrieval• long-term storage and retrievallong-term storage and retrieval

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

Cattell and Horn: Fluid and Crystallized Cattell and Horn: Fluid and Crystallized IntelligenceIntelligence• Fluid intelligence: encompasses the Fluid intelligence: encompasses the

abilities needed to solve problems, e.g. abilities needed to solve problems, e.g. abstract thinking, inductive reasoning. It is abstract thinking, inductive reasoning. It is high in early adolescence and decreases high in early adolescence and decreases with age. Thought to be biologically with age. Thought to be biologically determined.determined.

• Crystallized intelligence acquired Crystallized intelligence acquired knowledge, e.g. vocabulary, historical knowledge, e.g. vocabulary, historical facts. It starts low, but increases with age. facts. It starts low, but increases with age. Considered culturally determined.Considered culturally determined.

Crystallized

Fluid

Per

form

ance

12 60Age

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

Cohort differences: educationCohort differences: education

Declines accounted for by:Declines accounted for by:• perceptual speedperceptual speed• working memoryworking memory• inability to inhibit actions and thoughts inability to inhibit actions and thoughts

(interference)(interference)

These three items are correlatedThese three items are correlated

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

Several factors correlate with intellectual Several factors correlate with intellectual ability in old age:ability in old age:• high standard of living (SES): above high standard of living (SES): above

average education and incomeaverage education and income• lack of chronic diseaseslack of chronic diseases• engaging in reading, travel, cultural engaging in reading, travel, cultural

events, educational clubs and professional events, educational clubs and professional associationsassociations

• willingness to changewillingness to change• having a smart spousehaving a smart spouse

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

Several factors correlate with intellectual Several factors correlate with intellectual ability in old age (Cont’d):ability in old age (Cont’d):• ability to grasp new ideas quicklyability to grasp new ideas quickly• satisfaction with accomplishmentssatisfaction with accomplishments• internal locus of control: belief that what internal locus of control: belief that what

people do makes a difference in their livespeople do makes a difference in their lives

Even when mental activity shows losses dueEven when mental activity shows losses dueto disuse, it can be reclaimed throughto disuse, it can be reclaimed throughtrainingtraining

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

Importance of education: seems to increaseImportance of education: seems to increasenumber and strength of synapticnumber and strength of synapticconnectionsconnections

Regular exercise improves blood flow to theRegular exercise improves blood flow to thebrain and maintains good lung function tobrain and maintains good lung function tooxygenate the brain adequately.oxygenate the brain adequately.

Brain plasticity: learning and relearning canBrain plasticity: learning and relearning cantake place at any age.take place at any age.

INTELLECTUAL PERFORMANCE AND AGE

EXCELLENT HEALTH

ILL-HEALTH

TERMINAL DROP

HIG

H

PE

RF

OR

MA

NC

E

LOW

YOUNG AGE OLD

CROSS-SECTIONAL DATA LONGITUDINAL DATA

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

FORMAL OPERATIONS (Piaget)FORMAL OPERATIONS (Piaget)Similar to scientific method:Similar to scientific method:• logical structurelogical structure• hypothesis formulationhypothesis formulation• systematic testingsystematic testing• acceptance or rejection of hypothesisacceptance or rejection of hypothesis• aim is to find one unambiguous solutionaim is to find one unambiguous solution

Not all adults attain formal operations.Not all adults attain formal operations.Depends on area of expertise.Depends on area of expertise.

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

Post-formal thought:Post-formal thought:• there is no absolute truththere is no absolute truth• right answer varies with situational factorsright answer varies with situational factors• solutions must be realisticsolutions must be realistic• ambiguity and contradiction are the ruleambiguity and contradiction are the rule• emotion and subjectivity influence our emotion and subjectivity influence our

reasoningreasoning

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

Reflective judgment:Reflective judgment:• several stagesseveral stages• only the last two are true reflective only the last two are true reflective

judgmentjudgment• used for world problems e.g. religion, used for world problems e.g. religion,

current affairs, science and ethics. current affairs, science and ethics.

Absolutist thinking: there is only one rightAbsolutist thinking: there is only one right

solutionsolution

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE

Relativistic thinking: many sides to an issue, Relativistic thinking: many sides to an issue, right solution depends on situationright solution depends on situation

Dialectical thinking: sees merits in various Dialectical thinking: sees merits in various proposed solutions and synthesizes them proposed solutions and synthesizes them into one.into one.

This type of thinking is necessary for true This type of thinking is necessary for true conflict resolution.conflict resolution.

INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCEGender differences:Gender differences:According to some researchers, women “know” differently According to some researchers, women “know” differently from men:from men:• silent: passive acceptance of others’ knowledgesilent: passive acceptance of others’ knowledge• received: accepting authority’s ideas, rigid (good/bad)received: accepting authority’s ideas, rigid (good/bad)• subjective: personal, private intuitionssubjective: personal, private intuitions• procedural: two ways:procedural: two ways:

1.1. Justice and fairness concepts from society (Kohlberg)Justice and fairness concepts from society (Kohlberg)2.2. Interdependence and caring will lead to the truthInterdependence and caring will lead to the truth

• constructed: one’s own point of view, respecting constructed: one’s own point of view, respecting others, accepting contradiction and ambiguityothers, accepting contradiction and ambiguity