Factor analysis
a statistical procedure that identifies clusters of related items (called factors) on a test; used to identify different dimensions of performance that underlie one's total score
General intelligence
a general intelligence factor that according to Spearman and others underlies specific mental abilities and is therefore measured by every task on an intelligence test.
Intelligence
mental quality consisting of the ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use knowledge to adapt to new situations
Savant Syndrome
a condition in which a person otherwise limited in mental ability has an exceptional specific skill, such as in computation or drawing
Emotional Intelligence
the ability to perceive, understand, manage, and use emotions
Creativity
the ability to produce novel and valuable ideas
Intelligence test
a method for assessing an individual's mental aptitudes and comparing them with those of others, using numerical scores
Mental Age
a measure of intelligence test performance devised by Binet; the chronological age that most typically corresponds to a given level of performance
Stanford-Binet
the widely used American revision of Binet's original intelligence test
Aptitude test
a test designed to predict a person's future performance
Content Validity
the extent to which a test samples the behavior that is of interest
Achievement Test
a test designed to assess what a person has learned
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale
is the most widely used intelligence test; contains verbal and performance (nonverbal) subtests.
Validity
the extent to which a test measures or predicts what it is supposed to
Stereotype Threat
a self-confirming concern that one will be evaluated based on a negative stereotype
Standardization
defining meaningful scores by comparison with the performance of a pretested standardization group
Reliability
the extent to which a test yields consistent results, as assessed by the consistency of scores on two halves of the test, on alternate forms of the test, or on retesting
Predictive Validity
The success with which a test predicts the behavior it is designed to predict; it is assessed by computing the correlation between test scores and the criterion behavior.
Normal Curve
the symmetrical bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many physical and psychological attributes. Most scores fall near the average, and fewer and fewer scores lie near the extremes.
Criterion
the behavior that a test is designed to predict
Down Syndrome
A condition of retardation and associated physical disorders caused by an extra chromosome in one's genetic makeup
Intelligence Quotient
defined originally as the ratio of mental age (ma) to chronological age (ca) multiplied by 100 (thus, IQ = ma/ca � 100). On contemporary intelligence tests, the average performance for a given age is assigned a score of 100.
Mental Retardation
a condition of limited mental ability, indicated by an intelligence score of 70 or below and difficulty in adapting to the demands of life; varies from mild to profound