GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY CHAPTER VII: Intelligence, Thinking and Language

Mark Lawrence Gale Psychology Department Adamson University

Icebreaker # 1
Which of the following geometric figures can be drawn in one continuous stroke without retracing any lines?

Definitions of Intelligence
Intelligence generally has three aspects:

Practical problem-solving skills include logical reasoning, having an open mind and analyzing all the angles of a problem. Verbal ability includes correct grammar, rich vocabulary and effective communication skills. Social competence include interpersonal relationship skills, proper interpretation of social situations, sensitivity, reflecting skills.

Things to Remember about Intelligence:

1. It is not a single ability. 2. Though is intelligence is highly correlated with school achievement, they are not equal. 3. IQ test scores do not reflect the totality of an individuals intelligence.

Two Approaches in Defining Intelligence:

1. Psychometric Approach 2. Information-process Approach

I. Psychometric Approach
This approach gives emphasis on quantifying cognitive factors or abilities that compose intellectual performance. The cognitive factors are verbal comprehension, good memory, perceptual speed and reasoning. The psychologists who are adherents of this approach are either lumpers or splitters.

Lumpers psychologists who lump or put the cognitive factors together. They define intelligence as a general unified capacity for reasoning, acquiring knowledge and solving problems.

Charles Spearman developed a two-factor theory of intelligence wherein everyone has general intelligence factor termed g and specific abilities labeled as s.

Intelligence Quotient (IQ) a single measure of intelligence.

Splitters psychologists who define intelligence as consisting of separate mental abilities that function more or less independently.

Howard Gardner was against the idea that intelligence is a single factor that can be measured by a single score such as the IQ score.

Multiple intelligence theory Gardners theory of intelligence which states that there are at least nine types of intelligence.

Intelligence Area
1. Verbal-Linguistic 2. Logical-Mathematical 3. Visual-spatial 4. Bodily-kinesthetic 5. Musical-rhythmic 6. Interpersonal

Definition
Ability to use language proficiently Numerical ability, abstract thinking and reasoning 3D skills, ability to correlate lines, colors and spaces Good coordination of movements, athletics, bodily motions

Examples
novelist, poet, debater, historian accountant, programmer architect, engineer, artist, designer athlete, actor, dancer, soldier

Sensitivity to sounds, rhythms, tones singer, disc jockey, and music instrumentalist Ability to form close and stable teacher, politician, relationships with people; adaptability salesmen, social worker, manager Ability to understand oneself, thoughts and feelings psychologist, lawyer, theologian

7. Intrapersonal 8. Naturalist 9. Existential

Ability to nurture and relate with ones farmer, gardener, natural environment fisherman Ability to use values, intuition, spirituality to understand the world priest, philosopher, shaman

II. Information-process approach

This approach defines intelligence by analyzing contents of the cognitive processes which employ to solve problems.

Robert Sternberg created the triarchic theory of intelligence which states that intelligence can be divided into three ways of gathering and processing information:
1. Analytical or logical thinking 2. Problem-solving skills 3. Practical thinking skills

Assessment of Intelligence
Alfred Binet a French psychologist who claimed that intelligence is a collection of mental abilities and the means to measure ones intelligence is through the ability to do cognitive tasks. Binet-Simon Intelligence Scale the worlds first standardized intelligence test created by Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon in 1905.

Mental age a concept introduced by Alfred Binet which is an estimate of a childs intelligence through comparing the childs score on an in intelligence test with the scores of average children of the same age. Lewis Terman revised the Binet-Simon Scale to Stanford-Binet Scale and formulated the computation to get the IQ score of a person:

Characteristics of a Good Test

Reliability refers to consistency. It means that a persons scores on a test or on similar tests given at different periods of time are close or almost the same. Validity means that the test measures what it is supposed to measure. Note: The cognitive abilities assessed by IQ tests do not count for all of a persons performance in academic settings. A high IQ alone is not sure guarantee of academic success because certain personality, motivational, emotional factors are also to be considered.

