Mrs. Johnson
English 11 Weighted
March 23, 2012
Studying “Smart”
For some reason, I have always wondered what “smart” really means. It has always been a question in my mind why some people were considered intelligent and what makes them so. I knew that there were geniuses like Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison who fascinated me with their brilliant minds and such great success. However I have noticed that people were smart in different ways. The terms “book smart” and “street smart” were often used to describe intelligence when I was younger, and I have often considered what that really means. That is why for this project I decided to learn for myself what it means to be intelligent.
When I started this project, I knew little about the subject. I realized that there had to be more than standardized tests to measure intelligence. I also believed that different people had natural gifts for different things and that had a part in determining how smart a person is. I typed in questions like “What does it mean to be smart?” into Google search. I used an article from Cathcart .com and had originally picked two other articles but later threw those out because the information was not what I needed. The term “psychology of smart” gave me results about investing and was not very useful. Then I used the search term “definition of intelligence in psychology” and had seemingly good results but the access was denied. I did use an article from About.com about different theories of intelligence. I went to Highbeam.com to search for some sources but I did not realize I had to sign up with the website to read the whole newspaper article. The best results were from the New York Times website. I used several articles and op-ed columns in my paper, getting a different perspective from almost every source. In the past I have gotten very good articles from Buzzle.com so I went to the website and searched “intelligence.” I chose from the results an article containing information about the IQ test which is a big part of intelligence research in psychology. Perhaps my best source was the psychology textbook. It talked about all the different theories of what it means to be intelligent and how useful are standardized tests. Originally I had felt comfortable with so many sources but later decided to narrow it down to just the ones I needed.
The source that was the biggest help to me was the psychology textbook. As I read it I found out that there are many questions pertaining to intelligence. There are scientific views of what it means and ways of measuring how much intelligence one has. The chapter talked about two approaches to measuring intelligence. The psychometric approach uses standardized tests like the Intelligent Quotient test and the Scholastic Aptitude Test. The cognitive approach is that there are many kinds of intelligence and includes a couple theories concerning the different kinds. The text goes on to say that the good IQ kind of intelligence is highly heritable and also explains what affects mental ability. Another notable fact was that it said that motivation had a lot to do with how successful one may become.
Other significant sources were articles from the New York Times newspaper. In “Genius: The Modern View” I learned that the recent theory of success is that hard work and a lot of effort are essential. Being able to focus on one thing and practicing it regularly is the best way to accomplish one’s task and become a genius. Another contributing article “Sorry, Strivers: Talent Matters” gave me another perspective on earning great success. It stated that IQ scores correlate with many other factors of accomplished people. Intellectual ability varies in everyone, and those born with higher mental capacities tend to be more successful. Practice and motivation are important, but natural talent is the key according to this source.
When I started this project trying to find out the real meaning of the word “smart,” I soon discovered that there is no clear definition. Psychologists debate over the idea of intelligence, and there are several different theories. There are different interpretations of genius as well as how one becomes successful. The research results from my project explain all these different ideas.
One theory defining intelligence involves the g-factor, a general ability that can be measured by standardized tests (Wade, Tavris 228). Charles Spearman came up with the idea by comparing results from tests and concluding that if a person did well on one of these tests, they were likely to do well on the others (Cherry). However, this theory is highly disputed due to the fact that a person can in fact do great on one test and not so well on the others (Wade, Tavris 228).
There are two main approaches to intelligence in psychology. The psychometric approach is more traditional and is based on performance on aptitude tests. The IQ test is perhaps the most prominent yet controversial measurement of intelligence in psychology. Although it was originally developed to see if kids needed more attention in their studies, it became the ultimate measurement of mental capability. However, there are arguments that IQ tests are not sufficient in determining intelligence. Minorities in America are affected by a disadvantage called cultural bias meaning that some questions require previous knowledge of certain cultural aspects that may not pertain to everyone. There are also different factors that may cause a person to feel anxious or pressured while taking the IQ test, one being the stereotype threat (Wade, Tavris 228-31). Therefore, determining intelligence cannot be based solely on IQ scores.
