intelligence

(noun)

Capacity of mind, especially to understand principles, truths, facts or meanings, acquire knowledge, and apply it to practice; the ability to learn and comprehend.

Related Terms

Examples of intelligence in the following topics:

  • Tilting the Tests: Discrimination by IQ

    • IQ is meant to measure intelligence but its validity as a measure of intelligence has been debated.
    • Intelligence is commonly measured using intelligence quotient (IQ) tests, which are meant to be a general measure of intelligence.
    • However, IQ tests only measure a narrow band of the broad spectrum of intelligence, excluding factors such as creativity or emotional intelligence.
    • The connection between race and intelligence has been a subject of debate in both popular science and academic research since the inception of intelligence testing in the early twentieth century.
    • Researchers have suggested a wide array of environmental factors that might influence intelligence.

  • Defining the Problem

    • For example, intelligence cannot be directly quantified.
    • But we can operationalize intelligence in various ways.
    • Or we might use years of education as a way to operationalize intelligence, assuming that a person with more years of education is also more intelligent.
    • Of course, others might dispute the validity of these operational definitions of intelligence by arguing that IQ or years of education are not good measures of intelligence.
    • After all, a very intelligent person may not have the means or inclination to pursue higher education, or a less intelligent person may stay in school longer because they have trouble completing graduation requirements.

  • Piaget

    • Piaget's theory of cognitive development is a comprehensive theory about the nature and development of human intelligence.
    • Piaget's theory of cognitive development is a comprehensive theory about the nature and development of human intelligence.
    • Intelligence is demonstrated through the logical use of symbols related to abstract concepts.

  • Stereotypes in Everyday Life

    • Certainly, there are some glasses-wearing, intelligent people.
    • But it is poor logic to think that everyone who sports glasses is intelligent.
    • Certainly, there are some glasses-wearing, intelligent people.
    • But it is poor logic to think that everyone who sports glasses is intelligent.

  • Intelligence and Inequality

    • Although schools' manifest function is to educate and train intelligence, they also have latent functions like socializing students.
    • Students who do best in school are not always the most intelligent, but are usually culturally competent and sociable.

  • Dimensions of Human Development

    • Babies between ages of 1 and 2 are called "toddlers. " In this stage, intelligence is demonstrated through the use of symbols, language use matures, and memory and imagination are developed.
    • In late childhood, intelligence is demonstrated through logical and systematic manipulation of symbols related to concrete objects.

  • Feral Children

    • Legendary and fictional feral children are often depicted as growing up with relatively normal human intelligence and skills and an innate sense of culture or civilization, coupled with a healthy dose of survival instincts.
    • These mythical children are often depicted as having superior strength, intelligence, and morals compared to "normal" humans.

  • The Feminist Perspective

    • First-wave feminism focused mainly on legal equality, such as voting, education, employment, marriage laws, and the plight of intelligent, white, middle-class women.

  • Prejudice

    • For example, as Hodge, Burden, Robinson, and Bennett (2008) point out, black male athletes are often believed to be more athletic, yet less intelligent, than their white male counterparts.

  • The Changing Definitions of Race

    • Races were almost universally considered to reflect group differences in moral character and intelligence.