Deck 11: Intelligence

Question 1

The intelligence test developed by Binet was originally composed of items that __________.

A) varied in both content and difficulty
B) required no prior knowledge
C) directly tapped pure intelligence
D) posed unfamiliar problems to be solved

Answer 1

varied in both content and difficulty

Question 2

Several students are studying the "Intelligence" chapter in their psychology text for an upcoming text. Which of the following students is offering an INCORRECT definition of intelligence?

A) Ginny: "Intelligence refers to the ability to learn quickly and catch on."
B) Irina: "Intelligence is similar to book learning and test-taking ability."
C) Janice: "Intelligence refers to reasoning and problem-solving abilities."
D) Kevin: "Intelligence refers to abstract thinking capabilities and the ability to understand complex ideas."

Answer 2

Irina: "Intelligence is similar to book learning and test-taking ability."

Question 3

Experts agree that intelligence is not the same as __________.

A) problem solving
B) the ability to learn quickly
C) the ability to "make sense of things"
D) book learning

Answer 3

book learning

Question 4

Growth is to fixed as __________ is to __________.

A) internal; external
B) nature; nurture
C) malleable; stable
D) stable; malleable

Question 5

Donna and her friend Esther both receive D's on a Calculus midterm. Donna becomes depressed and seems to give up on her studies for some time thereafter. Esther, however, becomes driven to learn more about Calculus and earn a better grade on the next test. Which of the following statements best describes the mind-sets of Donna and Esther?

A) Donna has a growth mind-set, whereas Esther has a fixed mind-set.
B) Donna has a fixed mind-set, whereas Esther has a growth mind-set.
C) Donna and Esther have fixed mind-sets.
D) Donna and Esther have growth mind-sets.

Question 6

Bernie states that intelligence is highly malleable. Candace remarks that it is largely innate. What might you suspect about the mind-sets of Bernie and Candace?

A) Bernie has a fixed mind-set, whereas Candace has a growth mind-set.
B) Bernie has a growth mind-set, whereas Candace has a fixed mind-set.
C) Bernie and Candace have fixed mind-sets.
D) Bernie and Candace have growth mind-sets.

Question 7

At one time, in a certain state, standardized test scores were used to place students in college preparatory or vocational/technical high school courses. Implicit in this policy is the view that intelligence is __________.

A) stable and environmentally determined
B) malleable and influenced by the environment
C) stable and largely inherited
D) variable across childhood and adolescence

Question 8

The so-called Ravens' Progressive Matrices Test hinges on someone's ability to __________.

A) solve algebraic problems
B) analyze anagrams
C) work simultaneously with sets of ideas
D) analyze figures and detect patterns.

Question 9

The practical problem Alfred Binet was trying to solve when he developed his intelligence test was __________.

A) devising a culturally fair measure of intelligence
B) devising an uncontaminated measure of intelligence
C) identifying gifted children for accelerated programs
D) identifying slow learners for remedial programs

Question 10

In its original form, scores on Binet's IQ test were computed as a ratio between __________.

A) vocabulary and age
B) problem solving + vocabulary and mental age
C) mental age and chronological age
D) verbal ability + mathematical ability and motivation

Question 11

In light of the distinction between fixed and growth mind-sets, how might one interpret the contrast between psychologist Robert Sternberg's adult success and his negative experiences with intelligence testing as a child?

A) It affirms a growth mind-set.
B) It affirms a fixed mind-set.
C) It affirms both growth and fixed mind-sets.
D) It contradicts both growth and fixed mind-sets.

Question 12

Ms. Fiore, an eighth-grade teacher, is fond of saying, "Failure is merely an opportunity." Ms. Fiore encourages her students to adopt a __________ mind-set.

A) development
B) fixed
C) discovery
D) growth

Question 13

Wechsler's adult intelligence scale differed from the Binet scales because it __________.

A) included a large proportion of items requiring verbal skills
B) included both verbal and performance subtests
C) used a multiple-choice format
D) was designed for group testing rather than individual administration

Question 14

Which term might psychologist Carol Dweck apply to the view of intelligence that predominated during much of the history not only of psychology, but also of the United States as a whole?

