Research on development of adult intelligence

• Cross-sectional studies:– Steady decline– Cohort effect?

• Longitudinal studies:– Continued improvement through 50s– Problems?

• Cross-sequential– Replace drop outs– Improves through 50s

Reseach on development continued

• Basic skills decline to age 25 at:– Verbal meaning: 74– Inductive reasoning: 67– Spatial orientation: 67– Word fluency: 60

• Issue of “use it or lose it” recommendations

Current approaches to measurement

• Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III). Measures 4 domains:

1. Verbal2. Nonverbal/spatial3. Working memory4. Processing speed

Measurement continued

• Stanford-Binet Test of Intelligence1. Verbal2. Quantitative (math)3. Spatial reasoning4. Short-term memory

Distribution of scoresx = 100, SD = 15 or 16

Validity of IQ scores?

• Predict school performance• Predict educational level• Predict occupational success• Only account for 25% of variance

What affects intelligence test scores?

• Biology• Environment• Remember nature/nurture

interactions• culture

Emotional intelligence

• Ability to reason about emotions– Recognize the meaning of emotions– Use those emotions to facilitate

thinking– Manage them

Model of emotional intelligence

• 4 branch model of EIQ:1. Perceiving emotion2. Using emotion to facilitate thought3. Understanding emotions4. Managing emotions

Daniel Goleman’s book Emotional Intelligence (1995)