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QLDPsychologyQuick questions
Unit 3: Individual thinking
Quick questions on Theories of intelligence: general intelligence, multiple intelligences and IQ testing (QCE Psychology Unit 3)
4short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is general intelligence (Spearman)?Show answer
Charles Spearman (1904) used factor analysis on test scores and found that people who did well on one cognitive task tended to do well on others. He proposed a general intelligence factor, g, underlying all mental performance, plus specific factors (s) for particular tasks. The existence of positive correlations across diverse tests is the central evidence for g, and modern IQ tests are built on this idea.
What is multiple intelligences (Gardner)?Show answer
Howard Gardner (1983) rejected a single g, proposing several relatively independent intelligences, including linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinaesthetic, interpersonal, intrapinterpersonal and naturalistic. His evidence included people with brain damage who lose one ability while keeping others, and savants with exceptional skill in one narrow domain. Critics argue some of these are better described as talents than intelligences, and the theory is hard to test empirically.
What is triarchic theory (Sternberg)?Show answer
Robert Sternberg (1985) proposed three types: analytical (academic problem-solving), creative (dealing with novelty) and practical (everyday street smarts). He argued traditional tests measure mainly analytical intelligence and miss practical and creative ability, which matter for real-world success.
What are evaluating tests?Show answer
A good test must be both reliable and valid.
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