The global capacity to think rationally, act purposefully, and deal effectively with the environment

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

As for psychology today, intelligence is the global capacity to think rationally, act purposefully, and deal effectively with the environment. Years before, A test (IQ) was created to give to a individual to see where his or her level of knowledge was. Alfred Binet , a French psychologist wanted all students to attend school. Alfred Binet along with Theodore Simon created the first test ever which was the test of mental ages. Binet didn’t believe he was measuring innate ability, instead, he believed that his tests could identify school children who could benefit from special help.

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

Alfred binet.

Chapter 1.

Intelligence

Introduction

Intelligence is the unique and highest attribute of human species because of which, he is proved to be supreme today. Intelligence is a person’s capacity to acquire knowledge, apply knowledge & engage in abstract reasoning.

Intelligence defined

William stern defined intelligence as follows, “Intelligence is a general capacity of an individual consciously to adjust his thinking to new requirements. It is the general mental adaptability to new problem and conditions of life.” David Wechsler defined intelligence as “The aggregate or global capacity of an individual to act purposefully to think rationally and to deal effectively with his environment.” This means, intelligence includes 3 abilities namely, acting purposefully, thinking rationally and dealing effectively with environments. Howard Gardner defined intelligence as the ability or skill to solve problems or to fashion products which are valued within one or more cultural settings. Robert Sternberg defined intelligence as a set of mental abilities necessary for adaptation to as well as shaping and selection of any environmental context.

The modern concept of intelligence indicates the following types of abilities as a part of intelligence:

a)       Particular aptitudes

b)       Group factors

c)       Several kinds of intelligence

d)       General intelligence

History of intelligence testing

The first person who designed intelligence test in 1884 was Sir Francis Galton. His observation was that head size and reaction time taken to react to things by a person is not connected with the intelligence level of that person.

Later French psychologist Alfred Binet developed the first Intelligence test in 1905. This is why Binet is called ‘Father of intelligence tests’.

Binet designed the first scale with the help of Simon in 1905, revised it in 1908 and further in 1911.

After his death in 1911, Terman of Stanford university revised it in 1916.

Due to the additions and changes, these were now known as Stanford Binet tests. These were further revised in 1937, 1960, 1972 and 1986.

Later David Wechsler designed series of both verbal and non-verbal scales to measure intelligence. They are known as Wechsler intelligence scales.

Alfred Binet had also given the concept of mental age where he said that mental age depends on the mental development of a person with reference to average children of a particular age.

Based on the same concept, a German psychologist William Stern gave the concept of Intelligence Quotient (I.Q.) in 1912.

In 1916, he gave the formula I.Q. = Mental age / Chronological age x 100

After the age of 16, the intelligence does not develop though age does, so this measure is valid only till age of 16.

Yet generally after the age of 7, the IQ is seen to be stable in most of the children.

Distribution of intelligence quotient

It is observed, that IQ of 100 is average. This IQ is seen in about 68% of the population. On the other hand only 2.5% population is seen to have extreme high and extreme low IQ i.e. IQ below 70 or above 130. This means just about 2.5% people are seen to have IQ less than 70 and similarly, just 2.5% population is seen to have IQ more than 130. The normal distribution curve shows the percentage of IQ seen in people around.

Types of Intelligence tests

The intelligence tests are both verbal and non-verbal. They are also individual and group. There is a wide range of intelligence tests.

They include the following; Stanford Binet test, Wechsler intelligence scale for children (WISC), Wechsler Adult Intelligence scale (WAIS), the Kaufmann assessment battery for children.

These tests are further classified into verbal and non-verbal and individual and Group. Let us see them in details:

Verbal tests are the tests where words are given absolute importance. So, verbal tests cannot be given to foreigners and illiterate people. The most used verbal tests are Army Alfa test and Wechsler adult intelligence test.

Non-verbal or performance tests are the ones that do not use words. These can be used on infants, illiterate, mentally retarded and foreigners. Dr. Batra’s battery of performance tests, Koh’s block design test are of this type. 

Individual tests are given to one single person at a time. Such tests consume more time and cost. Also to conduct these tests, a trained skillful test administrator who can establish rapport with the subject is needed. So the check the productive thinking and such skills of an individual these are more useful. Binet’s intelligence scale, Wechsler’s scales, Dr. Batra’s performance test are tests of this type.

Group tests are the tests that are given to a larger group of subjects at the same time. They consume less time and are economical. The test admin does not need to establish rapport with subjects here, yet they are good to check general abilities but not so good to check individual creative abilities. While recruiting larger number of people these are more useful. Army alpha (verbal) & Army beta (performance) were the first group tests designed. Now we have OTIS self administering test & scholastic aptitude test.

Aptitude

Aptitude is an inborn capacity that refers to some potential ability in a particular field. It is a combination of characteristics that indicates an individual’s capacity to acquire some specific knowledge or skill on training.

Knowing aptitude is useful for predicting an individual’s future performance in certain area. Unlike intelligence that is general ability to have or learn skills, aptitude is a particular ability to have or learn some specific skill. The aptitude tests are independent as well as multiple. Clerical, mechanical, numerical, typing are individual aptitude tests. Multiple aptitude tests are studied with the help of test batteries like Differential Aptitude Test (DAT), General Aptitude Tests Battery (GATB) and Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). Out of these tests DAT is commonly used in educational settings.

Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is a set of skills that underlie accurate appraisal expression and regulation of emotions. It is known as the feeling side of intelligence. Intelligence is needed to do well in work and study, but emotional adjustment & emotional intelligence is needed to be successful in general personal life. Absence of these make even a genius stay unsuccessful in personal life.

Salovey and Mayer gave the concept of emotional intelligence. They defined emotional intelligence as the ability to monitor one’s own and others emotions, to discriminate among them and to use the information to guide one’s thinking and actions. Later this was refined & broken into four abilities viz. perceiving, using, understanding and managing emotions. Emotional Quotient (EQ) is used to express emotional intelligence.

So, emotional intelligence is ability to process emotional information accurately & effectively.

What is the global capacity to think rationally act purposefully and deal effectively with the environment?

Who defined intelligence as the global capacity to think rationally act purposefully and deal effectively with the environment quizlet?

What was Wechsler theory of intelligence?

Who defined intelligence as the global capacity?