A) stable
B) growth
C) malleable
D) fixed

Question 15

How does the conception of intelligence offered by psychologists differ from the common notion that intelligence is reflected in book learning and test-taking abilities?

A) The psychologists' definition is broader.
B) The psychologists' definition is narrower.
C) The psychologists' definition is completely different.
D) The psychologists' definition is the same.

Question 16

Your text states that the "Scholastic Aptitude Test was renamed the Scholastic Assessment Test to acknowledge that the SAT measures not how far students can go, but how far they have come." This statement suggests that aptitude is to assessment as __________ is to __________.

A) growth mind-set; fixed mind-set
B) fixed mind-set; growth mind-set
C) nature; nurture
D) stable; malleable

Question 17

Alecia, a psychology major, remarks that she is interested in the study of intelligence in contemporary psychology. You respond that she might read the work of __________.

A) Binet
B) Sternberg
C) Spearman
D) Cattell

Question 18

Hung-Chu is Chinese-American. Her friend Ira is Jewish American. What might you predict regarding their mind-sets?

A) Both have growth mind-sets.
B) Both have fixed mind-sets.
C) Hung-Chu has a fixed mind-set, whereas Ira has a growth mind-set.
D) Hung-Chu has a growth mind-set, whereas Ira has a fixed mind-set.

Question 19

Experts have offered a definition of intelligence, though it is one with many parts. One thing the definition does is make a distinction between intelligence and __________.

A) problem solving
B) reasoning
C) test-taking smarts
D) comprehension of complex ideas

Question 20

A psychology class hears a lecture dispelling the notion that European Americans outperform African Americans on intelligence tests. The students then take an aptitude test. Based on your understanding of stereotype threat, what might you predict with respect to the performance of the European American and African American students on the aptitude test?

A) The European American students will outperform the African American students.
B) The African American students will outperform the European American students.
C) The European American and African American students will perform approximately equivalently.
D) The notion of stereotype threat suggests no prediction in this instance.

Question 21

What was the Ravens' Progressive Matrices Test designed to do?

A) minimize influence from background knowledge
B) identify cultural differences in IQ
C) assess verbal skills
D) measure numerical abilities

Question 22

Tests can be used to facilitate some hiring decisions, but errors will always occur. This is because __________.

A) a standardized sample can never be found
B) norms vary from person to person
C) predictive validity is never 1.00
D) these tests are subjective

Question 23

"That's so not true! This test can't have anything to do with my ability to attract women!" Ignacio protests. Ignacio is disputing the test's __________.

A) predictive ability
B) norms
C) validity
D) reliability

Question 24

Dr. Munakata subscribes to a psychometric view of intelligence. This means that she believes that intelligence may be best understood by __________.

A) examining the correlations among tests of specific abilities
B) investigating the potential neural basis of mental abilities
C) studying age-related changes in mental abilities as children develop
D) determining how specific abilities helped humans adapt and survive in the evolutionary past

Question 25

The predictive validity of most scholastic aptitude tests is in the neighborhood of 0.55. This suggests that __________.

A) these tests do not really measure scholastic aptitude
B) factors other than scholastic aptitude influence academic performance
C) such tests have little or no predictive validity
D) such tests provide a near-perfect index of academic ability

Question 26

Lassandra's scores on different parts of an IQ test are very different from one another. Lassandra's profile of scores on this test __________.

A) contradicts Binet's view of intelligence
B) supports Binet's view of intelligence
C) contradicts Sternberg's view of intelligence
D) contradicts both Binet's and Sternberg's views of intelligence

Question 27

An online intelligence test yields a different IQ each time you take it. The test is __________.

A) possibly reliable, but definitely not valid
B) not reliable, and probably not valid either
C) not reliable, but still possibly valid
D) still possibly reliable, and still potentially valid

Question 28

A mental test is considered reliable if __________.

A) it actually measures the characteristic that it was designed to measure
B) it consistently measures whatever it measures
C) scores obtained on the test are accurate measures of the characteristics in question
D) an individual's score on the test remains the same no matter what happens

Question 29

How might Binet react to Spearman's concept of g?

A) He would be indifferent to it.
B) He would dispute it.
C) He would be surprised by it.
D) He would endorse it.

