Intelligence

H. ZULU
2019
 Intelligence
• Intelligence encompasses a number of mental abilities
such as reasoning, planning and problem-solving.
• The topic of intelligence is one of the biggest and most
debated in psychology.
• While intelligence is one of the most talked about
subjects within psychology, there is no standard
definition of what exactly constitutes 'intelligence.'
• Some researchers have suggested that intelligence is a
single, general ability, while other believe that
intelligence encompasses a range of aptitudes, skills
and talents.
 Intelligence cont’d
• Human intelligence, mental quality that consists
of the abilities to learn from experience, adapt to
new situations, understand and handle abstract
concepts, and use knowledge to
manipulate one’s environment.
• Much of the excitement among investigators in
the field of intelligence derives from their
attempts to determine exactly what intelligence
is.
 Intelligence cont’d
• Different investigators have emphasized different aspects of intelligence
in their definitions.
• For example, in a 1921 symposium the American psychologists Lewis M.
Terman and Edward L. Thorndike differed over the definition of
intelligence, Terman stressing the ability to think abstractly and Thorndike
emphasizing learning and the ability to give good responses to questions.
• More recently, however, psychologists have generally agreed that
adaptation to the environment is the key to understanding both what
intelligence is and what it does.
• Such adaptation may occur in a variety of settings: a student in school
learns the material he needs to know in order to do well in a course; a
physician treating a patient with unfamiliar symptoms learns about the
underlying disease; or an artist reworks a painting to convey a more
coherent impression.
• For the most part, adaptation involves making a change in oneself in order
to cope more effectively with the environment, but it can also mean
changing the environment or finding an entirely new one.
 Intelligence cont’d
• Effective adaptation draws upon a number of cognitive processes, such
as perception, learning, memory, reasoning, and problem solving.
• The main emphasis in a definition of intelligence, then, is that it is not a
cognitive or mental process per se but rather a selective combination of
these processes that is purposively directed toward effective adaptation.
• Thus, the physician who learns about a new disease adapts by perceiving
material on the disease in medical literature, learning what the material
contains, remembering the crucial aspects that are needed to treat the
patient, and then utilizing reason to solve the problem of applying the
information to the needs of the patient.
• Intelligence, in total, has come to be regarded not as a single ability but
as an effective drawing together of many abilities.
• This has not always been obvious to investigators of the subject, however;
indeed, much of the history of the field revolves around arguments
regarding the nature and abilities that constitute intelligence.
 Some major theories
• Theories of intelligence, as is the case with most
scientific theories, have evolved through a succession
of models.
• Four of the most influential paradigms have been
psychological measurement, also known as
psychometrics; cognitive psychology, which concerns
itself with the processes by which the mind functions;
cognitivism and contextualism, a combined approach
that studies the interaction between the environment
and mental processes; and biological science, which
considers the neural bases of intelligence. 
 Some major theories cont’d
• Charles Spearman - General Intelligence:
• British psychologist Charles Spearman (1863-1945)
described a concept he referred to as general intelligence,
or other factor.
• After using a technique known as factor analysis to
examine a number of mental aptitude tests, Spearman
concluded that scores on these tests were remarkably
similar.
• People who performed well on one cognitive test tended to
perform well on other tests, while those who scored badly
on one test tended to score badly on others.
• He concluded that intelligence is general cognitive ability
that could be measured and numerically expressed.
 Some major theories cont’d
• Louis L. Thurstone - Primary Mental Abilities:
• Psychologist Louis L. Thurstone (1887-1955)
offered a differing theory of intelligence.
Instead of viewing intelligence as a single,
general ability, Thurstone's theory focused on
seven different "primary mental abilities." The
abilities that he described were:
 Some major theories cont’d
• Verbal comprehension
• Reasoning
• Perceptual speed
• Numerical ability
• Word fluency
• Associative memory
• Spatial visualization
 Some major theories cont’d
• Howard Gardner - Multiple Intelligences
• One of the more recent ideas to emerge is Howard
Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences.
• Instead of focusing on the analysis of test scores,
Gardner proposed that numerical expressions of
human intelligence are not a full and accurate
depiction of people's abilities.
• His theory describes eight distinct intelligences that are
based on skills and abilities that are valued within
different cultures.
• The eight intelligences Gardner described are:
 Some major theories cont’d
• Visual-spatial Intelligence
• Verbal-linguistic Intelligence
• Bodily-kinesthetic Intelligence
• Logical-mathematical Intelligence
• Interpersonal Intelligence
• Musical Intelligence
• Intra personal Intelligence
• Naturalistic Intelligence
 Some major theories cont’d
• Robert Sternberg - Triarchic Theory of Intelligence:
• Psychologist Robert Sternberg defined intelligence as
"mental activity directed toward purposive adaptation
to, selection and shaping of, real-world environments
relevant to one’s life."
• While he agreed with Gardner that intelligence is much
broader than a single, general ability, he instead
suggested some of Gardner's intelligences are better
viewed as individual talents.
• Sternberg proposed what he refers to as 'successful
intelligence,' which is comprised of three different
factors:
 Some major theories cont’d
• Analytical intelligence: This component refers to
problem-solving abilities.

• Creative intelligence: This aspect of intelligence

involves the ability to deal with new situations
using past experiences and current skills.

• Practical intelligence: This element refers to the

ability to adapt to a changing environment.
 Conclusion
• While there has been considerable debate
over the exact nature of intelligence, no
definitive conceptualization has emerged.
• Today, psychologists often account for the
many different theoretical viewpoints when
discussing intelligence and acknowledge that
this debate is ongoing.