Question

Each response must be a minimum of 250 words, include APA formatted, in-text citations, and a full, APA formatted reference list at the end of each response.

Here's my question:

Define and discuss the concept of intelligence. Which conceptualization of the following (psycho metric analysis, factor analysis. emotional intelligence or a combo of all 3} do you believe most comprehensively represents human intelligence? Provide your rationale for your selection.

Answer 1

1. As Wechsler describes, "Intelligence is the global capacity of an individual to act purposefully, to think rationally and to deal effectively with one's environment". Others define intelligence as an individual's ability to respond to environmental stimulus, maneuver and manipulate the external factors in order to achieve one's goal, adapting effectively to environment and to think abstractly. All these qualities develop in an individual either by nature or nurture or both.

2. Development of Psychometric Analysis of Intelligence can be traced back to the early 20th century when American, French, and British psychologists devised test to measure intelligence of school going children. They also used intelligence/ Aptitude tests to recruit individuals into the military. Psychometric tests usually examine intelligence on the basis of two most important components- verbal and non-verbal intelligence. Verbal intelligence tests an individual's ability to speak, comprehend and produce language whereas non-verbal intelligence test logical reasoning, basic mathematics skills and performance on novel tasks. As upgradation of intelligence happened, parameters of analysing one's personality was included in intelligence tests.

3. Factor Analysis of Intelligence was initially conducted by Charles Edward Spearman who was inspired by Francis Galton (known for anthropometric testing). Spearman intended to understand all dimensions of intelligence and adopted an approach that was mathematically and logically replicable and was structured. Charles went on to use factor analysis, pearson's correlation and rank correlation to arrive at g-factors and s-factors of intelligence. He specified that Intelligence can be observed to be of two kinds- general and specific. General intelligence includes an individual's ability to perform mental tasks, for instance, driving a car. Whereas specific intelligence includes an ability to perform specific skills, such as drawing or painting.

Other psychologists such as Gardner, Thurstone, went on to conclude that intelligence is of multiple kinds, for example, kinesthetic intelligence, musical, interpersonal intelligence and many more.

4. Emotional intelligence- the term has been coined recently. Emotional intelligence is one's ability to identity, understand, appropriately express and be aware of one's own emotions in context of one's environment. It is one's ability to empathize with others. Daniel Goleman, a name forever associated with emotional intelligence emphasized the importance of the same and suggested ways in which one can develop it. Among many tests on emotional intelligence, some are- Multifactor Emotional intelligence Scale (MEIS), Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional intelligence test (MSCEIT) and more. Researches have shown how emotional intelligence, cognitive intelligence have effect on academic performance and social interactions (Lynda Jiwen Song and colleagues, 2010).

5. Intelligence, I feel, is a combination of an individual's ability to interact with environmental factors (using all mental resources) while being aware of one's own thought and emotions just as much as that of another person. Psychometric approach towards intelligence justifies all aspects of analysing a person's intelligence as it measures an individual's potential to communicate, his/her ability to achieve goals, make use of logical thinking as well as one's personality. Parameters to test personality often include a person's ability to empathize with others, thus indirectly testing their emotional intelligence.