Ask five people what intelligence is and you'll likely get five different answers. One may say it's how smart a person is. Another may say it's a person's score on an IQ test. And yet another may tell you it's how well a student does in school. Everyone seems to know what intelligence is, but few agree on how to define it.
Intelligence has been studied for over a hundred years, extending back to when French psychologist Alfred Binet developed the first intelligence test in the early 1900s. The first individual intelligence test in the United States was published in 1916 and was based on the work of a Stanford University psychologist named Louis Terman, who drew on the work of Binet. Shortly afterward, when the United States entered World War I, psychologists developed tests to screen military recruits. These tests later were adapted for the public and became the first group intelligence tests for general use.
Despite a long and esteemed history, one would think that professionals would agree on how to define intelligence, but surprisingly they don't. The reason is that intelligence is a complex concept.
Several theories on intelligence are discussed at great length in the professional literature. Some experts believe that intelligence is static and unchanging; others subscribe to a dynamic or growth approach which suggests that intelligence can be influenced and changed with effort. Adding to the debate is the view that intelligence is multi-dimensional, as with the theory of multiple intelligences.
For our purposes, we'll stick to one of the more common and simpler definitions, which is that intelligence is the ability to reason, solve problems, and understand the world in which we live.
With this definition in mind, as a person's IQ increases, the better he or she becomes at reasoning, solving problems, and understanding the environment. Persons with higher IQs also will generally learn at a faster rate, and they will learn more detail and grasp abstract concepts more easily than persons with lower IQs, assuming no learning problems are present.
It's important to understand that although the terms "intelligence" and "IQ" often are used interchangeably, technically they're not the same. Intelligence is a theoretical construct that is related to the ability to reason, solve problems, and understand the world around us. IQ is merely a score on an intelligence test that is a measure, or index, of how intelligent or smart we are.
Another thing to keep in mind is that IQ tests do not measure an individual's intellectual potential. This is perhaps one of the most common misconceptions about IQ tests. Viewing IQ as a measure of potential should be avoided because it creates a "ceiling" that may actually keep an individual from reaching his or her true potential.
IQ tests also are not particularly good at predicting who will be successful in the arts. For example, a person may not have an especially high IQ, but that same person may be a gifted dancer, artist, or rock singer who performs their art superbly. In other words, a person may be intellectually gifted but not necessarily artistically talented, and vice versa.
Generally, as one's IQ increases, so does the likelihood of success in school and career. Still, it's fairly easy to find students with average IQs who achieve above-average grades or receive above-average standardized test scores, or adults with average IQs who reach extraordinary levels of success. This occurs because of nonintellectual factors. In other words, besides intelligence, people are also influenced in important ways by motivational level, thoughts, emotions, beliefs, attitudes, interests, stamina, and more. These nonintellectual influences serve as important reminders that we live in a multivariate world where our lives are influenced by an interplay of many variables rather than a single one such as IQ.
As a closing comment, it's interesting to note that many writers have attempted to estimate the IQs of some of the great minds of all time. A popular choice is Leonardo da Vinci, who is widely regarded to be a true genius with an IQ estimated to be around 180. That estimate is based on his numerous and extraordinary accomplishments as an artist, architect, sculptor, engineer, inventor, and mathematician. He obviously wasn't administered a standardized intelligence test back in the 1400s!
What is to be learned from da Vinci is that regardless of an individual's IQ, it's what he or she achieves or accomplishes in life that ultimately counts the most.
Finding for Singapore tuition or math tutor Singapore, check this url. A b2b marketing effort for smes by Scotts digital.Intelligence has been studied for over a hundred years, extending back to when French psychologist Alfred Binet developed the first intelligence test in the early 1900s. The first individual intelligence test in the United States was published in 1916 and was based on the work of a Stanford University psychologist named Louis Terman, who drew on the work of Binet. Shortly afterward, when the United States entered World War I, psychologists developed tests to screen military recruits. These tests later were adapted for the public and became the first group intelligence tests for general use.
Despite a long and esteemed history, one would think that professionals would agree on how to define intelligence, but surprisingly they don't. The reason is that intelligence is a complex concept.
Several theories on intelligence are discussed at great length in the professional literature. Some experts believe that intelligence is static and unchanging; others subscribe to a dynamic or growth approach which suggests that intelligence can be influenced and changed with effort. Adding to the debate is the view that intelligence is multi-dimensional, as with the theory of multiple intelligences.
For our purposes, we'll stick to one of the more common and simpler definitions, which is that intelligence is the ability to reason, solve problems, and understand the world in which we live.
With this definition in mind, as a person's IQ increases, the better he or she becomes at reasoning, solving problems, and understanding the environment. Persons with higher IQs also will generally learn at a faster rate, and they will learn more detail and grasp abstract concepts more easily than persons with lower IQs, assuming no learning problems are present.
It's important to understand that although the terms "intelligence" and "IQ" often are used interchangeably, technically they're not the same. Intelligence is a theoretical construct that is related to the ability to reason, solve problems, and understand the world around us. IQ is merely a score on an intelligence test that is a measure, or index, of how intelligent or smart we are.
Another thing to keep in mind is that IQ tests do not measure an individual's intellectual potential. This is perhaps one of the most common misconceptions about IQ tests. Viewing IQ as a measure of potential should be avoided because it creates a "ceiling" that may actually keep an individual from reaching his or her true potential.
IQ tests also are not particularly good at predicting who will be successful in the arts. For example, a person may not have an especially high IQ, but that same person may be a gifted dancer, artist, or rock singer who performs their art superbly. In other words, a person may be intellectually gifted but not necessarily artistically talented, and vice versa.
Generally, as one's IQ increases, so does the likelihood of success in school and career. Still, it's fairly easy to find students with average IQs who achieve above-average grades or receive above-average standardized test scores, or adults with average IQs who reach extraordinary levels of success. This occurs because of nonintellectual factors. In other words, besides intelligence, people are also influenced in important ways by motivational level, thoughts, emotions, beliefs, attitudes, interests, stamina, and more. These nonintellectual influences serve as important reminders that we live in a multivariate world where our lives are influenced by an interplay of many variables rather than a single one such as IQ.
As a closing comment, it's interesting to note that many writers have attempted to estimate the IQs of some of the great minds of all time. A popular choice is Leonardo da Vinci, who is widely regarded to be a true genius with an IQ estimated to be around 180. That estimate is based on his numerous and extraordinary accomplishments as an artist, architect, sculptor, engineer, inventor, and mathematician. He obviously wasn't administered a standardized intelligence test back in the 1400s!
What is to be learned from da Vinci is that regardless of an individual's IQ, it's what he or she achieves or accomplishes in life that ultimately counts the most.
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