Intelligence

4) Define and describe intelligence. What are the different theories of intelligence? Compare and contrast them. How does heredity influence intelligence? How does the environment influence intelligence? What is mental retardation and its causes? How is this related to intelligence? What makes inviduals gifted? What makes individuals creative?

The nature of human intelligence has fascinated scholars for centuries with the earliest works ranging from Plato to Aristotle, therefore the term intelligence has several different interpretations. Our book, Child Development, defines intelligence as the ability to solve problems and to adapt and learn from experiences, while the Encyclopedia Britannica defines intelligence as the ability to apply knowledge to manipulate ones environment or to think abstractly as measured by objective criteria. (Britannica, 2011) There are two main tests that are given to determine an individual's IQ, which are The Stanford-Binet Test and The Wechsler Scales. Although these tests may give some idea as to where a person stands intellectually, they are not definitive. The problem with intelligence is that it cannot be directly measured and the primary components of intelligence are similar to the cognitive processes of memory and thinking. (Santrock, 2011)

There are several theories surrounding intelligence. The first is Sternberg's Triarchic theory, which state that intelligence comes in three forms; analytical, creative, and practical. As a child Sternberg performed poorly on IQ tests and teachers didn't have much faith in his abilities; until one teacher saw his potential and decided to challenge him. This is what led Sternberg to question intelligence and he expanded his view on human ability and success. (Kristin Garrigan, 2007) This theory emphasizes that successful intelligence is adaptability-both within the individual and within the individual's sociocultural context. (Plucker, 2010) The second is The Theory of Multiple Intelligence's introduced by Howard Gardner, which states that there are many specific types of intelligence, or frames of mind. His definition of intelligence is this, "Intelligence is a biopsychological potential to process information that can be activated in a cultural setting to solve problems or create products that are of value in a culture." (Gilman, 2007) His theory suggests that there are eight strengths which reflect ones intelligence; for example, verbal skills reflect the ability to think in words and to use language to express meaning. Lastly, emotional intelligence was developed by Peter Salovey and John Mayer and states that it is the ability to perceive and express emotion accurately and adaptively, to understand emotion and emotional knowledge, to use feelings to facilitate thought, and to manage emotions in oneself and others. (Santrock, 2011) In the end, each theory deals with the human mind and how one develops intellectually. They all express great points as to which a person grows into him or herself. It seems as though Sternberg and Gardner's theory are similar because they both explore certain skills a human could possess to enhance intelligence.

The nature versus nurture debate has been questioned for years and yet there is no conclusive answer when it comes to determining whether intelligence is influenced by heredity or the environment. There has been extensive research with the idea of heredity influencing intelligence, which comes from family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies. They have determined that there is a correlation between heredity and intelligence, but the heritability factor only refers to a specific group rather than an individual. (Santrock, 2011) The environmental aspects have also plagued the minds of experts who feel that it plays an important role in intelligence as well. Influencing someone's environment could change their IQ and overall intelligence; for example, the cultural and ethnic differences among intelligence are really differences among social classes. A deprived environment can and will lead to a lower intelligence averages. (Editors, 2011) Therefore, both heredity and environment influence intelligence in different ways, but there will always be a disagreement on which influences intelligence more. (Santrock, 2011)

Mental retardation is a condition of limited mental ability in which the individual has a low IQ, has difficulty adapting to everyday life, and has an onset of these characteristics by age 18. The degree of impairment from mental retardation varies widely, from profoundly impaired to mild or borderline retardation. Most