On intelligence: speaking as a person who's done a semester of introductory Psychology, one of the things which stuck with me in regard to "intelligence" is that psychologists really don't have a proper definition for it. The best available definition for "intelligence" is "intelligence is the quality measured by intelligence tests", and since intelligence tests measure a combination of problem-solving ability; memory retrieval speed and agility; and cultural background, these tests aren't exactly the most precise instruments.
Also, one thing I learned as an Australian kid in primary school is while teachers said they valued smartness, what they actually valued were things like sporting prowess (which was also valued by my age peers), neat handwriting, and social confidence. As the clumsy, shy, smart kid whose handwriting wasn't particularly brilliant, I didn't really see that many of the rewards for intelligence displayed (particularly not among my lower-middle/working class peers). Being "bright" academically just meant I was treated like a weirdo.
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tim's journal
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Date: 2012-12-30 09:46 pm (UTC)Also, one thing I learned as an Australian kid in primary school is while teachers said they valued smartness, what they actually valued were things like sporting prowess (which was also valued by my age peers), neat handwriting, and social confidence. As the clumsy, shy, smart kid whose handwriting wasn't particularly brilliant, I didn't really see that many of the rewards for intelligence displayed (particularly not among my lower-middle/working class peers). Being "bright" academically just meant I was treated like a weirdo.