Levels of Intelligence

A normal distribution of IQ scores is represented by the bellshaped curve. Most scores are concentrated on the middle and fewer scores are at the two extreme ends of the curve.

One important use of IQ scores is to identify individuals with mental retardation and those who are mentally gifted or who have exceptional abilities. Below is the Wechsler IQ distribution:
IQ Score Range
130 120 129 110 119 90 109 80 89 70 79 69

Qualitative Description
Very Superior Superior High Average Average Low Average Borderline Extremely Low

Percent of Cases
2.2% 6.7% 16.1% 50% 16.1% 6.7% 2.2%

Mental Retardation
It is characterized by limited mental ability usually an IQ of below 70, and difficulty in functioning or adjusting in everyday life situations. The two general causes of mental retardation are organic (e.g. genetic problems or brain damage) and cultural-familial (e.g. environmental forces).

Classification of Mental Retardation

1. Mild mental retardation IQ ranges from 50 to 70 and general mental age is 8.5 to 11 years old. People with this condition are educable. With special training and educational opportunities, they can learn to read and write, become sociable, perform simple tasks and become self-supporting.

2. Moderate mental retardation IQ ranges from 35 to 50 and general mental age is 6 to 8.5 years old. People with this condition can learn to become partially independent provided they are given special trainings and they are in a family or self-help setting.

3. Severe mental retardation IQ ranges from 20 to 40 and general mental age is 3.25 to 6 years old. With special training, they can acquire limited skills in taking care of themselves. There is a need for considerable supervision in their whole life because of retarded motor and verbal abilities. 4. Profound mental retardation IQ is below 20 and mental age is 0 to 3 years old. They may not b able to learn even simple tasks and they require constant complete care and supervision.

Mental Retardation A Hopeless Condition?

The capacities of people with mental retardation, with the exception of profound mental retardation, can still be developed. It is mandatory for the society and the families of these individuals to provide opportunities for harnessing the available capacities. Humanistic approach: Special education, sports training, art workshops and livelihood skills are necessary qualities of the special care and love that ought to be given to the mentally retarded.

Successful People with Mental Retardation

Paula Sage won a Best Actress Award in the Bratislava International Film Festival of 2004.

Gretchen Josephson has severe MR but was able to publish a book entitled Bus Girl.

Mental Giftedness
Mental giftedness - an intellectual ability significantly higher than average Studies have found that gifted children and adults seem to be healthier, happier and better adjusted than most people. They seem to have greater potential for creativity and innovativeness. Provisions: School acceleration, scholarship grants, more challenging projects and activities, honors and other forms of inspiring recognitions.

People with Intellectual Giftedness

Marc Yu learned to play Mary Had A Little Lamb at the piano on his own.

Albert Einstein wasnt able to speak until the age of four but was able to develop several theories in physics and chemistry.

Icebreaker # 2
In each of the four matchstick arrangements below, move only one stick to change the equation so that it represents a true equality such as V = V: 1. V = VII 2. VI = XI 3. XII = VII 4. VI = II

Nature-Nurture Influence on Intelligence

Richard Weinberg explained that genes do not fix intelligence, rather genes only establish a range of possible behaviors that interact with ones environment. Reaction Range determines the extent that IQ scores may increase or decrease as a result of environmental influences.

Nature-Nurture Issue refers to the question about the relative contribution of heredity and environment to the development of intelligence. Nature believes intelligence is fixed and unchangeable while nature believes it is more flexible and changeable. But according to recent studies, both heredity and environment are equally playing significant roles to the development of intelligence.

Thinking
Thinking refers to the form of information processing that occurs during the period between stimulus event and the response to it. It involves cognitive rearrangement or manipulation of both information from the environment and the symbols found in the long-term memory.

Circle of Thought a circular diagram or pattern which explains the process of thinking.

