Chapter 9 Intelligence and Creativity

1. Chapter 9Intelligence and Creativity

2. Chapter 9 – Intelligence and Creativity • What is intelligence? • Adaptive thinking or actions (Piaget) • Ability to think abstractly, solve problems? • Characteristics of intelligence • Genetic determination about 50% • Environmental influence about 50%

3. The Psychometric Approach • A trait – can be identified, measured • A single attribute? • Spearman: “g” = general; “s” = special • Many attributes? • Thurstone: 7 primary mental abilities • Spatial ability, perceptual speed, numeric reasoning, verbal meaning, word fluency, memory, inductive reasoning • IQ tests and IQ score

4. Cattell and Horn • Fluid intelligence: decreases in older adults • Use mind to solve novel problems • Skills: reasoning, seeing relationships, inferences, • Free of cultural influences • Crystallized intelligence: increases with age • Knowledge from experiences (school) • Gen. Info., vocabulary, etc.

5. Other Theories • Gardner’s Theory/multiple intelligences • Eight distinct intelligences not measured with IQ tests • 1) Linguistic • 2) Logical-mathematical • 3) Musical 4) Spatial • 5) Bodily-kinesthetic • 6) Interpersonal 7) Naturalist

6. Other kinds of Intelligence • Savant Syndrome • Extraordinary talent in one area • Otherwise mentally retarded • Musical, artistic, calculation abilities

7. Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory • Contextual Component • Adapting to the environment • “Street smart,” age group, culture, etc., • Experiential Component: Automatization • Response to novelty • Componential Component • Information processing • Efficiency of strategies

8. Figure 9.2

9. The Stanford-Binet • Age-graded items • Older version: Concept of mental age (MA) • IQ = MA/CA X 100 • Modern S-B Scales • Test norms • Large, representative samples • IQ score of 100 is average

10. The Wechsler Scales • Widely used today • WPPSI: ages 3-8 (2002) • WISC-III: Ages 6-16 (1991) • WAIS-III: adults • 3 IQ scores derived • Verbal IQ • Performance IQ • Full-scale IQ

11. Intelligence Testing Today • Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children • How problems are solved • Dynamic assessment approach • How quickly learning occurs • Cognitive Assessment System • Predicts academic success

12. The Infant • Developmental Quotients (DQ) • Bayley Scales: Ages 2-30 months • Correlations with Child IQ – low to 0 • Useful for diagnostic purposes • *Best predictors • From measures of information processing • E.g., attention, speed of habituation, preference for novelty

13. The Child • DQ does not predict later IQ • IQ at age 4 predicts later IQ • IQ gains • Parents foster achievement • Neither strict nor lax parenting • IQ drops: Poverty • Cumulative deficit hypothesis

14. The Adolescent • Brain growth spurt at age 11/12 (puberty) • Formal operational thinking • Improved memory and processing skills • Stability of IQ evident • IQ score a good predictor of school achievement

15. The Adult • Strong relationships between • IQ and occupational prestige • IQ and job performance • IQ and good health/longevity • IQ decline by age 80 (longitudinal studies • C-S studies show cohort effects • Fluid IQ peaks at about age 24 • Crystallized (verbal)unchanged until 80’s

16. Predictors of Gains and Decline • Decline: Poor health, unstimulating lifestyle • Gain (or maintain) • Above average SES • Intact marriages • Intellectually capable spouses • Active lifestyles • “Use it or lose it!”

17. Wisdom • Expert pragmatic knowledge • Rich procedural knowledge: strategies esp. for handling conflict • Lifespan contextual knowledge • Relativism of values & life priorities • Recognition and management of uncertainty • Age does not predict wisdom • Intelligence, personality & cognitive style

18. Factors that Influence IQ • Genes: accounts for half (Twin studies) • Home environment; higher SES helps • Never underestimate the power of the environment • Parental involvement & stimulation • Firstborn and smaller family are advantages • Racial and ethnic differences • Different ability patterns • Culture bias in IQ test

20. Mental Retardation • Below-average intellectual functioning: IQ 75 • Limited adaptive behavior: before age 18 • Self-care and social skills • Below age-appropriate expectations • Causes • Organic: e.g., Down syndrome • Cultural-familial: genes & environment

21. Giftedness • High IQ • Special abilities: math, arts, leadership • Renzuli: combination high IQ, creativity, and task commitment • Can be identified by 18 months • Terman’s “Termites” • Remarkable into adulthood • Well adjusted

22. Creativity • Ability to produce novel responses • Divergent thinking: a variety of solutions • Convergent thinking • Focusing on best solution • Measured by IQ test • Ideational fluency

23. Creativity in Childhood and Adolescence • Freedom, originality, humor, violence, playfulness • More fantasy and pretend play • More open to new experience • Little genetic influence:related to home • Value nonconformity and independence • Encouragement of curiosity and playfulness • Freedom to explore independently

24. Creative Achievement in Adulthood • Increases in the 20’s, 30’s, and early 40’s • Then declines • Peak times vary by fields • Humanities scholars peak in 60’s • Artists peak in 30’s and 40’s • Scientists peak from 40’s to 70’s • Enthusiasm and experience required.

25. Figure 9.8