Question 30

Based on years of research, what can we comfortably assert about IQ and reliability?

A) Score at age 6 correlates with score at age 18.
B) The older we get, the dumber we become, as measured by IQ.
C) There is no correlation between childhood IQ and IQ in adulthood.
D) IQ tests are valid but not reliable.

Question 31

"Every time I take it, it tells me something different!" complains your friend, turning away from the online personality quiz she just completed. Your friend is complaining about the test's __________.

A) validity
B) predictive ability
C) reliability
D) reliability and validity

Question 32

Dr. Williams has developed a paper-and-pencil test to assess fear of heights. He gives the test to 50 research participants, whose scores range from 0 (no fear) to 100 (intense fear). He finds that scores on the test have a correlation of only -0.25 with physiological measures of fear. Two months later, participants take the paper-and-pencil test again. The correlation between scores on this second paper-and-pencil test and scores on the first paper-and-pencil test is 0.95. This information suggests that Dr. Williams' test is __________.

A) reliable and probably valid
B) valid and therefore reliable
C) unreliable and not valid
D) probably not valid but reliable

Question 33

A test is considered valid if __________.

A) it measures the characteristics that it was designed to measure
B) it consistently measures whatever it measures
C) scores obtained on the test are precise and accurate
D) an individual's score on the test remains the same over long periods of time

Question 34

Dr. Nguyen believes that intelligence consists of multiple, specialized abilities. Which pattern of correlation coefficients might she expect when she examines scores on an intelligence test containing verbal, numerical, and spatial subtests?

A) a correlation of .65 between verbal and numerical scores, a correlation of .25 between numerical and spatial scores, and a correlation of .70 between verbal and spatial scores
B) a correlation of .75 between verbal and numerical scores, a correlation of .80 between numerical and spatial scores, and a correlation of .70 between verbal and spatial scores
C) a correlation of .15 between verbal and numerical scores, a correlation of .75 between numerical and spatial scores, and a correlation of .10 between verbal and spatial scores
D) a correlation of .15 between verbal and numerical scores, a correlation of .13 between numerical and spatial scores, and a correlation of .10 between verbal and spatial scores

Question 35

If intelligence is a unitary phenomenon, rather than a diverse collection of specialized abilities, then one might expect __________.

A) a good deal of variability in scores across the different components of an IQ test
B) little variability in scores across the different components of an IQ test
C) low average scores on an IQ test
D) high average scores on average test

Question 36

The extent to which a test measures what it is designed to measure is known as the test's __________.

A) criterion measure
B) norms
C) reliability
D) validity

Question 37

In order to assess whether intelligence is a unitary phenomenon or consists of multiple specialized components, a researcher using the psychometric approach would determine the __________.

A) reliability of a variety of intelligence tests
B) correlations among tests of specific abilities
C) predictive validity of a variety of intelligence tests
D) heritability of tests of specific abilities

Question 38

The approach to intelligence that arises from looking at test scores is called the __________ approach.

A) information-processing
B) correlational
C) psychometric
D) measurement

Question 39

A researcher administers a certain intelligence test to a large sample of adults. The test contains verbal, numerical, and spatial subtests. The researcher finds a correlation coefficient of .15 between verbal and numerical scores, a correlation coefficient of .75 between numerical and spatial scores, and a correlation of .10 between verbal and spatial scores. How might the researcher interpret this pattern of results with respect to (i) the view that intelligence is a unitary ability and (ii) the idea that intelligence consists of multiple, independent, specialized abilities?

A) The data support the idea that intelligence is a unitary ability.
B) The data support the idea that intelligence consists of multiple, specialized components.
C) The data support an intermediary view.
D) The data are uninformative with respect to these views of intelligence.

Question 40

A big question addressed by the psychometric approach is whether intelligence is __________.

A) a unitary phenomenon or consists of multiple components
B) inherited
C) primarily environmentally determined
D) primarily mathematical.

Question 41

Jody is completing a test in which she has to name as many state capitals as she can in one minute; Aditi is trying to complete analogies between pairs of abstract diagrams. Jody is taking a test of __________ intelligence; Aditi, a test of __________.

