Intelligence: In Pursuit of Rational Thought and Effective Action 137
Objectives
After completing this chapter, you will be able to
- define intelligence;
- describe the approach of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale;
- specify key features of the Wechsler Intelligence Scales;
- explain the concept of an intelligence quotient (IQ);
- compare and contrast the concepts of validity and reliability in psychological
testing.
Consider how you might use the word intelligentin a short sentence. Here
are some answers that were obtained from members of an introductory psy-
chology class:
“I want to marry an intelligent person.”
“Is there intelligent life on Earth?”
“I want to raise intelligent children.”
“To be intelligent is both a curse and a blessing.”
“It’s difficult to make intelligent decisions.”
“I always have the feeling that that my friends are more intelligent than I am.”
“I’m intelligent when it comes to math, but not in my way of relating to other
people.”
As you can see from these statements, the concept of intelligence is a perva-
sive one entering into most aspects of behavior and life.
Although the concept of intelligence is as familiar, in a way, as an old shoe, it
has a quality of mystery about it. Familiarity should not breed contempt in this
case. We shouldn’t be confident that we really understand intelligence until we
explore its more important features.
Intelligence: What Is It?
Intelligenceis the global ability of the individual to think clearly and to function
effectively in the environment. This definition of intelligence is based on the
thinking and writing of the clinical psychologist David Wechsler (1896–1981),
author of the widely used Wechsler Intelligence Scales. (There will be more about
the Wechsler Scales later.)
