PSYC 342 - Intelligence

This course will explore what “intelligence” means, how it is measured, and how the answers to those questions depend on time, place, and culture. While the foundation of the course is an understanding of “intelligence” as measureable cognitive abilities that vary across individuals, we will read and discuss critiques and alternative to this framework as well. Specific topics will include the history of IQ testing, the biology of intelligence, intellectual exceptionality, non-human intelligence, and “brain training”. Class sessions will mainly consist of student-led discussions of primary sources, infused sporatically with instruction in concepts from cognitive psychology, multivariate analysis, and theories of measurement. Counts as a Section B course in the Cognitive Science concentration. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100; PSYC 201 or STAT 155; and one intermediate Psychology course. Offered most years. (4 Credits)