Intelligence and its Measurement
Man’s superiority over other
species is generally explained in terms of intelligence. It is true that he has
unfolded many mysteries remains the biggest mystery, that is, human
intelligence. The conceptualization of intelligence itself remains vague even
at the dawn of twenty first century, when we are heading for artificial
intelligence. Very few problems are more significant to teachers than to
understand the nature and nurture of intelligence and a few terms in educational
psychology have been so valiantly defined as intelligence.
1. The concept
of intelligence
Different
psychologists have variously defined intelligence. But the commonest feature in
most definitions are that intelligence is the ability to learn, the ability to
carry on the higher process of thought, especially abstract thinking, and the
ability to adapt to new situations.
Nature of Intelligence:
1.
It is the ability to
learn
2.
It is the ability to
solve problems.
3.
It is the ability to
deal with abstraction.
4.
It is the ability to
see relevant relationships with object or ideas.
5.
It is the ability to
apply acquired knowledge to new situations.
6.
Intelligence is excellence
of performance as manifested in efficient work
7.
It is the analytic and synthetic
ability of mind
2. Theories of intelligence
A number of
theories have been put forward by different psychologists from time to time to
explain the nature and structure of intelligence. The important theories are
discussed below.
1.
Monarchic
Theory(Unitary Theory)
This theory
holds that intelligence consists of one factor, a fund of intellectual
competence, which is universal to all activities of the individual. It is
the general mental ability of the individual that enables him to succeed in
every sphere of life. This theory fails to explain why people perform unevenly
in different fields.
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