Mental ability tests 1. Intelligence –
measures general mental ability like
one’s ability to solve problems,
understand language, abstract ideas 2.
Aptitude – specific mental abilities, also
assess potential in certain areas.
3. Achievement – assess one’s
knowledge of subjects like English and
reading ability.
EVOLUTION
Sir Francis Galton (1869)
– Studied upper class British
families and concluded that
intelligence was genetic
because it ran in families. He
did not consider the
environment of the
individuals.
Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon (1905)
– Commissioned by the French
Government to devise a way to identify
children that needed remedial assistance
in school – Result was the Binet-Simon
Intelligence Scale – first intelligence test as
we know it
Lewis Terman (1916) –
U.S. – Revised Binet’s
original test and
published the
Stanford-Binet
Intelligence Scale
– This test used the
Intelligence Quotient
(IQ) – IQ = MA/CA x
100
David Wechsler – Weschler worked
in a New York hospital and needed
to assess adults – Wechsler Adult
Intelligence Scale (WAIS) – First
done in 1939 – Later made a
children’s version - Wechsler
Intelligence Scale for Children
(WISC)
KEY CONCEPTS
Standardization - refers to having uniform standards for
administering and scoring a test. Test norms – based on
large studies that show how one’s score compares to the
average score other’s received. Raw Score – score on a test.
Percentile score – indicates the percentage of people who
score at or below the test taker’s score. Standardization
group – group of people the norms are based on
R&V
Reliability – Whether or not
a psychological test gives
consistent measurements.
Validity – ability of a
test to measure what
it was designed to
measure More
recently the term
validity is used when
discussing what the
test is used for
CCC
Content validity – degree to which
the content of a test covers the
topic area
Criterion-related validity – if
it correlates well with
another measure of the test
Construct validity – degree to which the test
measures a particular trait.
DISABILITY
4 LEVELS
1. Mild - (51-70 IQ) Can attain grade 6 education
and benefit from special education. 2. Moderate
(36-50 IQ) Attain grade 2-6 - Can be
semi-independent if in a sheltered environment
but need help even with mild stress. 3. Severe:
(20-35) Limited speech, need training on
toileting. 4. Profound: (below 20) Little or no
speech, not toilet trained.
INTELLECTUAL
Down Syndrome - physical characteristics, extra
chromosome 21
PKU - Inability to metabolize phenlalanine.
Fragile X syndrome - Fragile area of the X Chromosome has area that is repeated.
Hydrocephaly - too much cerebrospinal fluid around brain destroys tissue and become ID.
GIFTED
To be considered gifted, on
must have an IQ 2 standard
deviations above the mean
(IQ score of 130 - 170)
HEREDITY &
ENVIRONMENT
STUDIES
Family - Level of intelligence runs in families.
Twins – Identical twins are compared to fraternal twins in order to
study the role of genetics considering that identical twins have 100% of the
same genes.
Adoption - If adoptive children are more like their biological parents,
there is more genetic influence.
Environmental Deprivation - Children raised in orphanages and other deprived
situations have lower IQ scores than average.