4/28/24, 4:27 PM (Part - 2) - Variations in Psychological Attributes Class 12 Psychology

Revision Notes (Part - 2) - Variations in Psychological Attributes

Culture and Intelligence

Culture encompasses customs, beliefs, attitudes, and artistic and literary achievements of a
community. It is in this cultural context that intelligence develops. Russian psychologist
Vygotsky has argued that culture provides a social framework within which individuals live,
learn and interpret the world. For instance, in technologically underdeveloped societies, social
and emotional competencies are highly valued, whereas in technologically advanced societies,
success based on reasoning and judgement is seen as intelligence.
Vygotsky also believed that cultures, like individuals, evolve and change over time, and
determine the ultimate outcome of successful intellectual development. While basic mental
functions such as crying, paying attention to mother's voice, responding to smells, walking, and
running are universal, higher mental functions like problem-solving and critical thinking are
largely shaped by culture.
Sternberg's concept of contextual or practical intelligence suggests that intelligence is a
product of culture.

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Try yourself: Riya has very good verbal reasoning skills and is very interested in reading. She
is more likely to succeed than

a. Athlete

b. Journalists

c. Engineers

d. Farmers

View Solution

Technological Intelligence
In societies that are technologically advanced, intelligence is considered to be reflected by
personal achievement based on reasoning and judgement, which reflects an individualistic
orientation.
Child-rearing practices in such societies are geared towards developing skills like
generalization, abstraction, speed, and mental manipulation.
People in these societies tend to be proficient in skills such as attention, observation, analysis,
performance, speed, and achievement orientation.

Intelligence in Indian Tradition

In contrast to the Western perspective that places a strong emphasis on cognitive abilities, the
Indian tradition recognizes the following competencies as dimensions of intelligence:

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Cognitive capacity: This includes sensitivity to context, the ability to understand and
discriminate, problem-solving skills, and effective communication.
Social competence: This refers to a person's respect for the social order, their commitment to
elders, the young, and the needy, and their consideration for others' perspectives.
Emotional competence: This encompasses self-regulation, the ability to monitor one's
emotions, honesty, politeness, good conduct, and self-evaluation.
Entrepreneurial competence: This involves qualities such as commitment, persistence,
patience, hard work, vigilance, and a goal-directed approach.

Emotional Intelligence
The concept of emotional intelligence expands the definition of intelligence by including
emotions as a part of it. This includes the ability to perceive, express, and regulate emotions.
Emotional intelligence is considered the feeling aspect of intelligence, and academic success
alone is not sufficient for success in life. Even individuals with exceptional academic records
may struggle with managing their personal lives, which psychologists attribute to a lack of
emotional intelligence.
This concept is measured by EQ, which was first defined by Salovey and Mayer as the ability to
monitor one's own and others' emotions, discriminate between them, and use them to guide
one's thinking and actions.

Characteristics of the people with high EQ:

Be aware of your own feelings and emotions, and be attuned to them.
Practice being observant of other people's emotions by paying attention to their body language,
voice, tone, and facial expressions.
Incorporate both emotions and thoughts when you approach problem-solving and decision-
making.
Recognize the characteristics and strength of emotions, and appreciate their significant impact
on our lives.

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Develop the ability to regulate your emotions and feelings when interacting with others in
order to create a peaceful and harmonious environment.

Try yourself: How is intelligence quotient measured?

a. IQ = MA + CA x 100

b. IQ = CA/MA × 100

c. IQ = MA/CA × 100

d. IQ = MA x CA x 100

View Solution

Special Abilities
Aptitude: Nature and Measurement
The term "Aptitude" refers to an individual's mental capacity or ability in a particular area or
field. It also denotes the ability to acquire specific knowledge and skills after receiving training.
Even though people may have similar intelligence levels or IQ, their ability to acquire certain
skills can differ significantly. This means that individuals can possess aptitudes for different
fields, despite having similar intelligence measures.
It's important to distinguish between aptitude and interest - aptitude refers to the potential to
perform any activity, whereas interest refers to the preference for performing a specific

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activity. To excel in any field, an individual needs to possess both aptitude and interest.

Measuring Aptitude
There are different types of aptitude tests that can be classified into two categories:
Independent aptitude tests: These tests are designed to assess a person's abilities in a specific
area, such as mechanical, clerical, or numerical skills. They are tailored to evaluate aptitude for
specialized fields.
Multiple aptitude tests: These tests come in the form of test batteries that evaluate general
aptitude. Examples include the Differential Aptitude Test (DAT), General Aptitude Test Battery
(GATB), and Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).

The DAT is commonly used in educational settings and consists of eight specialized subtests: verbal,
numerical, abstract, clerical speed and accuracy, mechanical, space, spelling, and language tests.
These are considered common tests that are administered to evaluate an individual's aptitude in
these specific areas.

Creativity and Intelligence

Intelligence refers to the capacity to understand, analyze, and adapt to various situations,
enabling individuals to excel in multiple domains. Creativity, on the other hand, is the ability to
use intelligence to generate something new and innovative in a specific area.
Therefore, someone who can learn quickly and accurately is usually considered more intelligent
than creative until they come up with novel ways of learning and doing things. Terman's
research in 1920 discovered that individuals with high IQs were not necessarily creative; they
were merely faster processors.
Moreover, creative ideas can originate from people who do not have a very high IQ but possess
the ability to think differently. Intelligence and creativity have a positive relationship, as all
creative abilities require a minimum level of intelligence to acquire knowledge, understand,
retain, and retrieve information.

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For instance, to express creativity in writing, one must have adequate language skills, and to
develop new laws of science, one must have the intelligence to acquire basic knowledge of the
subject.
Creativity tests are open-ended and require individuals to think of different answers to
questions and problems. They provide individuals with the freedom to think in different
directions and use their imagination to express themselves in original ways.

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