Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 1.2
What figure fits into
vacant square?
?
The functions initially considered to represent intelligence were Judgment, Compre-
hension and Reasoning.
Intelligence should be measured by means of tests that clearly involve these
abilities and functions (Binet
1904
). Much later creativity was added to this list
(Guilford
1967
).
We can make the reasonable assumption that as a person grows through childhood
to become an adult their mental abilities will also grow. We can grade a range of
increasingly difficult tests according to the average age of the children and adults
that can solve a sub-range of the tests. In this way, an individual child or adult is
assign a Mental Age that is measured from the problems he or she can solve.
The tests must involve problem solving that requires both observation and insight.
These are built of questions such as:
Q1 (Fig.
1.2
).
Q2.
Find the missing letter.
FJNR_
Q3.
Insert the missing number.
812101612_
It is characteristic of these tests that people who do them report that the answers
come clearly either at once or after reviewing plausible insights. The tests presume
a single 'correct' answer, and only a limited time is allowed to find it.
It was noted that,
generally
, those children who have a Mental Age of twelve
when they are six would
tend
to have a Mental Age of sixteen when they are eight.
Hence the ratio of Mental Age over Chronological Age tends
on average
to be a
constant. This is not too surprising since such a result is inherent in the original
definition. What this also shows is that the growth of intelligence tends to follow a
stable pattern, as do other physical attributes.
