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IELTS Reading Passage – The Concept of Intelligence
The Concept of Intelligence
Looked at in one way, everyone knew what intelligence is; looked at in another way, no one really does. Similarly, people have unconscious notions – called ‘implicit theories’ – of intelligence, but no one knows what it is all about. Well, it addresses how people perceive and conceptualize intelligence based on their experience. But why do we need to even care what people’s perception of intelligence, contradicting to valuing whatever it is? There are at least four different findings related to people’s conceptions of intelligence.
Initially, implicit theories of intelligence set a path in which people perceive and analyse their intelligence and compare it with others. To understand people’s judgments about their own and others’ abilities, it is highly-recommended to know more about people’s implicit theories. Let’s say for instance, parents’ implicit theories of their children’s language development will show when they will make various alterations in their children’s speech. Besides that, parents’ implicit theories of intelligence will show when they believe their children can do other forms of cognitive tasks. On the other hand, Job recruitment process is performed on the basis of their implicit theories of intelligence. In a working environment, people will decide with whom they can be friends with on the basis of those theories. Overall, the concept of implicit theories of intelligence is imperative mainly because their knowledge is so often used by humans to make predictions and judgements in the course of action.
The second finding is that the implicit theories of scientific investigators obviously increase to their explicit theories. Hence it seems to be useful to know and understand about these implicit theories. Implicit theories are based on a framework, useful in knowing the wide scope of a phenomenon – a not-well-understood phenomenon. So, such implicit theories recommend what components of the phenomenon were used in previous investigations.
Third, implicit theories are advantageous when an investigator accuses that existing explicit theories are not correct or misleading. Likewise, when an investigation of implicit theories showcases some correspondence between the extant implicit and explicit theories, the implicit theories may not be true. However, the chances also need to be considered when the explicit theories are wrong and need to be corrected. For instance, certain implicit theories of intelligence emphasise the need for expansion of some of our explicit theories.
Finally, getting to know implicit theories of intelligence can lead to developmental and cross-cultural variations. As previously mentioned, people have huge expectations for intellectual designs that of course vary for children of different age groups. We must know how such expectations vary as a part of a function of culture. For instance, in Western-type of schooling, children who indulge in activities are likely to be different from those for children who do not indulge in those activities.
It is clear that there are three main implicit theories of how intelligence associates to society as a whole (Sternberg, 1997). And that was claimed by Jacksonian, Hamiltonian, and Jeffersonian. These thoughts are not based purely, but, partially, on the philosophies of Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and Andrew Jackson, three great statesmen in the United States.
The Hamilton view, similar to the Platonic view, tells that people are with different levels of intelligence by birth. Those who are less intelligent need the good offices filled with more intelligent people to keep them in line, whether they are government servants or in Plato’s term, philosopher-kings. On the other hand, Herrnstein and Murray (1994) shared this belief when they were writing about the emergence of a cognitive (high-IQ) elite, which eventually would have to be for the largely irresponsible masses of non-elite (low-IQ) people who are unable to protect themselves from any external force. However, we must leave the unintelligent people with whatever they would create, a kind of chaos.
Whereas, the Jefferson view reveals that people must possess equal opportunities, where they do not use equally of these opportunities and are not recognized equally for their achievements. People get recognition for what they accomplish if they get equal opportunity. Poor achievers get no recognition to the same extent as high achievers. Thus, on the Jefferson view, education should not favor or foster an elite, like given in the Hamiltonian tradition, rather it should allow children the opportunities to use their full potential. Even my own idea is similar to these (Sternberg, 1997).
In Jackson’s point of view all people are equal, not just as human beings but with respect to their competencies. For example, one person would serve while another in the public sector or a jury or in almost any position having the same amount of responsibility. When it comes to democracy, people are highly inter-substitutable, not on specialised skills, but everything can be learned. Based on this approach, we don’t require or want any form of institutions that would show favouritism towards one group over another.
Implicit theories of intelligence and its relationship of intelligence to society should be closely watched because they often serve as underlying criteria for explicit theories and even experimental designs. They are used for scientific experimentation. Until various research scholars are able to analyse their implicit theories and thus their views and thoughts, they are going to miss the opportunity to know what others say while discussing their explicit theories with their information.
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The Concept of Intelligence IELTS Reading Questions
Questions 1 – 5
Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
In Jackson’s point of view all people are equal, not just as 1. ___________ but with respect to their competencies.
Whether they are government servants or in Plato’s term, 2. ____________.
However, the chances also need to be considered when the 3. ____________ are wrong and need to be corrected.
There are three main implicit theories of how intelligence associates to society as a whole (Sternberg, 4. ___________).
To understand people’s 5. ______________ about their own and others’ abilities, it is highly-recommended to know more about people’s implicit theories.
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Questions 6 – 9
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?
Write
YES, if the statement agrees with the claim of the writer
NO, if the statement contradicts the claim of the writer
NOT GIVEN, if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
6. It is important to understand the psychology of the people to know their perception of intelligence.
7. According to Herrnstein and Murray (1994), the emergence of a cognitive (high-IQ) elite won’t be necessary for the largely irresponsible masses of non-elite (low-IQ) people who are able to protect themselves.
8. People have big expectations for intellectual designs that of course vary for children of different age groups.
9. Job recruitment process is performed on the basis of their implicit and explicit theories of intelligence.
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Questions 10 – 13
This reading passage has ten paragraphs, A – J.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A – J, as your answer to each question.
Note: You may use any letter more than once.
10. It is useful to understand the implicit theories as they are based on a framework.
11. Implicit theories serve as an important criteria
12. Implicit theories are useful during an investigation that suspects existing explicit theories are not wrong
13. People get rewards and recognition for what they achieve
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Recommended Questions:
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The Concept of Intelligence IELTS Reading Answers
1. Human beings
2. Philosopher-kings
3. Explicit Theories
4.1997
5. Judgements
6. Not Given
7. No
8. Yes
9. No
10. Paragraph C
11. Paragraph J
12. Paragraph D
13. Paragraph H
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