IQ's Corner: September 2022

Friday, September 23, 2022

What do undergraduates learn about human intelligence? An analysis of introductory psychology textbooks.

https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2018-07714-001.html

Human intelligence is an important construct in psychology, with far-reaching implications, providing insights into fields as diverse as neurology, international development, and sociology. Additionally, IQ scores can predict life outcomes in health, education, work, and socioeconomic status. Yet, students of psychology are often exposed to human intelligence only in limited ways. To ascertain what psychology students typically learn about intelligence, we analyzed the content of 29 of the most popular introductory psychology textbooks to learn (a) the most frequently taught topics related to human intelligence, (b) the accuracy of information about human intelligence, and (c) the presence of logical fallacies about intelligence research. We found that 79.3% of textbooks contained inaccurate statements and 79.3% had logical fallacies in their sections about intelligence. The five most commonly taught topics were IQ (93.1% of books), Gardner's multiple intelligences (93.1%), Spearman's g (93.1%), Sternberg's triarchic theory (89.7%), and how intelligence is measured (82.8%). Conversely, modern models of intelligence were only discussed in 24.1% of books, with only one book discussing the Carroll three-stratum model by name and no book discussing bifactor models of intelligence. We conclude that most introductory psychology students are exposed to some inaccurate information and may have the mistaken impression that nonmainstream theories (e.g., Sternberg's or Gardner's theories) are as empirically supported as g theory. This has important implications for the undergraduate curriculum and textbook authors. Readers should be aware of the limitations of the study, including the choice of standards for accuracy for the study and the inherent subjectivity required for some of the data collection process.

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Kevin S. McGrew, PhD
Educational & School Psychologist
Director
Institute for Applied Psychometrics (IAP)
https://www.themindhub.com
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Thursday, September 22, 2022

The genetics of specific cognitive abilities - ScienceDirect

Posted this earlier in year when I saw in preprint. Formal pub now out.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289622000708

Most research on individual differences in performance on tests of cognitive ability focuses on general cognitive ability (g), the highest level in the three-level Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) hierarchical model of intelligence. About 50% of the variance of g is due to inherited DNA differences (heritability) which increases across development. Much less is known about the genetics of the middle level of the CHC model, which includes 16 broad factors such as fluid reasoning, processing speed, and quantitative knowledge. We provide a meta-analytic review of 747,567 monozygotic-dizygotic twin comparisons from 77 publications for these middle-level factors, which we refer to as specific cognitive abilities (SCA), even though these factors are not independent of g. Twin comparisons were available for 11 of the 16 CHC domains. The average heritability across all SCA is 56%, similar to that of g. However, there is substantial differential heritability across SCA and SCA do not show the developmental increase in heritability seen for g. We also investigated SCA independent of g (SCA.g). A surprising finding is that SCA.g remain substantially heritable (53% on average), even though 25% of the variance of SCA that covaries with g has been removed. Our review highlights the need for more research on SCA and especially on SCA.g. Despite limitations of SCA research, our review frames expectations for genomic research that will use polygenic scores to predict SCA and SCA.g. Genome-wide association studies of SCA.g are needed to create polygenic scores that can predict SCA profiles of cognitive abilities and disabilities independent of g.

Specific Learning Disability Identification in an RtI Method: Do Measures of Cognitive Ability Matter? - Hajovsky - Learning Disabilities Research & Practice - Wiley Online Library

Specific Learning Disability Identification in an RtI Method: Do Measures of Cognitive Ability Matter? - Hajovsky - Learning Disabilities Research & Practice - Wiley Online Library
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ldrp.12292

This study examined the extent to which cognitive ability index scores predicted multidisciplinary teams' (MDT) SLD identification within a response-to-intervention (RtI) method after accounting for RtI slope and norm-referenced achievement scores. Results showed that four achievement composite scores (i.e., basic reading, reading comprehension, math computation, and math problem solving) and two cognitive ability index scores (i.e., crystallized ability, working memory) predicted MDT-determined SLD, explaining 81% of the variance. The inclusion of academic achievement and cognitive ability index scores predicted MDT-determined SLD with 90% accuracy; cognitive ability index scores only increased specificity (sensitivity = 95%; specificity = 79%). RtI slope did not predict MDT-determined SLD, which was a required component of the evaluation.

Saturday, September 10, 2022

g's little helpers – VOTAT and NOTAT mediate the relation between intelligence and complex problem solving - ScienceDirect

g's little helpers – VOTAT and NOTAT mediate the relation between intelligence and complex problem solving - ScienceDirect
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160289622000666

Abstract
Intelligence and complex problem solving (CPS) correlate closely, but little is known about the mechanism that translates intelligence into successful CPS. Therefore, this study considered the strategic exploration behaviors VOTAT (vary-one-thing-at-a-time) and NOTAT (vary no-thing-at-a-time) as possible mediators. A sample of 495 high-school students worked on nine CPS tasks, six of which with solely direct effects and three with direct and eigendynamic effects. We expected substantial mediation effects if the applied strategic behaviors were optimal to identify the particular underlying effect types (i.e., direct effects: VOTAT; direct and eigendynamic effects: VOTAT and NOTAT). The model for tasks with only direct effects revealed VOTAT and NOTAT to be substantial mediators: Whereas VOTAT showed substantial positive relations to intelligence and CPS performance, NOTAT unexpectedly showed substantial negative relations. Both VOTAT and NOTAT resulted in significant indirect mediation effects. The model for tasks with direct and eigendynamic effects showed substantial positive relations of VOTAT and NOTAT to intelligence and CPS-performance and resulted in significant and positive indirect mediation effects. Moreover, the indirect effects differed between VOTAT and NOTAT and across the two facets of CPS performance. Overall, strategic exploration behaviors are relevant for explaining the g-CPS-relation.

Friday, September 02, 2022

Capital Defendants with Intellectual Disability | Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law

Capital Defendants with Intellectual Disability | Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
http://jaapl.org/content/50/3/484?etoc

In Jackson v. Payne, 9 F.4th 646 (8th Cir. 2021), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed the federal district court ruling that defendant Alvin Bernal Jackson was intellectually disabled and thus was ineligible for the death penalty. The Eighth Circuit found that the district court's ruling, which did not credit Mr. Jackson's adaptive functioning strengths, was consistent with Arkansas' statutory requirements and U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

Psychological assessment reports for linguistically minoritized clients: Considerations for ethical and professional practice. - PsycNET

Psychological assessment reports for linguistically minoritized clients: Considerations for ethical and professional practice. - PsycNET
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2022-96586-001

Abstract
According to the national census, approximately a fifth of the adult population in the United States uses a language other than English in their home. Less precise information is available regarding the language preferences of children and adolescents, D/deaf individuals, and other individuals in the United States who are not represented in national surveys. The field of psychology has increasingly acknowledged and addressed the lived experiences of culturally and linguistically minoritized individuals in the United States through relevant research and clinical practice guidelines. As a result, more accessible and equitable practices for psychological assessments have been developed when working with linguistically minoritized clients. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of information in the extant literature regarding drafting psychological assessment reports for linguistically minoritized clients. This article explores the ethical and professional responsibilities of psychologists when engaged in this work and provides proposed practices for drafting and delivering accessible assessment reports for linguistically minoritized clients. Recommendations are provided regarding how psychologists can share the results of an assessment with a referral source using written English and also support a client in accessing the information in their primary language. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)