Intelligence Definition and Measurement Aspects

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Intelligence is an individual’s minds power; it defines why different people have different capabilities. It is sum of different aspects some inborn, developed, shaped and moulded by socialisation. Intelligence building starts from child conception, where children have some attributes of intelligence at birth like suckling. After birth, intelligence develops alongside ones personality (Watkins & Vicki, 2000). This paper looks into various aspects of intelligence and its measurement.

Theories of intelligence

Intelligence is the potential that some have in doing something. The way someone can make sense out of the world around him, it defines how someone uses his cognitive power. It is different from achievement as achievement is more concerned about how someone understands what has been taught (Watkins & Vicki, 2000). Different scholars have developed different theories. Jean Piaget developed the theory that better fits intelligence from the above definition:

Jean Piaget theory of intelligence

According to the theory, intelligence is a biological attributes which form as a child comes of ages. How the child observes and perceives the world around him is shaped by the developmental years that the child has. Cognitive skills are adopted, strengthened and shaped by the environments that one is socialized. The theory promotes that intelligence develops from two folds: maturation and learning.

The theory promotes that intelligence is a four-stage phenomenon where every individual must undergo each stage although the age and degree of the stage are relatively different. The following are the stages of intelligence development according to the theory:

Sensor motor Period (Birth–2 years of age)
Preoperational Period (2–6 years of age)
Concrete Operations (Period 7–12 years of age)
Formal Operations Period (12 years of age and older)

Measuring of intelligence takes the use of different tests applied at different stages of human development. What is necessary is to know the kind of approach to use for a certain age since different ages show different intelligence traits. For example, in the case of Sensor motor Period, the child is tested for development of non-verbal motor responses. At later ages in life for example in Formal Operations Period, tests are geared to strength of the mind to think appropriately and conceptualize different issues (Cohen & Swerdlik, 2010).

Measuring intelligence

To measure intelligence in different ages, Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales is more applicable in modern society. Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, measures the growth of one’s behavior from a period, at different stages, there is the basic attributes that someone is expected to be having. The general assumption of the theory is that as intelligence people are more successful in life than people of less intelligence are. The theory has been developed in various aspects and added material to make it more real and easy to interpolate.

According to the testing method, normal human beings should have a Ratio IQ of 100 with deviation of plus or minus 16. Those above this ration are seen to be more intelligence if the ratio is over 116 and those below 84 are seen to have a less intelligence. The difference determines the differences in life successes. (Cohen & Swerdlik, 2010).

Reliability, validity, normative procedures, and bias of Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales

The assumption held by Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales is logical and reliable. This is so because the higher the intelligence a person has, the higher the mental power, thus he is more able to conceptualize issues. This attribute makes a person have the will and zeal to succeed in life. Validity of a psychological tests, is measured on how well they advice the tester. Different situations call for different tests.

In the case of children development, what the tester is interested is the differences in potential of the study children and relates the findings with what they achieve in class. In the context of children development, Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales considers criterion-related validity.

Criterion-related validity is the validity that measures the expected outcome of a case for example the expected class score. The capability of a person also ranges with age, thus considering the mental and chronological age when looking for the scale is relevant and valid.

Reliability of psychological tests is the likelihood that when conducted at different situations, it will give results as the same. The theory advocates for normative procedure, it recognizes that human beings develop gradually thus if information has to be collected from them, consistency of the measure method is important. Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales are reliable and give similar results at different conditions. In psychological terms, the scales have test-retest reliability.

The bias that the method has is that it does not recognize is that as time goes, intelligence of children is developing at an early age from the exposure they get. The approach also disadvantages slow developers in life.

Intelligence and achievement assessments

Intelligence assessment is gauging the potential that a person have, whereas achievement assessment us measuring how much somebody has learnt. The focus on achievement knowledge is the achieved knowledge while that of intelligence assessment is how someone can make meaning out of the prevailing condition. To measure intelligence, it involves giving the learning population some tasks that they need to work for and derive certain achievement. The level of success they get gives their differences in intelligence.

The similarity in intelligence and achievement assessments is that there is a set expectation, which those who surpass that are considered more intelligence or are seen as high achievers. Both the tests can be used for various reasons depending on what the researcher want but generally they are used to understand the differences in potential that people have for better allocation of tasks (Cohen & Swerdlik, 2010).

Ethical considerations associated with achievement and intelligence tests

In school environment, testing of intelligence and achievement is a common task; however to be sure that test given to a certain grade is effective, then a proper analysis of expectations should have taken place. In achievement tests is ethical if the method used is an average standard. However, average standard does not cut across the board, is affected by different factor like, the environment the children have been brought up in and exposure children have had.

For example, children from urban areas are more likely to be more knowledge (achievement) compared to their age mates in the suburbs. Achievement is subject to external environment like culture and outside environment however, intelligence is a measure of one’s potential, it is thus free of cultural and social bringing. When conducting the two sets of tests, it is important to differentiate that difference. It is thus ethical to consider such factors when administering achievement and intelligence tests.

References

Cohen, R., & Swerdlik, E.(2010). Psychological Testing and Assessment. An Introduction to Tests and Measurement, Seventh Edition. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Company.

Watkins, E., & Vicki, C.(2000). Testing and assessment in counseling practice. New Jersey: Routledge.

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