Psychological

variables and
their asessment

Alyssa Belbes
Anne Destura
Veronica Paraños
 Intelligence and its
Measurement
How do you view intelligence?

Perhaps we can say that intelligence manifests itself in several ways, i.e., applying
knowledge, reasoning, planning, paying attention, having good grades, problem solving
ability, having a good memory, or even being interpersonally skilled

"In truth, intelligence has become a word with so many meanings, that finally, it has none"
(Spearman, 1927).

"Most intelligent persons were those equipped with the best sensory abilities" (Galton,
1883).
 Intelligence and its
Measurement
How do you view intelligence?

According to Binet, the components of intelligence are reasoning, judgment, memory,

and abstraction (Varon, 1936).

Intelligence is the aggregate or global capacity of the individual to act purposefully, think
rationally, and to deal effectively with the environment" (Wechsler, 1958).

"Intelligence is a kind of evolving biological adaptation to the outside world" (Piaget,

1954, 1971).
 Intelligence and its
Measurement
INTELLIGENCE AND INTERACTIONISM.
Interactionism: the view that heredity and environment are
presumed to interact and influence the development of one's
intelligence
HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENT
Identifying specific genes for intelligence could help isolate
genetic and environmental factors, but genes so far discovered to
be related to intelligence each account for less than % of 1% of
intelligence variation
 Intelligence and its
Measurement
A. Factor Analytic Theories of Intelligence
Factor analysis was used to study correlations between
tests that measure attributes that are linked to
intelligence. The intercorrelations between such tests
was measured by Charles Spearman (1924).

•According to Spearman, there is a "general

intellectual ability factor" that is partially tapped by
all other mental abilities. He labeled this as "g" and
the other factor is "s" representing "specific
components." He called this the, "Two Factor Theory
of Intelligence.'
 Intelligence and its
Measurement
Multifactor Models of Intelligence

Gardner: Theory of Multiple Intelligences

Logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, linguistic, musical, spatial,
interpersonal, and intrapersonal
Cattell (1941, 1971): Fluid vs. Crystallized Intelligence
Crystalized intelligence (Gc)includes acquired skills and knowledge that
are dependent on exposure to a particular culture as well as on formal and
informal education (vocabulary, for example).. Retrieval of information
and application of general knowledge are conceived of as elements of
crystallized intelligence.
The abilities that make up fluid intelligence (symbolized Gf) are
nonverbal, relatively culture-free, and independent of specific instruction
(such as memory for digits).
 Intelligence and its
Measurement
Multifactor models of Intelligence

Thorndike (1909, 1921): three clusters of ability

Social intelligence (dealing with people)
Concrete intelligence (dealing with § objects)
Abstract intelligence (dealing with § verbal and
mathematical symbols)
There is also a "general mental ability" factor (or
"g"), which is defined as the total number of
modifiable neural connections or "bonds" available in
the brain.
 Intelligence and its
Measurement
INFORMATION-PROCESSING VIEW
Luria (1996, 1970, 1973, 1980) conceptualized an approach to understanding intelligence by
focusing on the mechanisms by which information is processed (how information is processed,
not what is being processed).
a. Simultaneous/parallel processing information is integrated all at one time
b. Successive/sequential processing: each processed in sequence

Das and Naglieri (1988): The PASS Model of Intellectual functioning

- Planning (strategy development for problem solving)
- Attention or arousal (receptivity to information)
- Simultaneous and Successive (type of information processing involved
Intelligence and its
Measurement
INFORMATION-PROCESSING VIEW
 Intelligence and its
Measurement
INDIVIDUALLY ADMINISTERED TESTS
Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales
 Intelligence and its
Measurement
INDIVIDUALLY ADMINISTERED TESTS
The Wechsler tests
a. Wechsler Adult-Intelligence Scale (WAIS) - designed to measure intelligence in
adults and older adolescents. The test was designed by psychologist David Wechsler,
who believed that intelligence was made up of a number of different mental abilities
rather than a single general intelligence factor
b. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) - is an intelligence test that measures
a child's intellectual ability and 5 cognitive domains that impact performance.
c. Wechsler Pre-School and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) - an individually
administered, norm-referenced instrument for assessing the intelligence of children
aged 2 years, 6 months through 7 years, 7 months.
 Intelligence and its
Measurement
GROUP ADMINISTERED TESTS

Why? The need for group administered tests was brought about by the number of Army
recruits that had to undergo assessment
There are many examples of such tests. Group-administered tests involve a series of different
problems and are generally used in mass testing situations such as the military and schools.
Examples include Army Alpha and Beta Test, Raven's Progressive Matrices, Terman's Group
Tests, and Otis Self- Administrative Tests)
 Intelligence and its
Measurement
ISSUES IN THE ASSESSMENT OF INTELLIGENCE

Culture and Measured Intelligence

Since people from different cultures put different values on certain types of abilities
and pursuits, test takers bring with them variables amount of ability, achievement and
motivation
Items on an intelligence test tend to reflect the culture of the society where the test is
employed
Thus, members of subcultures who choose not to identity with the mainstream culture
tend to score lower
There are cultural differences in the ways intelligence is expressed
 Measuring Achievement

An Achievement Test measures

accomplishment- what one has
learned/gained as a result of education or
training.
-Measures of General Achievement
-Achievement batteries
-Scholastic Achievement Tests
 Measuring Aptitude

An aptitude test measures one's potential for

acquiring a specific skill. It focuses more on
informal learning (in contrast with
achievement tests which focus on the outcomes
of more structured instruction.
An aptitude or prognostic test measures
readiness to enter a particular school program
(pre-school, elementary, secondary, college,
graduate level), or certain occupational
types/categories.
 Measuring Interests, and
Attitudes

These instruments are useful in assessing

preferences for certain careers or professions,
or one's perspectives or viewpoints about
particular issues and trends.
 Measuring Personality
Personality refers to an individual's unique constellation of traits
that is relatively stable over time.
When we talk of personality, we may be referring to
traits, types, or states.
§Personality Trait: any distinguishable,
relatively enduring way in which an individual varies from another.
refer to the theories of Allport, Cattell, Eysenck, McCrae and
Costa
oThe idea that one's possession of a particular trait would predict
how this person will behave in a particular situation, and such
predispositions are relatively enduring.
 Measuring Personality
Personality Type: a constellation of traits that is similar in
pattern to one identified category of personality within a
taxonomy of personalities.
Traits are characteristics of people; types are descriptions
of people
Holland's RIASEC (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social,
Enterprising, Conventional) are personality types that are
seen to have implications on career choice.
 Measuring Personality
§Friedman and Rosenman: Type A and Type B
personalities
§Type A: characterized by competitiveness, haste,
restlessness, impatience, feelings of being time-
pressured, and strong needs for achievement and
dominance
§Type B: the opposite of the Type A's traits - mellow or
laid-back
§Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: A personality instrument
that produces 16 personality types from a combination
of pairs of typologies:
Introversion/Extraversion; Sensing/Intuitive;
Thinking/Felling; Judging/Perceiving
 Measuring Personality

Personality State:
the transitory exhibition of some personality traits. Put another way,
the use of the word trait presupposes a relatively enduring behavioral
predisposition, whereas the term state is indicative of a relatively
temporary predisposition.
 Assessing Personality: Self-Report
VS.
Projective Techniques

§ Self-Report: usually administered in paper-and-pencil format or

by computer, contains short-answer items wherein the test taker
merely selects one response from a set of alternatives.

§ Proiective Technique: assessment of personality is made on the

basis of one's responses to ambiguous stimuli.
Thank
You