308 CHAPTER 7
- Gifted persons are defined as those having IQ scores at the upper
end of the normal curve (130 or above). - Emotional intelligence involves being able to reach goals and
engage in productive thinking through accurate awareness and
effective management of our own emotions. It also involves our
ability to understand what others feel. - Terman conducted a longitudinal study that demonstrated
that gifted children grow up to be successful adults for the
most part. - Terman’s study has been criticized for a lack of objectivity
because Terman became too involved in the lives of several
of his participants, even to the point of intervening on their
behalf.
- 10 Evaluate the influence of heredity and
environment on the development of intelligence.
- Stronger correlations are found between IQ scores as genetic
relatedness increases. Heritability of IQ is estimated at .50. - In 1994, Herrnstein and Murray published The Bell Curve, in
which they made widely criticized claims about the heritability
of intelligence.
Language
- 11 Identify the different elements and structure of
language.
- Language is a system for combining symbols so that an infinite
number of meaningful statements can be created and communi-
cated to others. - Grammar is the system of rules by which language is governed
and includes the rules for using phonemes, morphemes, and
syntax. Pragmatics refers to practical aspects of language.
7. 12 Explain how language develops.- The stages of language development are cooing, babbling, one-
word speech (holophrases), telegraphic speech, and whole
sentences.
7. 13 Evaluate whether or not language influences how
people think.
- Sapir and Whorf originally proposed that language controls and
helps the development of thought processes and concepts, an
idea that is known as the linguistic relativity hypothesis.
- Other researchers have found evidence that concepts are univer-
sal and directly influence the development of language, called
the cognitive universalism viewpoint.
7. 14 Summarize the research on the ability of animals
to communicate and use language.
- Studies with chimpanzees, parrots, and dolphins have been
somewhat successful in demonstrating that animals can develop
a basic kind of language, including some abstract ideas.
- Controversy exists over the lack of evidence that animals can
learn syntax, which some feel means that animals are not truly
learning and using language.
- The stages of language development are cooing, babbling, one-
Views on Death Applying Psychology to Everyday Life: Cross-Cultural
Physical Exercises for Better Cognitive Health
- 15 Identify some methods for improving your
cognitive health.
- While specific mental exercises (such as those involving working
memory) may have some limited benefit, physical exercise pro-
moting aerobic fitness is extremely important for optimal cogni-
tive functioning.
Test Yourself
Pick the best answer.
- Researchers have found that it takes ____ to view a mental
image that is larger or covers more distance than a smaller or more
compact one.
a. longer
b. less time
c. the same amount of time
d. half the time
- Research suggests we engage mental images in our
mind ____ the way we engage or interact with
physical objects.
a. a little like
b. much like
c. not at all like
d. randomly and completely different than - A psychologist asks people to envision a circle. Next he asks them
to draw the circle they envisioned. When comparing the pictures,
almost all circles look identical. The fact that a circle typically fits a
specific and rigid set of rules is an example of a
a. formal concept.
b. natural concept.
c. fuzzy concept.
d. prototype.
- Trial and error is sometimes referred to as a(n)
a. algorithm.
b. heuristic.
c. rule of thumb.
d. mechanical solution.
- John and Karen bought a new house with an unfinished basement.
To determine how they want to finish it, they lay down tape on the
floor showing where walls will go and rooms will be. This process of
problem solving is known as
a. representativeness heuristic.
b. trial and error.
c. working backward from the goal.
d. algorithms. - One day at work, Pauline’s earring fell on the floor, and she was
unable to find the back. To keep from losing her earring, Pauline
reinserted it and used part of a pencil eraser to keep the earring in
place. Using a pencil eraser as a temporary earring back showed
that Pauline overcame
a. a mental set.
b. functional fixedness.
c. confirmation bias.
d. transformation bias.