Chapter 18: Teaching About Intelligence, Concept Formation, and Emotional Intelligence

Understandings of intelligence in the context of today’s global culture are nuanced by what is known about intelligence from research findings but also what it is believed to be and what it can do for people. The psychological literature on intelligence is primarily grounded in Western conceptions (Bracken, 1997; Saklofske, van de Vijver, Oakland, Mpofu, & Suzuki, 2015) (i.e., multifaceted, tiered levels of abilities with general intelligence at the hub). Western models emphasize general cognitive ability following Spearman and Wechsler traditions, specific ability factors following Thurstone and Guilford, and more recently the Cattell, Horn, and Carroll (CHC) model (Bracken & McCallum, 2016; McGrew, 2009; Spearman, 1904; Vernon, 2014). Within the Western conceptualization, individuals who have more general ability (‘g’) or unique specific abilities (e.g., spatial reasoning, crystalized intelligence, processing speed) are generally considered higher in intelligence than those lower in these abilities.