General smarts
Patrick Rabbitt in The Aging Mind, 2019
For those who like computer analogies, measures of our speed, efficiency of memory and the complexity of problems that we can solve can be compared to the “benchmark performance characteristics” that determine the maximum processing power of a machine. However, these “brain operating characteristics” represent only unused potential power until we have stored and run programs. A computer program that is ideal for one task is usually useless for any other. This seems to be true for animal brains as well as computers. Finches’ remarkable skill at remembering and finding nuts that they have stored to survive winter is a powerful survival aid but no help in the dodge-the-predator game. Like a computer benchmark characteristic, “general intelligence” is a convenient term for the level of efficiency that determines how fast and accurately we can solve any new problems and learn any new skill. Learned skills may be intensely specialised, and mastering one may give little or no advantage in others.
Smart People / Cognitive Enhancement
Jonathan Anomaly in Creating Future People, 2020
The overall lesson is that if each of us enhances the intelligence of our children in order to increase the likelihood that they’ll win competitions for positional goods, this does not imply that there will be a net loss of welfare. Quite the opposite, in many cases. One reason free trade tends to increase productivity, and peace, is that it provides each of us with an incentive to figure out what we’re good at, and what other people want, and develop our talents in ways that tend to be individually profitable and collectively beneficial. This fact suggests not only that enhancing general intelligence may be a net good, but also that leaving parents free to enhance specific cognitive traits is likely to be good to the extent that they choose traits that are socially valued. While parental choice could lead to too much conformity, in a free society it is likely that a diversity of cognitive styles will be in demand by mates, and by potential employers.
Cognition, Language and Intelligence
Rolland S. Parker in Concussive Brain Trauma, 2016
Problem solving is the application of general intelligence to a task or necessity. Efficiency can be judged as appropriate or regressed according to expectations of age, education, and occupation during such procedures as assembly tasks. The writer assesses problem-solving maturity by the level of task difficulty at which trial and error or foresight is utilized in solving the task. Individuals of a particular age and education, when confronted with a progressively more difficult task with varied solution (e.g., Wechsler Block Design or Object Assembly), are expected to have a range of problemsolving maturity, from foresight at the easier range (anticipating the correct response, i.e., efficient) to trial and error at the difficult range (an apparently random erroneous response not utilizing error monitoring, that is, regressed or inefficient). When the range from foresight to trial and error is significantly reduced from expectations, one may consider regression. Other markers of reduced problem-solving levels are inflexibility or perseveration.
Employees High in Personal Intelligence Differ From Their Colleagues in Workplace Perceptions and Behavior
Published in Journal of Personality Assessment, 2018
John D. Mayer, Brendan Lortie, A. T. Panter, David R. Caruso
Present-day theories of intelligence describe general intelligence (g) as a capacity to reason abstractly across a wide range of mental problems. Those same present-day theories also demarcate a group of broad intelligences—abilities at reasoning in extensive (but less general) areas—and place this group in a hierarchy just below an individual's general intelligence (Carroll, 1993; Flanagan, Alfonso, Ortiz, & Dynda, 2013; McGrew, 2009). Many broad intelligences involve the capacity to reason across a wide subject area such as verbal, perceptual-organizational, or mathematical areas (although other broad intelligences involve memory capacity and auditory-related skills). Each broad intelligence is, in turn, composed of more specific mental abilities that cohere with one another (in terms of correlating with one another more than with other specific abilities). For example, verbal intelligence is made up of vocabulary knowledge, reading comprehension, and writing skills, all of which correlate more highly with one another than with other specific abilities such as holding information in short-term memory (McGrew, 2009).
Do education, sex, and age moderate the relationship of intelligence and creativity with sexual desire?
Published in Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 2023
Marzieh Barazandeh, Mohammad Ali Besharat, Ali Moghadamzadeh
In addition to the above-mentioned variables, intelligence and creativity are also among factors shown to be associated with sexual desire (DeMartino, 2013; Glover et al., 1989; Hegarty, 2007). Indeed, general intelligence is a highly practical ability that influences many aspects of human well-being (Gottfredson, 2004). This construct carries many different meanings (Goldstein, 2015; Naglieri & Kaufman, 2001); for example, while Gardner (1993) defined intelligence as the ability to solve problems, Binet and Simon (1916) believed that intelligence refers to making a judgment and the ability to understand, analyze, and adapt to the environment effectively. Today, intelligence is defined as what is measured by intelligence tests (Deary et al., 2007). Given the importance of the intelligence construct, its relationships with many other variables have been investigated including but not limited to memory (Burgess et al., 2011), physical health (Deary et al., 2010), rational thinking (Stanovich et al., 2013), and creativity (Barron, 1963; Getzels & Jackson, 1962; Guilford, 1967; Wallach & Kogan, 1965). There is also evidence indicating that intelligence is related to sexuality; for instance, in their study, Greengross and Miller (2011) showed that intelligence has a positive relationship with sexual desire. Also, DeMartino (2013) indicated that intelligent women have more sexual drive compared to other women. Finally, in another study, top students have shown to be more capable of postponing their sexual activity than other students (Halpern et al., 2000).
Personality, Psychiatric, and Cognitive Predictors of Length of Time for Competency to Stand Trial Restoration
Published in International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2018
Laura M. Grossi, Debbie Green, Melanie Schneider, Brian Belfi, Shanah Segal
Finally, in contrast to symptoms of psychopathology and personality-related factors, intellectual abilities are generally expected to remain stable over time. The present study utilized an abbreviated test of intelligence (i.e., WASI/WASI-II), as opposed to a more extensive test (e.g., Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition [WAIS-IV]; Wechsler, 2008). Although abbreviated tests of intelligence may efficiently provide reliable estimates of general intelligence, the administration of such tests are often limited in the degree to which they speak to specific intellectual abilities. Due to the archival design of the present study, analyses regarding specific cognitive abilities relied on single subtests (i.e., Matrix Reasoning and Vocabulary), instead of index scores. Single subtests may not adequately assess a cognitive ability (e.g., nonverbal reasoning; see Lezak, 2012). Future research should examine whether the patterns identified in the current study replicate when more robust indicators of intellectual abilities, such as WAIS-IV index scores reflecting specific cognitive abilities, are analyzed.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Cognitive Psychology
- Cognitive Skill
- Factor Analysis
- Intelligence
- Intelligence Quotient
- Molecular Genetics
- Psychometrics
- Quantitative Genetics
- Cognitive Test
- Mental Chronometry