Exam 7: Cognition: Thinking, Intelligence, and Language

Correct Answer:

Answered by Examlex AI Copilot

The IQ formula first constructed by William Stern is the ratio of mental age (MA) to chronological age (CA), multiplied by 100. The formula is expressed as:

IQ = (MA / CA) * 100

Here's what each term in the formula means:

1. **Mental Age (MA):** This is a measure of an individual's mental ability as determined by standardized tests. The mental age is the age level at which an individual is performing intellectually, based on average scores of a test population. For example, if a 10-year-old child performs on tests at the level typical of an average 12-year-old, that child would have a mental age of 12.

2. **Chronological Age (CA):** This is the actual, biological age of the individual. It is the number of years since the individual was born. In the previous example, the chronological age of the child is 10.

3. **Multiplication by 100:** This is done to eliminate the decimal and make the IQ a whole number for easier understanding and interpretation.

So, if we use the example of a 10-year-old child with a mental age of 12, the calculation would be:

IQ = (12 / 10) * 100 = 1.2 * 100 = 120

This means that the child's IQ score would be 120, indicating that the child's mental capabilities are higher than what is typical for their chronological age.

It's important to note that modern IQ tests no longer use this exact formula, but the concept of comparing an individual's test performance to a normative sample remains a key component in calculating IQ scores. Modern tests are standardized in such a way that the average IQ score is set to 100, with a standard deviation usually around 15 points, meaning that most people score within a range of 85 to 115.