Donte Washington

Professor Jizi
UWRT 1102
12 April 2016
The Inquiry Involving Intelligence
What is Intelligence?
Would you consider yourself an intelligent person? Many would answer no for fear of
sounding too pompous or a lack of self-confidence. Some would say yes to this question due to
the fact that they have been classified as intelligent by their peers or have deemed themselves
intelligent due to academic achievement. It may surprise you that everyone is intelligent.
Intelligence is defined by the Merriam Dictionary as The ability to learn or understand things or
to deal with new or difficult situations. With regards to this definition, it is safe to assume that
intelligence does not have the appropriate connotation that one would use to describe themselves.
If the next word you were thinking of was smart then you are also incorrect. Smart is defined as
Very good at learning or thinking about things or showing intelligence or good judgement.
These words have been institutionalized into our brains to replace the definition of IQ.
When we speak of IQ we are referring to our intelligence quotient. This is the most
widely accepted method of measuring ones intellect. The average IQ is measured to be 100 with
a standard deviation of 15 so 85115. This is something that follows you as you enter elementary
school. From the moment you are entering pre-k you are assessed and that will determine if you

are suitable for the process of learning. It is in our nature to meet a certain level of intellect in
order progress with our lives.
How to accurately measure intelligence
The main method that most psychologists love is standardized testing. To them, this is the
best method because it arranges a given set of information that is thought of as common sense.
These types of tests are devised with easy problems or situations at the beginning and become
increasingly more difficult as one would progress. Standardized tests are always given within an
allotted time period in order to ensure equity. One of the greatest standardized tests that everyone
has come to know is the SAT. The alleged tests that determines whether you enter the college
you want regardless of your previous achievements. This test is divided into three categories
which are then divided into five parts; Critical Reading, Science, Writing, Math, and Grammar. It
is accurate to say that gauging the proficiency of all of these categories is an efficient way to
measure IQ. When the mind is presented with problems to solve in a limited amount of time it is
forced to think in a different way. (Use the annotated IQ reading to expound)
One of the main concerns of mine was the literal understanding of what IQ really is. We
use it to gauge all of our academic achievements strictly on what the test creators think we
should know. This does not account for the other intuitive information that we possess. How do
we include knowledge in the arts? What about the utility of street smarts. These are talents and
skills that are not implemented in these standardized tests and it is an inaccurate of the brain
power that that individual possesses. (Don Cambell) has provided us with conclusive information
that music can be a factor in intelligence called the Mozart Effect.

How to tune your brain with music

(Authors name with background information) He has studied the effect of music on young
children by performing a series of tests on them. The tests included of young students taking a
test before entering a music inclined class. These classes ranged from choral, instrumental and
theoretical instruction. He also had a control group that had no musical training. After he felt the
students were well adapted to the concepts of their subject he allowed the students to take the
test. It showed that the students who partook in the musical classes had noticeably higher scores
than the students whom had no musical training. The results were more precise showing that the
students who were in an instrumental based class were performing better on the test than the
other categories. This is significant because we know to be classified as intelligent you must be
able to learn new information, but the fact that the act of participating in a musical activity
increases the efficiency at which you learn information is ground breaking! The mechanisms
behind this are all interpretive vary on a case by case basis. This is an important factor to
consider when performing standardized tests. Is it fair to critique someone with a musical
background the same way as someone who has no experience in it? Is this something that
psychologists are taking into consideration when theyre creating these tests?
The Smarter Race?
The common concept of IQ is that it can be gained despite where one starts. This may have been
proven to be a misconception. Montagu Ashleys research has discovered that intelligence is
influenced by the genetics and upbringing of a particular race. It is known that intelligence is
passed down by both parents to the child and that will determine their learning potential. The
famed misconceptions of racial academic achievements lie in the culture of the particular race.

Montagu argues that the stereotype that Eastern Asians have a higher IQ than most of the other
races is false due to their IQ being the same if not lower. The reason we classify them as smarter
is because their culture often entails education as a prime value for the children of tat area. Due
to this, their academic performance is higher as a collective group than most when in fact studies
show that their IQ is not. (Insert information about the Jewish)
Montagus research has also explained the negative effects of genetics playing a role in
intelligence. She brings the African-American community into play claiming that their
intelligence as a collective group is lower than most races. This is due to their enslavement by
their suppressors and this left their ancestors at the same level of intelligence throughout the
course of history. This phenomenon is known as the Black Gap. This is the reason standardized
tests asks for your race before you engage in the test. Apparently, this is a factor that can
influence your test results. (Find out if this influences test results)

Work Cited
Webster, Merriam D. "Simple Definition." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, 04 Apr. 2012. Web. 12
Apr. 2016.
Webster, Merriam D. "Simple Definition." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, 04 Apr. 2012. Web. 12
Apr. 2016.