Glossary / Lexicon

Intelligence

Deutsch: Intelligenz / Español: Inteligencia / Português: Inteligência / Français: Intelligence / Italiano: Intelligenza /

Intelligence refers to an overall capacity to think rationally, act purposefully, and deal effectively with the environment.

Description

In psychology, "intelligence" refers to the capacity to understand complex ideas, adapt effectively to the environment, learn from experience, engage in reasoning and problem-solving, and use acquired knowledge to navigate various life situations successfully. It encompasses a broad range of cognitive abilities, including memory, attention, language comprehension, spatial reasoning, and logical thinking. Psychologists have developed various theories and models of intelligence, such as the psychometric approach, which emphasizes measuring intelligence through standardized tests, and the cognitive approach, which focuses on understanding the underlying cognitive processes involved in intelligent behavior. Intelligence is considered a multifaceted and dynamic construct influenced by genetic factors, environmental factors, and individual experiences.

Application Areas

  • Educational psychology
  • Cognitive neuroscience
  • Occupational psychology
  • Clinical psychology
  • Forensic psychology
  • Military psychology

Treatment and Risks

  • Treatment: While intelligence itself is not typically treated as a mental health condition, interventions aimed at enhancing cognitive abilities or addressing specific cognitive deficits may indirectly impact intelligence. For example, cognitive training programs or educational interventions may help individuals improve their problem-solving skills, memory retention, or information processing speed.
  • Risks: Risks associated with intelligence in the psychology context primarily revolve around misinterpretation or misuse of intelligence measures. There is a risk of perpetuating stereotypes or biases if intelligence tests are used inappropriately to make judgments about individuals' capabilities or potential. Additionally, overemphasis on standardized testing in educational settings may fail to capture the full range of cognitive abilities and may disadvantage certain groups or individuals.

Examples

  • A student demonstrates high intelligence by consistently achieving top scores on standardized tests and excelling academically across various subjects.
  • An individual with strong emotional intelligence effectively manages interpersonal relationships, communicates empathetically, and resolves conflicts constructively.
  • A chess grandmaster displays exceptional spatial intelligence and strategic thinking abilities during competitive matches.

Similar Concepts and Synonyms

  • Cognitive ability
  • Mental acuity
  • Intellectual capacity
  • Aptitude
  • Problem-solving skills
  • Cognitive competence

Articles with 'Intelligence' in the title

  • Analytic intelligence: Analytic intelligence refers the type of intelligence typically measured by intelligence tests and crucial for success in academic pursuits. It is the mental mechanisms people use to plan and execute tasks- includes metacomponents, performa . . .
  • Artificial intelligence: Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the field of study in which computer programs are designed to simulate human cognitive abilities- this endeavour may help investigators understand the mechanisms that underlie these abilities
  • Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence: Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence refers to the ability to control body movements and handle objects skillfully. These learners express themselves through movement
  • Componential Intelligence: Componential Intelligence refers to one of three (3) components of intellectual Behavior in Sternberg's Triarchic Model of Intelligence involving such skills as the ability to allocate menta l resources, to encode and store information, to . . .
  • Crystallized intelligence: Crystallized intelligence refers to the the ability to use learned information collected throughout a life span. Other /More definition: Crystallized intelligence refers to an accumulation of acquired skills and general information, most re . . .
  • Cultural Intelligence: Cultural Intelligence (CQ) refers to humans capability to grow personally through continuous learning and good understanding of diverse cultural heritage, wisdom and values, and to deal effectively with people from different cultural backgr . . .
  • Cultural Intelligence (CQ): Cultural Intelligence (CQ) refers to humans capability to grow personally through continuous learning and good understanding of diverse cultural heritage, wisdom and values, and to deal eff ectively with people from different cultural backg . . .
  • Familial studies of intelligence: Familial studies of intelligence is defined as studies in which some measure or measures of intelligence among people of a known genetic relationship are correlated- the extent to which performance varies as a function of genetic similarity . . .
  • Fluid intelligence: Fluid intelligence is defined as novel reasoning and the efficiency of solving new problems or responding to abstract ideas. It is defined also as the ability to perceive relationships and solve relational problems of the type that are not . . .
  • g (Spearman's g, General intelligence): g is the term introduced by Charles Spearman to describe his concept of a general intelligence
  • Hierarchical model of intelligence: Hierarchical model of intelligence refers to model of the structure of intelligence in which a broad, general ability factor is at the top of the hierarchy, with a number of specialized ability factors nested underneath
  • Intelligence quotient: Intelligence quotient is a term developed by Stern in 1938 to address problems with using the difference between chronological age and mental age to represent deviance
  • Intelligence test: Intelligence test refers to a questionnaire or series of exercises designed to measure intelligence. It is generally understood that intelligence tests are less a measure of innate ability to learn as of what the person tested has already l . . .
  • Interpersonal Intelligence: Interpersonal Intelligence is defined as the ability to relate and understand others. These learners try to see things from other people's point of view in order to understand how they think and feel
  • Multiple intelligence: Multiple intelligence refers to the theory that intelligence is actually composed of seven different intelligences. Multiple intelligence was Howard Gardner's theory which states that there are several specialized types of intellectual abil . . .
  • Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence: Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence is defined as the ability to produce and appreciate music. These musically inclined learners think in sounds, rhythms and patterns
  • Sensorimotor intelligence: Sensorimotor intelligence is a term used in Piaget's theory of development, the first stage of cognitive growth, during which schemes are built on sensory and motor experiences
  • Three-stratum theory of intelligence: Three-stratum theory of intelligence refers to Carroll’s hierarchical model of intelligence with g at the top of the hierarchy, eight (8) broad abilities at the second level, or stratum, and narrower domains of each second-stratum ability . . .
  • Triarchic Model of Human Intelligence: Triarchic Model of Human Intelligence refers to a belief that intelligence comprises three (3) aspects, dealing with the relation of intelligence (1) to the internal world of the person, (2) to experience, and (3) to the external world- Tri . . .
  • Triarchic Model of Intelligence: Triarchic Model of Intelligence refers to Sternberg's concept that intelligence is divided into contextual, experiential, and componential subcomponents (See Componential intelligence, Contextual intelligence, Experiential intelligence- and . . .
  • Wechsler adult intelligence scale: Wechsler adult intelligence scale (WAIS) refers to an individually administered measure of intelligence, intended for adults aged 16-89. The WAIS is intended to measure human intelligence reflected in both verbal and performance abilities
  • Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) refers to an individually administered measure of intelligence intended for children aged six (6) years to 16 years and 11 months
  • Intelligences: Intelligences based on Howard Garner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences refer to biopsychological potentials for processing information, solving problems, and developing products valued by the culture in which the person resides
  • Multiple intelligences (MI) theory: Multiple intelligences (MI) theory : Multiple intelligences theory refers to Howard Gardner’s theory that intelligence can be divided into distinct types, including musical, bodily kinesthetic, logical-mathematical, linguistic, spatial, . . .
  • Theory of Multiple Intelligences: Theory of Multiple Intelligences refers to the cognitive theory developed by Howard Gardner, that each individual possesses multiple intelligences rather than one single intelligence

Weblinks

Summary

In psychology, intelligence encompasses a wide range of cognitive abilities that enable individuals to understand complex ideas, adapt to their environment, learn from experience, and engage in effective problem-solving. Intelligence is influenced by genetic and environmental factors and is studied across various domains, including education, neuroscience, and clinical psychology. While interventions aimed at enhancing cognitive abilities exist, risks associated with intelligence primarily revolve around misinterpretation or misuse of intelligence measures, which may perpetuate stereotypes or biases.

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