The Measurement of Intelligence through IQ Tests Essay -- Intelligence

The Measurement of Intelligence through IQ Tests Can intelligence be measured? Does an IQ test actually measure a persons intelligence? Does a high score indicate a sense datum? Does a low score indicate stupidity or merely ignorance? These questions have been asked over and over again by psychiatrists and scientists alike, but to date there be no clear resolutenesss. These questions cannot be exerciseed without first defining what is meant by the term intelligence. Once intelligence has been defined then it should be easy to answer these questions however, ternary definitions of the word tend to lead to further confusion.In a 1921 symposium entitled Intelligence and Its Measurement, psychiatrists were asked to define intelligence and their answers varied greatly. One exposit intelligence as equivalent to the capacity to learn. Other definitions included the ability to adapt adequately to relatively new situations, the capacity to learn or boodle from experience, an d the experience that an individual possesses. And one stated that there was no simple definition to the word because intelligence involves two factors- the capacity for knowledge and knowledge possessed (Sternberg & Detterman, 1986, p.39-40). Dictionaries add still more definitions Funk & Wagnalls defines intelligence as The faculty of perceiving and comprehending meaning mental quickness active intellect understanding , while Websters defines it as the ability to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying situations the skilled use of reason. date some of these definitions are similar, none of them are exactly the same.The definition of intelligence becomes even more complicated when one considers the work of Howard Gardner. Gardner claims that intelligence can not be defined with one definition because intelligence is not one thing. Gardner purports that there are eight different categories of intelligence musical, bodily-kinesthetic, logical-mathematical, linguist ic, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist. He is currently considering adding a ninth category of intelligence existential (Carvin).Gardner believes that all people excel in at least one category of intelligence. However, he cautions teachers using the multiple intelligence approach in the classroom Do not label kids as spatial, but not linguistic or, for that... ... when they arrive the store is out of bread. The children are then asked what they would do with points only being scored for the answer of going to other store however, for children living in large urban ghetto areas the most popular answer has traditionally been to go home. Researchers argue that, considering the environment that these children live in, going home would be a much more intelligent decision than attempting to go to another store (Lawler, 1978, p.34). Can intelligence be measured? Does an IQ test actually measure a persons intelligence? The answers all weigh on who you ask. Bi bliographyReferencesBlock, N. & Dworkin, G. (1976). The iq controversy. untested York Random House.Carvin, A. EdWeb Exploring technology and school reform. On-Line. Available http//edweb.gsn.org/edref.mi.intro.htmlDurie, R. The building tool room an interview with Howard Gardner. On-Line. Available http//www.newhorizons.org/trm_gardner.htmlLawler, J. (1978). Iq, heritability, and racism. New York International Publishers.Sternberg, R. & Detterman, D. (1986). What is intelligence. New Jersey Ablex Publishing Corporation.