Theories of Intelligence and Intellectual Variation (6B) - MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations

Ability to perceive, use, understand, and manage emotions. Four-branch model of emotion-related cognitive abilities.

Average IQ scores have increased across generations over time. About 3 IQ points per decade in developed nations.

Proportion of trait variance in a population due to genetic variance. Not about individuals, only population-level variance.

Differences are more attributable to genes within that environment. In that specific environment, not across all contexts.

Twin study (monozygotic vs dizygotic comparison). MZ share 100% genes, DZ share 50% on average.

Environmental factors that make siblings more similar. Family-wide influences affecting all children similarly.

Experiences that make siblings different (plus measurement error). Unique experiences and random developmental variation.

$z=\frac{x-\mu}{\sigma}$. Standardizes scores relative to population mean and SD.

$IQ=100+15z$. Converts z-scores to IQ scale with mean 100, SD 15.

MZ correlation greater than DZ correlation supports genetic influence. MZ twins share twice the genetic similarity of DZ twins.

Shared family environment has a smaller long-term effect than genetics. Shared genes persist but shared environment effects fade.

A single general intelligence factor (g) underlies all cognitive tasks. All cognitive abilities share a common underlying factor.

A task-specific ability that contributes to performance on one domain. Specific abilities unique to particular cognitive tasks.

Intelligence comprises several independent primary mental abilities. Rejects single g factor for multiple distinct abilities.

Fluid = novel problem solving; crystallized = learned knowledge. Distinguishes reasoning ability from accumulated knowledge.

Fluid intelligence. Peaks in early adulthood then gradually declines.

Proportion of score variance due to genetic differences in a population. Not about individuals; describes population-level genetic contribution to differences.

A single general intelligence underlying performance on diverse tasks. Spearman found all cognitive abilities correlate, suggesting one underlying factor.

Each task reflects g plus a task-specific ability (s). Performance = general intelligence + specific skill for that particular task.

Broad abilities and specific skills are organized under a top-level g. Three-stratum model: g at top, broad abilities middle, specific skills bottom.

Crystallized intelligence. Vocabulary and general knowledge often improve throughout life.

Intelligence comprises distinct domains (e.g., linguistic, spatial, musical). Challenges g; proposes 8+ independent intelligences, not hierarchically related.

Analytical, creative, and practical intelligence. Three aspects: analyzing problems, creating novel solutions, applying to life.

Adapting to, shaping, and selecting real-world environments. Street smarts: solving everyday problems not measured by traditional IQ tests.

Ability to perceive, use, understand, and manage emotions. Four branches: perceiving, using, understanding, and regulating emotions.

Reliable. Test-retest reliability means scores remain stable over time.

Performance reduction caused by fear of confirming a negative stereotype. Anxiety about group stereotypes impairs working memory and test performance.

Genetic effects depend on environment, and environmental effects depend on genes. Same genes produce different outcomes in different environments (and vice versa).

Genotype: genetic makeup; phenotype: observable traits such as IQ score. Genes provide potential; environment determines actual expression.