Intelligence and its Characteristics

An intelligent Behaviour is that which is above the norms of a particular group. It is above the average behavior. 

Source : Internet 

There are four fold Classification of definitions of intelligence 

Ability to Adjust 

1. According to Binet (1905) Ability of an individual to direct his behaviour towards goal.
2. J. Piaget's ( 1926) Adaptation to physical and social environment.

Ability to learn

• Calvin: It is the ability to learn

• Spearman (1927): Intelligence may be thought of in terms of two abilities i.e "g" or general factor and "s" or specific factor. 

• Thurstone (1946): defines intelligence in terms of seven primary abilities 

Ability to Do Abstract Reasoning 

•  Spearman (1927)-"General intelligence which involves mainly education of relations and correlates."

• E.l Thorndike (1931)-" We may define intelligence in general as the power of good responses from the point of view of truth or fact"

• L.M. Terman (1921)-"An individual is intelligent in proportion as he is able to carry on abstract thinking.

Operational Definitions 

•  Boring (1948)-"Intelligence is what intelligence tests. 
•  Dockell (1970)-"Intelligence might be taken to mean 'ability' ie what a person can do at a moment."

CHIEF CHARACTERISTICS AND GENERALISATIONS ABOUT INTELLIGENCE

 Inherited Intelligence: Intelligence cannot be increased or decreased. The amount of intelligence that a person possesses is inherited and fixed. The amount though fixed does not reveal itself at the start of life. 

With the growth of the child, the amount inherited by a child also grows. The general belief is that the growth of intelligence stops and it reaches its limit at the age of sixteen or seventeen. It is true that a man of forty knows more than he was a boy of sixteen. But this does not mean that the amount of intelligence possessed by him has increased. This may be due to his experience. As regards his intelligence, his position remains the same. 

• Intelligence and Influence of Environmental Factors

It is certainly justifiable to assume that love, affection, concern and generosity judiciously bestowed on growing children, have very desirable effects. Poor environ- ments retard development of intelligence.

• Intelligence, Adjustment and Inventions

An intelligent person has the ability to adjust himself to the changing circumstances with ease, efficiency and speed. He has the capacity to assimilate ideas very quickly and dearly. He can cope with new situations very successfully. All the inventions of the world can be attributed to persons of very high intelligence. The unintelligent or the dullard fail to think of new situations. They are always guided by others. They lack originality.

• Distribution of Intelligence

 The majority of the school children, say about 60%, are found in the I.Q range 90-110 and are referred to as 'Nor- mal" or Average'. 

• Intelligence and Sex Differences

 Generally speaking, the research studies show that the average scores of the sexes are strikingly similar. 

• Intelligence and Race Differences

Every racial and cultural group contains some gifted children. Franz Boas states. "If we were to select the most intelligent, imaginative, energetic and emotionally stable third of man- kind, all races would be represented."

•  Three Broad Areas of Intelligent Behaviour

Thurstone has suggested that we may recognise at least three broad areas of intelligent behaviour: 

(i) Abstract Intelligence-He defined this as the "ability to understand and manage ideas and symbols, such as, words, numbers, chemical or physi- cal formulas, legal decisions. scientific principles and in the case of students this is very close to what is called scholastic aptitude.

 (ii) Mechanical Intelligence-This includes, The ability to clean to understand and manage things and mechanisms, such as a knife a gun a moving machine, and automobile, a boat, a lathe. 

(iii) Social Intelligence- This is the ability to understand and manage men and women, boys and girls to act wisely in human relations.

Intelligence Curve

If we plot a measure of intellectual development against chronological age from birth to adolescence using a random subject we will obtain S shaped curve

The following points comes to light from the curve:

• During early childhood there is a period of relatively rapid growth of intelligence followed by a slower rate during adolescence. 
• During Childhood the curve is more or less linear. 
• Mental development reaches almost at its maximum during early adult years.