Chapter Four
Individual Differences:
Intelligence, Cognitive and
Learning Styles, and Creativity
The Big Picture
What is intelligence?
Is intelligence caused by genes or environment, or
both?
What can a teacher do to make students more
intelligent? Should teachers adapt to differences in
intelligence by grouping students according to ability
level?
What is creativity, and how does it differ from
intelligence? How can teachers encourage and
develop creativity in their students and in
themselves?
What is Intelligence?
Intelligence
capacity
for goal-directed and
adaptive behavior
involves certain abilities
profit
from experience
solve problems
reason effectively
What is Intelligence?
IQ
it
Is
is a score on a test
is not something you have
intelligence singular or
multiple abilities?
Are There Multiple
Intelligences?
Factor Analysis
statistical procedure that identifies clusters of
related items (called factors) on a test
used to identify different dimensions of
performance that underlie ones total score
General Intelligence (g)
factor that Spearman and others believed
underlies specific mental abilities
measured by every task on an intelligence test
Theories of Intelligence
Spearman vs. Thurstone
g or multiple components??
Sternbergs Triarchic Theory
Analytical Intelligence(book smarts)
Creative Intelligence (novel ideas)
Practical Intelligence (street smarts)
Theories of Intelligence
Gardners Multiple Intelligences
logical/mathematical
linguistic
spatial
musical
bodily kinesthetic
interpersonal
Intrapersonal
Talent v. Intelligence??
Critique of Contemporary Theories
Lack of Empirical Testing of Gardners
Theory
Broad Nature of the Triarchic Theories
Current Educational Controversies
in Intelligence
The Source of Intelligence - Inherited
Versus Learned
Can Intelligence be Modified?
How do Teachers Deal with Varying Levels
of Intelligence?
Genetic Influences
Similarity of 1.0
intelligence 0.9
scores 0.8
(correlation) 0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
Identical Identical
twins
twins
reared reared
together apart
Fraternal Siblings Unrelated
reared individuals
twins
reared togetherreared
together
together
The most
genetically
similar
people have
the most
similar
scores
Genetic Influences
Heritability
the proportion of variation among
individuals that we can attribute to
genes
variability depends on range of
populations and environments
studied
Genetic Influences
0.35
Child-parent
correlation in
verbal ability
scores
0.30
0.25
Children and their
birth parents
0.20
0.15
Adopted children
and their birth
parents
0.10
Adopted children
and their adoptive
parents
0.05
0.00
3 years
16 years
Genetic Influences
Group differences and environmental impact
Variation within group
Variation within group
Seeds
Poor soil
Fertile soil
Difference within group
Teaching Students of Varying
Levels: Ability Grouping
Ability Grouping
Within-Class Ability Grouping
Between-Class Ability Grouping
Regrouping
Joplin Plan
Advantages and Disadvantages
Understanding Individual
Differences in Creativity
Creativity
The Mystical Approach
The Psychometric Approach
Social-Psychological Approaches
A Confluence Approach
Characteristics of Creative Individuals
See problems in new ways
Are somewhat knowledgeable in the area
Like being creative
Are open to new experiences
Are willing to take sensible risks
Are intrinsically motivated
Seek out supportive environments