Intelligence (2)

Intelligence (2)

1. 1st test = Binet & Simon, 1904

   • Aim = identify mentally handicapped children
   • Tasks of increasing cognitive difficulty 3 - 10 years
   • Mental age = test score compared to actual age
   • USA = Stanford Binet test
     • More repesentative of American culture
     • Additional items
     • Larger sample
   • IQ - Stern 1912
     • IQ = Mental age/actual age x 100
   • WAIS
   • Raven's progressive matrices
     • Non-verbal test of intelligence

2. IQ can't be calculated by dividing mental age by actual age

   • Looks at how much an individual's score differ from the mean for their age
     • Age group mean = 100, 15 = standard deviation

3. More abilities you test the closer you get to g

   • Reliable estimates can be found from reading ability
     • Scores compared to representative sample of age
       • IQ scores can fluctuate by 15 points

4. intelligence levels off in adolescence

   • coincides with rapid brain development, especially the prefrontal cortex
     • Crystallised IQ - gradual increase, gradual decline
       • Fluid IQ - steep drop from age 30