Child Psychology Terms-Chapter 10

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factor analysis

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a statistical procedure used ot determine which of a number of factors, or scores, are both closely related to each other and relatively independent of other groups of factors, or scores.

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general factor (g)

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General mental ability involved in all cognitive tasks.

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specific factors (s)

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Factors unique to particular cognitive tasks.

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triarchic theory of intelligence

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A theory that proposes three major components of intelligence: information-processing skills, experience with a task, and ability to adapt to the demands of a context.

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successful intelligence

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Ability to fit into, change, and choose environments that best fulfill one's own needs and desires as well as the demands of one's society and culture. Includes analytical, creative, and practical abilities.

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tacit knowledge

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Implicit knowledge that is shared by many people and that guides behavior.

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theory of multiple intelligences

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Gardner's multifactorial theory that proposes eight distinct types of intelligence.

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intelligence quotient (IQ)

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An index of the way a person performs on a standardized intelligence test relative to the way others her age perform.

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culture-fair test

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A test that attempts to minimize cultural biases in content that might influence the test taker's responses.

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Bayley Scales of Infant Development

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A set of nonverbal tests that measure specific developmental milestones and are generally used with children thought to be at risk for abnormal development.

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Stanford-Binet Test

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The modern version of the first major intelligence test, emphasizes verbal and mathematical skills.

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mental age

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An index of a child's actual performance on an intelligence test compared with his true age.

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Wechsler Intelligence Scales

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Three intelligence tests for preschool children, school-age children, and adults that yield separate scores for verbal and performance IQ as well as a combined IQ score.

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deviation IQ

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An IQ score that indicates the extent to which a person's performance on a test deviates from age-mates' average performance.

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Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC)

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An intelligence test designed to measure several types of information-processing skills as well as achievement in some academic subjects.

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psychometrician

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A psychologist who specializes in the construction and use of tests designed to measure various psychological constructs such as intelligence and various personality characteristics.

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test norms

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Values, or sets of values, that describe the typical test performance of a specific group of people.

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standardization

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the process by which test constructors ensure that testing procedures, instructions, and scoring are identical, or as nearly so as possible, on every testing occasion.

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validity

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the extent to which a test actually measures what it claims to measure.

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reliability

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The degree to which a test yields consistent results over time or successive administrations.

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recovery

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The ability to recognize a new stimulus as novel and to direct attention to it in preference to a familiar stimulus.

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Flynn effect

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Increase in the average IQ score in the populations of the United States and other developed countries since the early 1900s, a phenomenon identified by J.R. Flynn

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associative learning

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According to Jensen, lower level learning tapped in tests of such things as short term memorization and recall, attention, rote learning, and simple associative skills. Also called level I learning.

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cognitive learning

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According to Jensen, higher level learning tapped in tests of such things as abstract thinking, symbolic processing, and the use of language in problem solving. Also called level II learning.

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congenital

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Characteristic acquired during development in the uterus or during the birth process and not through heredity.

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stereotype threat

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Being at risk of confirming a negative stereotype about the group to which one belongs.

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cumulative risk

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the notion that risk factors in children's life circumstances have cumulative negative effects on their intellectual performance.

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achievement motivation

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A person's tendency to strive for successful performance, to evaluate her performance against standards of excellence, and to feel pleasure at having performed successfully.

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Head Start

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A federally funded program that provides disadvantaged young children with preschool experience, social services, and medical and nutritional assistance.

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two-generation program

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A program of early cognitive intervention that extends help to parents as well as to their children.

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intellectual giftedness

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A characteristic defined by an IQ score of 130 or over; gifted children learn faster than others and may show early exceptional talents in certain areas.

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mental retardation

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A characteristic defined by an IQ score below 70 together with difficulty coping with age-appropriate activities of everyday life.

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learning disabilities

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Deficits in one or more cognitive processes important for learning.

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inclusion

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A policy by which children of all ability levels, whether learning disabled, physically handicapped, or mentally retarded, are included in the same classroom.

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creativity

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The ability to solve problems, create products, or pose questions in a way that is novel or unique.