IMPORTANT: Upcoming Test one week from today ThursdayFebruary 2 in class, SSC 2050, at 12:30-2:20 worth 10% of course grade 40 multiple choice questions Lecture material + assigned focus questions from the text Test Yourself questions give you some idea of what to expect Three Minute Review REASONING Deductive reasoning Given a set of premises, draw a conclusion syllogisms series problems Inductive reasoning See examples and make hypotheses to explain the situation/patter n Sherlock Holmes Errors in reasoning representativeness overvalued (base rate undervalued) availability bias number of examples encountered biases probability estimates confirmation bias people try to prove rather than disprove their hypothesis people may do better when scenario involves cheater detection inability to break out of a mental set functional fixedness Insight Kohler s chimps had insight; perhaps crows do too 1
Test Yourself Suppose a researcher gave subjects the following type of problem: In a group of 100 people, 70 are pilots and 30 are bookkeepers. Of that group, one man is meek, timid, and enjoys helping people. Is he more likely to be a pilot or a bookkeeper? Most subjects would answer: A. bookkeeper, demonstrating a bias toward representativeness. B. bookkeeper, demonstrating a prior probability bias. C. pilot, demonstrating use of the base-rate information given. D. pilot, demonstrating the availability bias. E. bookkeeper, demonstrating functional fixedness Is there one type of intelligence? Charles Spearman 1863-1945 Factor analysis developed by Spearman to tease apart components of intelligence are there clusters of correlations that suggest common underlying factors? CORRELATION Factor Analysis How much do you like Dr. Pepper? r =.70 CORRELATION MATRIX Coke Classic Dr. Pepper Coke Classic Dr. Pepper.70 How much do you like Coke Classic? 7-UP.65.59 Ginger Ale.75.51 Coke Classic Dr. Pepper Coke Classic Dr. Pepper.70 7-UP.20.16 Ginger Ale.33.18 7-UP.68 7-UP.77 Ginger Ale Ginger Ale 2
General Intelligence: Spearman s g g Spearman suggested that scores on each subtest were determined by two factors g-factor (general intelligence) a general factor contributing to all tests s-factor (specific factors) factors that are specific to a particular test (e.g., arithmetic vs. spatial tests) What might g be? mental speed and working memory? computer analogy: faster processor and more RAM significant correlations between reaction times and IQ (r ~-.35) neural efficiency? mental quickness may expand capacity of working memory mental self-government? computer analogy: better operating system Duncan s g-spot lateral prefrontal cortex activated by high-g versions of multiple intelligence tests Non-intelligence control task Hannibal Lecter: You see, the brain itself feels no pain, Clarice, if that concerns you. For example, Paul won't miss this little piece here, which is the, uh, part of the prefrontal lobe which they say is the seat of good manners. 3
Cattell s Two-factor theory Cattell suggested two main factors in intelligence Cattell s Two-factor theory Ability to perceive relationships independent of previous experience Examples: matrix reasoning, object assembly Ability peaks around age 20-25, then declines Raymond Cattell 1905-1998 Mental ability derived directly from previous experience. Examples: vocabulary, information Ability increases over the lifetime (esp. in an intellectually stimulating environment) Less influenced by alcohol consumption and brain damage Correlation between Fluid & Crystallized Intelligence? r ~.60 World s highest IQ Does IQ Count? Not world s highest IQ Marilyn Vos Savant IQ: 228 Writes magazine advice column Ask Marilyn George W. Bush IQ: estimated at ~115-129 World s most powerful job 4
Does IQ Predict Performance? socioeconomic status of parents is a better predictor of achievement than IQ (education, connections?) better IQ ~ better performance (r ~ 0.2-0.4) prediction is better for new than experienced employees How to appear to have improved your IQ!! Judging IQ from short videos Speak quickly, understandably, with lots of words you seem bright, you are bright Usin slang, saying um, being overweight you seem less bright, but not related Talking loudly, using proper English, you seem bright, but not related Judgments based on just voice more accurate The Cynic s View Intelligence is what intelligence tests test. 5
Are there other types of intelligence? Stephen Wiltshire savant autistic took much effort to gain minimal language skills could reproduce highly accurate drawings of buildings and places years after having only glanced at them had book of his artwork published as a young teenager Are there other types of intelligence? Multiple Intelligences the existence of specialized skills in a variety of areas Emotional Intelligence form of social intelligence the ability to understand and control one s own emotions Is IQ hereditary?: The Sereno siblings Marty neuroscientist (vision) Paul paleontologist Joan linguist Margaret neuroscientist (vision) Anne neuroscientist (vision) six siblings, all talented academic scientists parents: artist and educator mother and engineer and closet-scientist father genes or environment? Sara neuroscientist (language) 6
Is IQ hereditary? Flynn Effect IQ has increased over time Why? genes don t change that rapidly not likely to be extra schooling because more scholastic tests have shown smallest increases more stimulating and complex environments and societies? better prenatal care and nutrition? 7
Nature vs. Nurture (or Nativismvs. Empricism) Are differences between people due to environmental or genetic differences? Misunderstanding the question Is a person s intelligence due more to genes or to environment? no genes = no intelligence bad environment = little intelligence both genes & intelligence crucial for any trait Faulty Question Which contributes more to the area of a desk top? The length of the desk or the width? Intelligence Video Discovering Psychology (Zimbardo series): Testing and Intelligence What is the average IQ? What roles did the following people play in the history of intelligence testing Francis Galton Alfred Binet Lewis Terman (at Stanford) David Wechsler What are the following characteristics and why are they valuable in a test? validity reliability standardization Why is intelligence testing so controversial? Why might intelligence tests be biased to a particular group? Is there only one type of intelligence? What types of intelli gence have been proposed by modern psychologists (particularly Howard Gardner and Robert Sternberg)? 8