The other aspect on intelligence in psychology called the cognitive approach studies different kinds of intelligence as well as how people solve a problem or adapt to the situation (Wade, Tavris 232). The triarchic theory states that “successful intelligence” is split into three parts. The first part, analytical intelligence, involves the ability to come up with a solution to a particular problem. Creative intelligence is using knowledge from past experiences in a new situation. The last part is called practical intelligence because it is the understanding one’s environment and being to adapt to it (Cherry).
Another theory divides intelligence into seven parts: verbal, visual, physical, musical, mathematical and logical, introspective, and interpersonal. Everyone possesses all seven kinds of intelligence, but some may be stronger than others (Cathcart). For example, Kim Peeks, famously known as the inspiration for the movie “Rain Man” was a savant. He was not capable of dressing himself yet at the same time he was able to memorize a vast amount of literature, music, and mathematics (Weber).
A major question I had when beginning this project was what exactly makes famous geniuses like Einstein and Edison, well, geniuses. In order to find my answer, I researched articles from the New York Times. One in particular stated that no one is born a genius. Genius is defined as “the ability to focus for long periods of time and a farther intent on improving [one’s] skills.” Those who can create a dedicated practice of their task can reach great mental capabilities (Brooks). In David Shenk’s book The Genius in All of Us, he says that anyone can be a genius by practicing hard and reaching into that part of the brain that would otherwise not be used. It is important to concentrate on learning something and be passionate about it (Paul). Successful people concentrate on their field of study and focus their energy on becoming better. Knowledge does not naturally come to people but comes when we challenge ourselves and what we learn (Pinker). Steve Jobs, for example, is called a genius not only for his knowledge of technology but also for his understanding of the way people think and operate. He along with other geniuses like Einstein and Edison used imagination and natural instinct to become successful (Isaacson).
On the other hand, there is an argument that success has more to do with talent than practice. IQ scores are a large factor in achieving one’s goal. Lots of practice is important to accomplish something, but it is not the only part of becoming successful. Intellectual ability plays a major role as well. Two people who practice just as hard and just as long may still differentiate in greatness due to different levels of memory capacity (Hambrick, Meinz).
The worst technological issues I have had with this project I think were just me not being able to completely understand the blog and what to do with it. I had some trouble finding sources at first because my search terms were not getting the results I wanted. There was some frustration when I thought I had a found a good source and the access was denied or the website required a membership. Other than that I was fortunate enough to get the work done that needed to be.
Through this project, I learned that there are many different ideas surrounding this thing called intelligence. Contrary to popular belief, test scores are not the best measurement of knowledge. There is much more to it than that. In my future, I will remember that it takes more than natural talent to achieve my goals. It also takes hard work and discipline. Being dedicated and passionate about this goal will bring me the best outcome. I also learned that maybe everyone is smart in their own way no matter what test scores may reveal. It makes me appreciate the great diversity of the human race and what we can accomplish.
Works Cited
Brooks, David. "Genius: The Modern View." Editorial. New York Times 1 May 2009: A23. Web. 13 Mar. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/opinion/01brooks.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=genius%20the%20modern%20view&st=cse>. The secret to having a special talent or being a genius is concentrating very hard during long periods of time. It is being dedicated to one's subject and focusing on becoming better. Practice separates geniuses from those who are just good. No one is born a genius. A person becomes one when he or she is able to develop a successful routine to accomplish his or her goal. All together this source was very helpful in defining the word "genius" and giving another perspective on intelligence besides IQ.