Thinking and Language

Thinking and language are interrelated because we use words as symbols in our thinking process. We also use images as symbols. Concept a symbolic representation of common and general feature of objects and events. Its functions are to group things into categories and identify things without learning.

Types of Thinking
A. Problem Solving

Problem an unresolved conflict or the nonsatisfaction of need or the inability to achieve a certain goal. Whenever we look for a solution to a problem, we refer to the information stored in our memory and follow rules that gives us an idea to whether we can solve it or not:
Algorithms Heuristics

Algorithm a set of rules, if observed correctly, will lead to the solution of a problem. Heuristics shortcuts or general strategies in solving problems. These permit us to make quick decisions but when misused, it could lead to unwise or bad decisions.

Icebreaker # 3
Connect all the nine dots by drawing four straight lines without lifting your pen from the paper or retracing any line.

Functional Fixedness inability to see an object as having different function from its usual one or simply the inability to think outside the box. To solve certain problems, it pays to be open-minded and innovative.

Scientific Procedures in Problem-Solving:

1. Preparation the thinker identifies the problem and gathers data necessary for the solution. 2. Incubation the solver, realizing that the problems cannot be solved immediately, keeps the problem at the freezing stage. 3. Illumination occurs with its aha insight experience. There is a sudden flash of solution to the problem.

4. Evaluation the application of the solution to the problem. 5. Revision if the solution does not fit the problem, meaning the conflict remains unresolved, there is a need to think of another possible solution or there could be a need only for certain modification or change in one aspect of the solution.

Icebreaker # 4
Your task is to hold both ends of the string. But neither string is long enough so that you can reach out and grab the other string while holding either of the two strings. How will you solve this problem?

B. Creative Thinking

It is a combination of flexibility in thinking and reorganization in understanding to produce innovative ideas and solutions (James Greeno, 1989). Divergent thinking the emergence of a variety of thoughts about a problem; equivalent to creative thinking. Convergent thinking opposite of divergent thinking; concerned with a particular solution to a problem and the solution may be have been already tried in the past.

One approach to encourage creativity is brainstorming which involves attempting to solve a particular problem by observing the four basic rules: a. Do not criticize the suggestions of other people. b. Generate as many ideas as possible. c. Attempt to be original. d. Build on others suggestions.

Characteristics of Creative People

1. They are sensible people; when you listen to them you learn a lot from them. 2. They accept the challenge of solving difficult or complex problems. 3. They go for objectivity to test creative ideas. 4. They are not afraid to take risks or live in a new and uncertain world. 5. They are flexible to adjust to an ever-changing society. 6. They do not resist change, if the change is for the better. 7. They are happy individuals because they solve many problems more easily.

Psycholinguistics
Noam Chomsky a linguistics professor who claimed that all humans have an innate capacity to acquire language as a product of biological factor or inheritance; considered as a psycholinguist. Language Acquisition Device (LAD) refers to our innate knowledge of language.

Linguistics study of rules of any language and it postulates that the rules of language are part of our knowledge. Psycholinguistics - study of the psychological and neurobiological factors that enable humans to acquire, use, comprehend and produce language. Children have the inborn competence for language acquisition. No one has to tell children how to talk. Children do their talking without consciously knowing how they do so.

Pragmatics
Pragmatics refers to speaking or writing in such a way as to have an effect on others. Factors affecting the way we use language:

Context in which we are speaking Status of the person or identity of the speaker Conversational rules Intention of the speaker

Four Criteria for Language

1. It involves learning a set of abstract symbols such as words for spoken language or hand signs for sign language. 2. It involves using abstract symbols to express thoughts or indicate objects and events which are not present. 3. It involves learning complex rules for forming words, phrases and meaningful sentences. 4. It involves using the rules to produce a number of meaningful sentences.

Icebreaker # 5
Two fathers and two sons go hunting. Each shoot one rabbit. They brought home 3 rabbits. How is this possible? A crime has been committed. A life has been taken. The name, address and personal information are known by police. However, this person shall never go to trial or jail. Why?

THANK YOU!