A) fluid intelligence; crystallized intelligence
B) fluid intelligence; fluid intelligence too
C) crystallized intelligence; crystallized intelligence too
D) crystallized intelligence; fluid intelligence

Question 42

To what extent has the hierarchical model been confirmed by research in intelligence?

A) Research has yet to really address the model.
B) Research support for the model is mixed.
C) In general, research has supported the model.
D) Overall, research has disconfirmed the model.

Question 43

A researcher administers a certain intelligence test to a large sample of adults. The test contains verbal, numerical, and spatial subtests. The researcher finds a correlation coefficient of .65 between verbal and numerical scores, a correlation coefficient of .75 between numerical and spatial scores, and a correlation of .55 between verbal and spatial scores. Do these data support the hierarchical model of intelligence? Why or why not?

A) No. The hierarchical model predicts that scores on the subtests would be unrelated to each other.
B) Yes. Scores on all the subtests are related to each other, but the correlation coefficients aren't extremely high.
C) No. The hierarchical model predicts that scores on two of the subtests would be very strongly related, whereas scores on the third subtest would be unrelated to scores on either of the other two.
D) No. The hierarchical model predicts that the correlation coefficients would be very close to 1.00.

Question 44

G __________.

A) is located in an area of the frontal cortex
B) is another term for crystallized or generic intelligence
C) is, from what we know so far, a theoretical entity
D) is another term for fluid or gifted intelligence

Question 45

Which of the following is NOT among the intermediate-level intellectual abilities identified by MOST authors?

A) verbal ability
B) spatial ability
C) numerical ability
D) mental speed

Question 46

Alcohol consumption, fatigue, depression, and some forms of brain damage are most likely to impair __________.

A) fluid g
B) crystallized g
C) procedural memory
D) procedural knowledge

Question 47

Spearman developed a statistical method to extract a common factor that all the various psychological tests assess. This technique is referred to as __________.

A) factor analysis
B) general intelligence
C) common feature analysis
D) group analysis

Question 48

In Spearman's theory of intelligence, g stands for __________.

A) general intelligence
B) group factor
C) generalization gradient
D) genetic influence

Question 49

Which of the following techniques would be useful if you wanted to determine whether several variables all have some commonality that affects their values?

A) variance assessment
B) standardization
C) the test-retest method
D) factor analysis

Question 50

Studies of changes in intelligence as a function of aging suggest that __________.

A) both fluid and crystallized intelligence tend to decline with age in adults
B) crystallized intelligence tends to decline with age in adults but fluid intelligence does not
C) fluid intelligence tends to decline with age in adults but crystallized intelligence does not
D) neither fluid nor crystallized intelligence declines with age in adults

Question 51

Spearman argued that g stood for basic intelligence. According to Spearman, individuals with a lot of g __________.

A) have an advantage in every intellectual endeavor
B) excel at math but not at verbal fluency
C) excel at figure analysis but not at computation
D) excel at word problems but not at pattern recognition

Question 52

Dr. O'Connor believes that intelligence comprises hierarchically arranged general and specialized abilities. He administers to a large sample of adults an intelligence test containing verbal, numerical, and spatial subtests. Which pattern of correlation coefficients is most consistent with Dr. O'Connor's view of intelligence?

A) correlations of about .60 between verbal and numerical scores, numerical and spatial scores, and verbal and spatial scores
B) a correlation of .65 between verbal and numerical scores, a correlation of .25 between numerical and spatial scores, and a correlation of .70 between verbal and spatial scores
C) correlations of about .10 between verbal and numerical scores, numerical and spatial scores, and verbal and spatial scores
D) correlations of nearly 1.00 between verbal and numerical scores, numerical and spatial scores, and verbal and spatial scores

Question 53

Charles Spearman inferred the existence of a general intelligence g factor from __________.

A) the positive intercorrelations for tests of different intellectual skills
B) the fact that different tests tap different specific abilities
C) the tendency for people to score well on either verbal or mathematical tests, but not on both
D) high reliability coefficients for the results of individual tests

Question 54

Janet has a knack for figuring things out. When faced with puzzles and problems she has never seen before, Janet always manages to find a solution. Janet is high in __________ intelligence.