Cathcart, Jim. "7 Intelligences: What Does It Mean to Be Smart?" Web log post. Cathcart Institute. Web. 8 Mar. 2012. <http://cathcart.com/media-press/motivation-articles/7-intelligences-what-does-it-mean-to-be-smart/>. Cathcart explains that there are seven multiple intelligences. He also says that "smart" is more than IQ scores. I think that the definintions of these seven intelligences will help my project when I explain the different theories.
Cherry, Kendra. "Theories of Intelligence." About.com. Web. 8 Mar. 2012. <http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/p/intelligence.htm>. With this article, I learned about four theories of intelligence. Spearman believed in general intelligence that can be tested and measured. Thurstone believed in seven "primary mental abilities." Garder came up with the theory that there are eight intelligences based on talent. Steinberg's triarchic theory of intelligence says that "successful intelligence" is made up of analytical, creative, and practical intelligences. This was very informative of what psychologists propose what intelligence is. It proved that there is no clear definition of intelligence.
Hambrick, David Z., and Elizabeth J. Meinz. "Sorry, Strivers: Talent Matters." Editorial. New York Times 19 Nov. 2011. Web. 8 Mar. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/20/opinion/sunday/sorry-strivers-talent-matters.html>. This article states that those with a higher IQ are more likely to become successful. Different levels of working memory separate those who are good from the greatly talented. Practice is an important factor in accomplishing something, but natural talent is also very important. This information challenges information from other articles that say lots of practice is more important.
Isaacson, Walter. "The Genius of Jobs." Editorial. New York Times 29 Oct. 2011. Web. 8 Mar. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/30/opinion/sunday/steve-jobss-genius.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all>. What made Steve Jobs a genius was his ability to read people, to understand what people like and how they operate. He also had a great imagination and often based his decisions on instinct. He is compared with Einstein who was a genius for his intuition and imagination as well. The author says that there is a difference between smart and ingenious. He says that Mr. Jobs's greatness greatness was his ability to combine people skills with technological knowledge. This article was very helpful in learning an interesting perspective on what it means to be a genius.
Paul, Annie Murphy. "How to Be Brilliant." Rev. of The Genius in All of Us, by David Shenk. New York Times 21 Mar. 2010: 19. Web. 8 Mar. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/21/books/review/Paul-t.html>. David Shenk encourages us to reach into that part of the brain we don't normally use to become a genius. All we have to do, he says, is really concentrate on learning something. He tells us to think of talent "not as something we have, but as something we do." A lot of practice and being passionate about it results in success. He believes that there is no limit to what we can accomplish.
Pinker, Steven. "Mind Over Mass Media." Editorial. New York Times 10 June 2010: A31. Web. 13 Mar. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/11/opinion/11Pinker.html>. Media does not diminish intelligence. Success comes whrn we concentrate on one field. Knowledge is aquired when we think critically and analyze and debate. This article backs up other sources not being a very strong resource itself, but it did provide opinion on the aquirement of knowledge.
Wade, Carole, and Carol Tavris. "Thinking and Intelligence." Invitation to Psychology. Ed. Leah Jewell. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2005. 228-39. Print. Using this textbook, I learned that there is some debate over intelligence. It also had a lot of information about the origin of the IQ test, its effectiveness in determining intelligence, and the problems with it. The chapter covered different theories of intelligence and how accurate they may be. It also said that the good IQ kind of intelligence is highly heritable. It also reviewed reasons for reduced mental ability. The text went on to say that motivation is possibly the biggest factor in success despite IQ scores.
Weber, Bruce. "Kim Peek, Inspiration for 'Rain Man,' Dies at 58." New York Times 27 Dec. 2009: A30. Web. 13 Mar. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/27/us/27peek.html?pagewanted=all>. Kim Peek could not even dress himself but could memorize Shakespearean plays. He "had perhaps the world's most capacious memory for facts." His social skills were not as good as most people, but his memory was remarkable. This provided a very good example of the complications in defining intelligence. He could not do simple tasks like brushing his own teeth but could memorize whole musical compositions. It was incredible that he was so smart yet disabled.
