Psychology and Neuroscience Stack Exchange
Psychology and Neuroscience Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [intelligence]

For questions about levels of abstract thought, understanding, self-awareness, communication, reasoning, learning, having emotional knowledge, retaining, planning, and problem solving, their roles in education, testing such levels, and deficiencies in these levels.

Intelligence has been defined in many different ways, including the abilities, but not limited to, abstract thought, understanding, self-awareness, communication, reasoning, learning, having emotional knowledge, retaining, planning, and problem solving.

Intelligence is most widely studied in humans, but has also been observed in animals and plants. Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines or the simulation of intelligence in machines.

As a reference for the above passage, and for more information see Intelligence.

This tag is for questions on the levels of the above-listed abilities, the roles of these levels in education, testing such levels, and deficiencies in these areas.

259 questions
18
votes
2 answers

Does super-intelligence necessary lead to consciousness, self awareness, freewill or emotion

After seeing this talk, the question popped in my mind. The idea is that as soon as a system is complex enough or intelligent enough, it able to act on its own. It seems to be a common belief. For example, you can find it in the movie Terminator,…
Benjamin Crouzier
  • 519
  • 4
  • 9
13
votes
1 answer

What are the benefits of dyslexia?

Reading the Wikipedia article on Dyslexia, it sounds very negative. The article defines Dyslexia as a learning disability, which I understand it is classified as. However, knowing individuals with dyslexia, they do not consider themselves to have a…
Josh
  • 5,390
  • 7
  • 36
  • 63
12
votes
3 answers

How is it possible for psychometricians to develop IQ tests for people smarter than them?

After all, while psychometricians definitely have above-average IQs, they probably don't have IQs over, say, 160. If psychometricians already know what the right answers are (and how to obtain the right answer), then wouldn't they score very high on…
InquilineKea
  • 2,317
  • 17
  • 33
10
votes
1 answer

How can psychometry measure the very high IQ's in adults?

From Wikipedia's page on Mental age, we learn that: Originally, the differences between mental age and chronological age were used to compute the intelligence quotient, or IQ. This was computed using the ratio method, with the following formula:…
quark1245
  • 201
  • 2
  • 4
7
votes
2 answers

How to interpret a BBC news article on the effect of race on intelligence?

In spring 1998, Robert Plomin claimed to have discovered a gene linked with intelligence. More recently, the Human Genome Project was cautious when approaching areas implying racial differences since research actually shows greater genetic…
user6479
7
votes
1 answer

Are there any mental activities that can be detrimental for intelligence?

It is well known that we get better at the things we practice, but is it possible to stimulate the brain with activities in such a way that general or specific intelligence is weakened? Also, are there skills that can be practiced that have been…
C.T.
  • 171
  • 5
6
votes
1 answer

What hidden latent variables could be responsible for the high correlation between WORDSUM and IQ?

WORDSUM is a measure of vocabulary ( see sample items here) where the test taker has to select which of a set of words has the most similar meaning to a target word. There's been some discussion of how the test is strongly correlated with…
InquilineKea
  • 2,317
  • 17
  • 33
5
votes
1 answer

Does deep, slow breathing increase mental performance?

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 said that breathing deeply and slowly increases mental performance, but I couldn't find any studies that really study the claim, and the book is a self-help book, which tend to be extremely unrigorous. So, does it increase…
Kelmikra
  • 241
  • 1
  • 6
5
votes
1 answer

What factors affect the g factor?

Is / are there any scientific studies on factors which affect the general intelligence (g) factor? I did a Google search, but could not find any academic papers on the topic.
Guest
  • 51
  • 1
5
votes
2 answers

Which computer video games can improve intelligence, barring Medal of Honor?

Source: Intelligence and How to Get It: Why Schools and Cultures Count (2009). p. 49.   We have every reason to believe that these sorts of visual exercises actually improve fluid-intelligence skills and the executive functions that underlie them,…
user6479
5
votes
1 answer

What is the difference between problem solving and intelligence?

What is the difference between problem solving and intelligence? All I know is that the tower of hanoi is thought of as a problem solving test, perhaps due to its lack of automation, I don't know. I'd assume that "intelligence" is broader, measured…
user7852
4
votes
1 answer

Do Jewish people have better cognitive abilities than average population?

Jewish people are overrepresented in politics and science especially in the United States. Do they have better cognitive abilities than average population? If yes, what is the reason for this? Statistics: 0.2% of world population is Jewish About…
CuriousSuperhero
  • 1,049
  • 9
  • 27
4
votes
2 answers

A doctor told me that cephalic index can be used to measure human intelligence, is it true?

I am roommates with a maxillofacial surgeon. He told me that during his studies he read that cephalic index can be used to measure intelligence. And he further explained that as Africans and women have smaller brains according to cephalic index, so…
mega6382
  • 143
  • 7
3
votes
1 answer

What intelligence theory is being taught?

What's the current scientific and schooled (university or alike) consens as far as Intelligence theories are concerned? Which theory / model is currently (broadly) being taught? Please be specific and link corresponding sources. I wasn't able to…
J. Doe
  • 41
  • 2
3
votes
2 answers

How can tacit knowledge be measured?

Question 1: If tacit knowledge is that which can't be written as declarative facts or communicated easily, then how can scientists measure how much of it someone has in a lab? Question 2: Is it true that tacit knowledge can never be declarative or…
George
  • 133
  • 4
1
2