A) motivational
B) fluid
C) flexible
D) crystallized

Question 55

You studied car mechanics in high school and spent a lot of time helping out at your dad's garage. Your replacing a blown gasket relies primarily on your __________.

A) fluid g
B) crystallized g
C) cumulative g
D) mach g

Question 56

Which of the following is most likely to draw on crystallized intelligence?

A) solving a new kind of logic puzzle
B) answering trivia questions
C) figuring out how to fix an unfamiliar appliance
D) negotiating a social situation completely outside of one's experience (e.g., a state dinner)

Question 57

Which psychologist is most closely associated with the hierarchical model of intelligence, and why?

A) Gardner; he posited a large number of relatively independent types of intelligence.
B) Sternberg; he proposed several different types of intelligence.
C) Binet; he suggested that intelligence is essentially a unitary ability.
D) Spearman; he proposed that intelligence comprises both general and specific abilities.

Question 58

According to Charles Spearman, the intercorrelations among mental tests are not perfect due to __________.

A) variability in age
B) variability in group factors
C) variability in specific factors
D) lack of validity

Question 59

The ability to effectively deal with new and unusual problems is referred to as __________.

A) artistic intelligence
B) fluid g
C) speed g
D) mach g

Question 60

Which of the following activities is likely to involve more fluid than crystallized intelligence?

A) driving a car
B) completing a crossword puzzle with a familiar theme
C) repairing a toilet with a bobby pin
D) balancing a checkbook

Question 61

Which of the following alternatives CORRECTLY names and illustrates one of the mental speed tasks discussed in your text?

A) simple reaction time-participant presses one key as quickly as possible when an X appears on the computer screen, but another key when an O appears
B) choice reaction time-participant responds as quickly as possible when an X appears on the computer screen
C) inspection time-participant determines which is the larger of two Xs displayed on the computer screen
D) detection time-participant responds as quickly as possible when an X appears on the computer screen

Question 62

Working memory capacity is often assessed by a task in which participants read groups of sentences and then repeat the final word of each sentence. Is this task a valid measure of working memory? Why or why not?

A) Yes. We often have to store information while processing other material.
B) Yes. We often have to remember the final words of sentences while we read.
C) No. We rarely have to remember the final words of sentences while we read.
D) No. The task is more a measure of mental speed than of working memory capacity.

Question 63

Imagine a graph showing fluid and crystallized intelligence scores as a function of age. Age appears on the x-axis, with increasing age toward the right. One curve portrays fluid intelligence scores; the other, crystallized intelligence scores. Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between the two curves as age increases?

A) The two curves converge.
B) The two curves remain parallel.
C) The curves diverge; the slope of the fluid intelligence curve eventually becomes increasingly negative; the slope of the crystallized intelligence curve does not.
D) The curves diverge; the slope of the fluid intelligence curve eventually becomes increasingly negative; the slope of the crystallized intelligence curve eventually becomes positive.

Question 64

PFIT theory integrates the contributions of the __________ lobe and the __________ lobe to intelligence.

A) parietal; temporal
B) occipital; frontal
C) parietal; frontal
D) temporal; occipital

Question 65

In one study, participants have to stare at a computer screen and press the space key the moment an X appears on the screen. This study is testing __________.

A) choice reaction time
B) simple reaction time
C) lexical access time
D) cognitive strategies

Question 66

Some psychologists assert that most measures of working memory capacity are really measures of executive control processes. This claim implies that the correlation coefficient between scores on a measure of working memory capacity and scores on a test of executive control would be __________.

A) positive, but modest
B) near zero
C) high and positive
D) negative

Question 67

According to some psychologists, working memory capacity measures are actually measures of executive control processes. Both working memory capacity and executive control processes have been suggested as components of intelligence. Which pattern of correlation coefficients is most consistent with these claims?

