INTELLIGENCE

The word intelligence, in brief, is one’s ability and capability to think and reason abstractly, and to handle or comprehend mental concepts. An IQ is an abbreviation of Intelligence Quotient. The word intelligence, as we read earlier, is one’s ability and capability to think and reason abstractly, and to handle or comprehend mental concepts. But quotient means the result (outcome) of dividing two numbers. So IQ is a number (or score) which represents the mental abilities and capabilities of a person in comprehending complex abstract ideas and his level of quickness in generally learning new concepts and reasoning logically from experience. Mathematically, IQ can be defined as the ratio of mental age (mental ability [MA]) to chronological age (CA) multiplied by 100. It is expressed as . Performance of a person’s abilities and capabilities (intelligence) can be measured by using IQ tests (IQTs) or standardized intelligence tests [SITs] (standardized psychometric tests [SPTs]).

Mental age (MA) was first proposed and defined by a French psychologist Alfred Binet after experimenting with children with series of tests which later became intelligence test in 1905. But according to Wikipedia (2017), in 1890, James Cattell published what some consider the first “mental test”. Later on as our interest for human intelligence became more focus on psychology, the abbreviation of IQ was first coined by a Germany psychologist William Stern in 1912. The score of a person’s mental age (MA) divided by his chronological age (CA) multiplied by 100 will give his IQ score. Mental age (MA) is the same as mental ability (MA) and chronological age (CA) is the same as the physical age (PA).

Intelligence, from a panoramic view, is a set of general mental abilities and capabilities acquired or acquiring used in comprehending complex ideas, abstract concepts, planning, problem-solving, logical reasoning, creativity, quick learning either through experience and/or intuition in everyday life at different situational circumstances [in a morally accepted manner]. Per the definition above, any skill or ability that falls within these criteria can be seen as intelligence. This means there can be many types, forms and groups of intelligence. There is no doubt that IQ tests can be designed to test multiple intelligence or specific intelligence. The notion of whether intelligence should be seen as single-General Intelligence or multiple-Specific Intelligence people develop has brought different schools of thought to examine the kinds, types, forms and groups of human intelligence.

Generally, measuring intelligence can be general ability or specific ability, this is because people possess different abilities (or intelligence). But it is always better to test and measure the general performance (or the general intelligence) of people to make a generalized statement, while specific intelligence will be meant for specific purpose. In testing and measuring the intelligence of a group people with different aptitudes and skills it’s advisable to measure their general intelligence rather than their individualized intelligence. Unless the tests are meant for specific intelligence and the group in question possess the same ability. For children intelligence tests there are areas most of the tests assess. These areas are numeracy and arithmetic ability, reading and verbal comprehension (language enrichment), memory and information processing, perceptual reasoning, spatial and pattern driven.

But in terms of adults the four basic or common abilities or the four common intelligence that most standardized psychometric tests test to make a broader prediction/conclusion are the same as those above but in different forms. These abilities are mathematical ability (intelligence) (numeracy ability or numbers and numerals logic), verbal-linguistic ability (literacy and analysis ability), logic and reasoning ability (logical reasoning), and spatial ability (spatial artistic ability). As a matter of fact proper IQ tests cannot be comprehensive, reliable valid without including the aforementioned aptitudes and abilities in their contents. How will you judge an IQ test meant to test and measure the intelligence of pupils’ suitability in a particular grade (say grade 4 or 5) but shockingly it asks the pupils to run 50 metres distance on a football pitch or asks them to dance Azonto well or sing solo/reggae music?

I’m not saying skills and talents in sporting activities or performing arts are not important; but the fact is that looking at what we expect from the pupils it is useless to test them on these sport activities. However, our aim is whether the pupils can mentally handle new concepts in grade 4/5, so therefore their numeracy, reading, verbal, perceptual thinking, spatial, memory retention, information processing abilities should be our main focus and tested as such.