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Cognition and Intelligence: Identifying the Mechanisms of the Mind
Cognition and Instruction focuses on the relationship of knowledge acquisition processes with instruction, including reading, writing, mathematics, curriculum design and reform, and reasoning. The selection first takes a look at the issues in cognitive psychology and instruction, reading, and writing. Discussions focus on the processes of knowledge acquisition, cognitive prescriptions for teaching, cognitive components of reading, instruction in reading, distinctive nature of higher order mental activity in written composition, and knowledge-transforming procedures within the general context of higher order skills. The publication also offers information on second language and mathematics. The text ponders on science, social studies, and art. Topics include psychological research related to curriculum design, science curriculum reform, curriculum and instructional components of social studies and social sciences, evidence for individual styles in young children, educational considerations, and concept of style. The text then examines music and reasoning. The selection is a valuable source of data for readers and cognitive psychologists pursuing research on the relationship of cognition and instruction.
- GenresPsychology
360 pages, Hardcover
First published May 12, 1988
About the author
Robert J. Sternberg
319 books194 followersRobert J. Sternberg's spectacular research career in psychology had a rather inauspicious beginning. In elementary school he performed poorly on IQ tests, and his teachers' actions conveyed their low expectations for his future progress. Everything changed when his fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Alexa, saw that he had potential and challenged him to do better. With her encouragement, he became a high-achieving student, eventually graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Yale University. In a gesture of gratitude, Dr. Sternberg dedicated his book, Successful Intelligence to Mrs. Alexa.
Dr. Sternberg's personal experiences with intelligence testing in elementary school lead him to create his own intelligence test for a 7 th grade science project. He happened to find the Stanford-Binet scales in the local library, and with unintentional impertinence, began administering the test to his classmates; his own test, the Sternberg Test of Mental Abilities (STOMA) appeared shortly thereafter. In subsequent years he distinguished himself in many domains of psychology, having published influential theories relating to intelligence, creativity, wisdom, thinking styles, love and hate.
Dr. Sternberg's Triarchic Theory of (Successful) Intelligence contends that intelligent behavior arises from a balance between analytical, creative and practical abilities, and that these abilities function collectively to allow individuals to achieve success within particular sociocultural contexts. Analytical abilities enable the individual to evaluate, analyze, compare and contrast information. Creative abilities generate invention, discovery, and other creative endeavors. Practical abilities tie everything together by allowing individuals to apply what they have learned in the appropriate setting. To be successful in life the individual must make the best use of his or her analytical, creative and practical strengths, while at the same time compensating for weaknesses in any of these areas. This might involve working on improving weak areas to become better adapted to the needs of a particular environment, or choosing to work in an environment that values the individual's particular strengths. For example, a person with highly developed analytical and practical abilities, but with less well-developed creative abilities, might choose to work in a field that values technical expertise but does not require a great deal of imaginative thinking. Conversely, if the chosen career does value creative abilities, the individual can use his or her analytical strengths to come up with strategies for improving this weakness. Thus, a central feature of the triarchic theory of successful intelligence is adaptability-both within the individual and within the individual's sociocultural context.
Dr. Sternberg's personal experiences with intelligence testing in elementary school lead him to create his own intelligence test for a 7 th grade science project. He happened to find the Stanford-Binet scales in the local library, and with unintentional impertinence, began administering the test to his classmates; his own test, the Sternberg Test of Mental Abilities (STOMA) appeared shortly thereafter. In subsequent years he distinguished himself in many domains of psychology, having published influential theories relating to intelligence, creativity, wisdom, thinking styles, love and hate.
Dr. Sternberg's Triarchic Theory of (Successful) Intelligence contends that intelligent behavior arises from a balance between analytical, creative and practical abilities, and that these abilities function collectively to allow individuals to achieve success within particular sociocultural contexts. Analytical abilities enable the individual to evaluate, analyze, compare and contrast information. Creative abilities generate invention, discovery, and other creative endeavors. Practical abilities tie everything together by allowing individuals to apply what they have learned in the appropriate setting. To be successful in life the individual must make the best use of his or her analytical, creative and practical strengths, while at the same time compensating for weaknesses in any of these areas. This might involve working on improving weak areas to become better adapted to the needs of a particular environment, or choosing to work in an environment that values the individual's particular strengths. For example, a person with highly developed analytical and practical abilities, but with less well-developed creative abilities, might choose to work in a field that values technical expertise but does not require a great deal of imaginative thinking. Conversely, if the chosen career does value creative abilities, the individual can use his or her analytical strengths to come up with strategies for improving this weakness. Thus, a central feature of the triarchic theory of successful intelligence is adaptability-both within the individual and within the individual's sociocultural context.
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March 8, 2021
“Cognition & Intelligence” is not exactly an easy book for a layman to read. I am, however, quite interested in knowing as much as I can about what distinguishes a highly intelligent person from an “average” person, with respect to what particular properties of brain functions are found in to prevail to what degree for each level of intelligence.
The “Preface” to this book (page x) states that: “This book is written for upper division undergraduate students, graduate students, career professionals, and anyone else who wishes to understand the current landscape with respect to the study of cognition and intelligence.”
I am neither a student nor a professional psychologist, neuroscientist, or researcher. I found this book to have quite a lot of challenging essays (it consists of 16 essays – chapters – by different authors), and some of those are technical enough that only a professional in the respective field of study would likely genuinely grasp the details of the expositions.
Professionals, of course, debate over exactly what it is that constitutes intelligence, and yet further debates arise over questions pertaining to the degrees of heritability of intelligence, influences of environment, etc. Additional deficiencies in knowledge about intelligence arise from a lack of understanding of what neural correlates determine intelligence – to the extent to which neural correlates are the decisive factor. If certain neural properties correlate with intelligent functioning, then which particular neural properties are the ones that foster intelligent behaviors? It appears that neuroscience, psychology, psychometrics, etc. are not advanced enough to answer such questions. One might suppose that they could, in principle, be answered, even if current knowledge, techniques, and skills do not facilitate such feats.
From my perspective, the book, although somewhat challenging reading, was sufficiently interesting and enlightening to make it a quite worthwhile read.
The “Preface” to this book (page x) states that: “This book is written for upper division undergraduate students, graduate students, career professionals, and anyone else who wishes to understand the current landscape with respect to the study of cognition and intelligence.”
I am neither a student nor a professional psychologist, neuroscientist, or researcher. I found this book to have quite a lot of challenging essays (it consists of 16 essays – chapters – by different authors), and some of those are technical enough that only a professional in the respective field of study would likely genuinely grasp the details of the expositions.
Professionals, of course, debate over exactly what it is that constitutes intelligence, and yet further debates arise over questions pertaining to the degrees of heritability of intelligence, influences of environment, etc. Additional deficiencies in knowledge about intelligence arise from a lack of understanding of what neural correlates determine intelligence – to the extent to which neural correlates are the decisive factor. If certain neural properties correlate with intelligent functioning, then which particular neural properties are the ones that foster intelligent behaviors? It appears that neuroscience, psychology, psychometrics, etc. are not advanced enough to answer such questions. One might suppose that they could, in principle, be answered, even if current knowledge, techniques, and skills do not facilitate such feats.
From my perspective, the book, although somewhat challenging reading, was sufficiently interesting and enlightening to make it a quite worthwhile read.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review