A) correlations of about .80 between working memory and intelligence test scores and between executive control and intelligence test scores, along with a correlation of about .40 between working memory and executive control scores
B) correlations of about .40 between working memory and intelligence test scores and between executive control and intelligence test scores, along with a correlation of about .80 between working memory and executive control scores
C) correlations of about .40 between working memory and intelligence test scores and between executive control and intelligence test scores, along with a correlation of about .40 between working memory and executive control scores
D) correlations of about .80 between working memory and intelligence test scores and between executive control and intelligence test scores, along with a correlation of about .80 between working memory and executive control scores

Question 68

Recall your study of short-term and working memory in Chapter 8. For a maximum of how many sentences are participants likely able to retain the final words while reading the sentences?

A) 2 or 3
B) 3 or 4
C) 9 or 10
D) 6 or 7

Question 69

Goal maintenance activities appear to depend on the brain's __________ lobe.

A) temporal
B) parietal
C) occipital
D) frontal

Question 70

Which of the following alternatives CORRECTLY names and defines one of the mental speed tasks discussed in your text?

A) simple reaction time-participant discriminates between two stimuli as quickly as possible
B) choice reaction time-participant selects the appropriate response depending on the stimulus and responds as quickly as possible
C) inspection time-participant responds as quickly as possible when a stimulus appears
D) detection time-participant responds as quickly as possible when a stimulus appears

Question 71

Assume that, in general, reacting to a stimulus entails noticing the stimulus, then selecting the appropriate response depending on stimulus, then actually making the appropriate response. If this assumption is correct, which of the following sequences correctly orders simple reaction time, choice reaction time, and inspection time tasks with respect to the speed with which the average participant could complete them, from the most rapid to the slowest?

A) simple reaction time $\rightarrow$ inspection time $\rightarrow$ choice reaction time
B) simple reaction time $\rightarrow$ choice reaction time $\rightarrow$ inspection time
C) inspection time $\rightarrow$ simple reaction time $\rightarrow$ choice reaction time
D) inspection time $\rightarrow$ choice reaction time $\rightarrow$ simple reaction time

Question 72

Mr. Quincy is participating in psychological study at the local university. In one task, he is asked to read groups of sentences and then to repeat the final word of each sentence. Mr. Quincy is probably taking part in a study of __________.

A) mental speed
B) inspection time
C) working memory capacity
D) perseveration

Question 73

An individual's understanding of the goals, rules, and requirements of a mental task and their knowledge of relevant facts are included in his or her task __________.

A) concept
B) representation
C) schema
D) model

Question 74

In an arcade game, a gopher pops out of one of several holes and the player has to try to hit it before it disappears from each new location. What type of task does this game most closely resemble?

A) choice reaction time
B) lexical decision
C) crystallized intelligence
D) simple reaction time

Question 75

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) Fluid and crystallized intelligence are uncorrelated.
B) Crystallized intelligence often increases with age.
C) Alcohol consumption leads to more disruption in fluid intelligence than in crystallized intelligence.
D) Fatigue leads to more impairment of fluid intelligence than crystallized intelligence.

Question 76

Which of the following coefficients probably best reflects the correlation between intelligence test scores and scores on a measure of working memory capacity?

A) .95
B) -.45
C) .45
D) .00

Question 77

Parietal is to frontal as __________ is to __________.

A) working memory; control of attention
B) control of attention; working memory
C) mental speed; working memory
D) control of attention; mental speed

Question 78

Pierette can retain the many pieces of information required to solve complex, time-consuming problems. In addition, she is able to devote attention to the problem without becoming distracted. Pierette is likely to score well on a measure of __________.

A) inspection time
B) perseveration
C) mental speed
D) working memory capacity

Question 79

Simple and choice reaction time are __________ correlated with IQ scores. Raven's Progressive Matrices Scores are __________ correlated with the rate of glucose metabolism.

A) positively; positively
B) positively; negatively
C) negatively; positively
D) negatively; negatively

Question 80

Participants in a psychological study completed the Raven's Progressive Matrices test, a reaction time task, and a task designed to assess working memory capacity. The correlation between Raven's Progressive Matrices scores and average reaction time was -.70. The correlation between Raven's Progressive Matrices scores and working memory capacity was .76. These results suggest that __________.

A) neither mental speed nor working memory capacity is related to intelligence
B) both mental speed and working memory capacity are related to intelligence
C) mental speed is related to intelligence, but working memory capacity is not
D) working memory capacity is related to intelligence, but mental speed is not