Some of these definitions are given below:
"Intelligence is the potential or ability of a person to adjust to new conditions." -William Stern
"Intelligence can be defined as the ability of a person to act purposefully, think rationally and deal effectively with his environment." -D.L. Weschler
"Intelligence can be describe as the ability to learn quickly at a given time and to remember the learned material." -Habour and Freud
"The power of readjustment to relatively novel situation by organizing new psycho-physical combinations." -Burnt
"The ability to carry out abstract thinking" -Terman
"The power of good response from the point of view of truth or fact." -Thorndike
"The ability to undertake activities that are characterized by difficulty, complexity, adaptiveness to a goal, social value and the emergence of originals, and to maximum such activities under conditions that demand a concentration of energy and resistance to emotional forces." -Stoddad
TYPES OF INTELLIGENCE
Intelligence can be divided into three kinds:
1. Mechanical Intelligence.
2. Social Intelligence.
3. Abstract (or general) Intelligence.
1. Mechanical Intelligence: It is the skill to "manipulate tools and gadgets" and in managing the working of machines. Mechanical engineers and trained industrial workers have an abundance of mechanical intelligence.
2. Social Intelligence: It means understanding of people and the ability to act wisely in human relationships. Salesman, dipomates and politicians are to be socially intelligent.
3. Abstract Intelligence: It is the ability to handle words, numbers, formulae and scientific principles. A person with abstract intelligence is able to discover relations among symbols to solve problems eg. professionals like doctors, lawyers and literary men.
In selecting personnel for various jobs, it is useful to know the type of intelligence of the applicants.
NATURE OF INTELLIGENCE
Intelligence is complicated concept and was defined by scientists in many ways, which can be divided broadly into four categories:
Intelligence is the Ability of Adjusting in new Situation
Adjustment in new situation is always valuable behavioural skill because adjustment helps to satisfy own needs without altering or destroying existing conditions. Some people in new situations very comfortably but others find of hardship in it.
"Intelligence is the property of recombining our behaviour pattern as to act better in novel situation." -Wells
"Intelligence is the capacity of flexible adjustment" -Stern
"Intelligence is the conscious adaption to new situation." -Ross
The definition is in complete because intelligence is not simply an ability of adjustment. It is more than that eg. Solving Mathematical problem do require different skill.
INTELLIGENCE IS ABILITY OF BEST UTILIZATION OF PAST EXPERIENCE
Past experience help to person to solve present problems, There are some people, Who utilize their past experience with best outputs. Some people never learn anything from past. Thus people vary in their ability of utilization of past experience.
"Intelligence is ability to make profitable use to past experiences." -Ebbinghaus and Thorndike
"Intelligence is to profit by experiences." -Dearborn
But when a situation is novel and past experience are of no use, even then intelligence do help is solving the problems.
INTELLIGENCE IS THE ABILITY TO LEARN
Difference is the speed of learning are also observed. A given task taught to a group of individual under similar conditions, some people learn the things very quickly. Some at moderate speed and few may be unable to learn anything. Thus ability to learn varies in individuals.
"Intelligence is the ability to learn." -Buckingham and calvin
Learning is not always important in intelligence because it is more than simply learning.
INTELLIGENCE IS THE ABILITY OF ABSTRACT THINKING
Abstract thinking refers to the type of thinking in which the material for thinking is not present in any physical form in front of person.
For example: Imagination of the problem of fire in a house. People vary in their ability of abstract thinking. Some people make use of images, symbols, signs etc. very well in thinking and some other cannot do the same.
"Intelligence means abstract thinking."-Terman
"Intelligence is symbolic thinking."-Garset
"Intelligence is a judgement and commonsense. It is the ability to judge well. to comprehend well and to reason well." -Binet
"Intelligence is relational thinking. It is the ability to find relationship between the existing facts and to deduce further correlation" -Spearman
Abstract thinking does not play some role in intelligence, but it is not the only mode of intelligence otherwise it is difficult to define the intelligence of children who have concrete thinking as the basic mode of thinking.
INTELLIGENCE IS CONGREGATION OF MANY ABILITIES
All above mentioned definitions are incomplete one or other way. These definitions surely cannot define intelligence satisfactorily but the different abilities described in these definition are integral part of construct of intelligence. So a complete definition of intelligence can be framed if all abilities are summed up in one.
"Intelligence is the aggregate or goal capacity of the individual to purposefully think, and to deal effectively with the environment." -Wechsler
"Intelligence person uses past experience, concentrates his attention better, adjust to new situation and shows variability and versatility of response and does abstract thinking and capable of self criticism." -Husband
These definition seem more complete and effective in defining intelligence. It can be inferred from these definition that intelligence is a construct of various abilities or components. A lot of work is done to understand these factors or abilites. It is usually discussed that whether the intelligence is a general ability or it is construct od specific abilities? To understand the nature of intelligence, it is better to discuss different theories of intelligence.
MEASUREMENT OF INTELLIGENCE
All were made from ancient times to measure the intelligent people. Different non-specific approaches were prevaient at that time. Phrenological approach states that intelligence can be assessed by the size of the head of a person. Bigger the head higher will be the intelligence. Physiognomical approach states that intelligence depends upon the beauty of the face of a person. More a person is beautiful higher will be the intelligent level. Asthesimetric approach believes that sensitivity of body determines the intelligence level of a person high sensitivity indicates the higher intellectual ability. These all approaches were rejected as these were not scientific and have no reliability and validity in real life. Work was done to construct such type of tests which are highly scientific in nature. First such test was constructed by Binet. He is called the father of intelligence testing. After his work number of tests have been developed by many psychologists which can be divided into four categories.
VERBAL INTELLIGENCE TESTS
In these tests language is used written question are framed which can be answered orally or in writing. These tests can be administered on educated people only. Illiterate, abnormal and alien cannot perform on these tests. These tests can be applied individually or on a group.
NON-VERBAL INTELLIGENCE TESTS
Language is not used in these tests. Geometrical diagrams, wooden blocks, picture etc are used. These tests can be administered to educated, illiterates, abnormal and aliens. Test in which non-living objects are used are also called performance tests. These tests can be given individually or in group form. Non-verbal tests are constructed by expert psychologists.
INDIVIDUAL INTELLIGENCE TESTS
These tests are those which can be administered to an individual at a time. These tests are usually utilized in clinical settings. Administration of these tests require skilled and trained person only. Tests can be of verbal or non-verbal types.
GROUP INTELLIGENCE TESTS
Such tests can be administration to group at a time. These tests are usually used in competitive exams. Tests can be require trained or skilled person.Tests can be categorized in two more types:
1. Speed tests: These tests have such type of items which may not vary in difficulty level and these tests are time fixed. An individual has to perform in a limited time. Subject start and stop performing on the test with the instruction of experimenter.
2. Power tests: These tests have items which very in difficulty level. As a subject proceeds in solving the problems, the difficulty levels keeps on rising. Subject can take enough time but he is instructed to finish as soon as possible.
TYPES OF INTELLIGENCE TESTS
Stanford Binet test is an individual verbal test. They have oral items. The ability of individuals on concepts like comprehension, reasoning, vocabulary, memory etc. are measured by theirverbal abilities.
When the individual tests are given to large groups, they are called group tests of verbal type. When tests use very little language and focus on what people do with their hands they are called performance tests. These may be administered to an individual or to a large group.
Performance tests are useful when the person being tested cannot speak the language, is deaf or dump or has little education background. Group testing is widely used when it is necessary to screen, many people such those who seek admission to college, the military or various other kinds of employment. The patient's (subject's) cooperation is necessary for the proper assessment by these tests.
