The Cambridge Handbook of Intelligence

Cambridge Handbooks in Psychology

by Robert J. Sternberg (Editor)

Written by the foremost experts in human intelligence. It not only includes traditional topics, such as the nature, measurement, and development of intelligence, but also contemporary research into intelligence and video games, collective intelligence, emotional intelligence, and leadership intelligence. In an area of study that has been fraught with ideological differences, this Handbook provides scientifically balanced and objective chapters covering a wide range of topics. It does not shy away from material that historically has been emotionally charged and sometimes covered in biased ways, such as intellectual disability, race and intelligence, culture and intelligence, and intelligence testing. The overview provided by this two-volume set leaves virtually no area of intelligence research uncovered, making it an ideal resource for undergraduates, graduate students, and professionals looking for a refresher or a summary of the new developments.

Genres: Psychology, Science, Reference, Neuroscience, Nonfiction, Self Help, Education

1266 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2010

About the author

Robert J. Sternberg's spectacular research career in psychology had a rather inauspicious beginning. In elementary school he performed poorly on IQ tests, and his teachers' actions conveyed their low expectations for his future progress. Everything changed when his fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Alexa, saw that he had potential and challenged him to do better. With her encouragement, he became a high-achieving student, eventually graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Yale University. In a gesture of gratitude, Dr. Sternberg dedicated his book, Successful Intelligence to Mrs. Alexa.

Dr. Sternberg's personal experiences with intelligence testing in elementary school lead him to create his own intelligence test for a 7 th grade science project. He happened to find the Stanford-Binet scales in the local library, and with unintentional impertinence, began administering the test to his classmates; his own test, the Sternberg Test of Mental Abilities (STOMA) appeared shortly thereafter. In subsequent years he distinguished himself in many domains of psychology, having published influential theories relating to intelligence, creativity, wisdom, thinking styles, love and hate.

Dr. Sternberg's Triarchic Theory of (Successful) Intelligence contends that intelligent behavior arises from a balance between analytical, creative and practical abilities, and that these abilities function collectively to allow individuals to achieve success within particular sociocultural contexts. Analytical abilities enable the individual to evaluate, analyze, compare and contrast information. Creative abilities generate invention, discovery, and other creative endeavors. Practical abilities tie everything together by allowing individuals to apply what they have learned in the appropriate setting. To be successful in life the individual must make the best use of his or her analytical, creative and practical strengths, while at the same time compensating for weaknesses in any of these areas. This might involve working on improving weak areas to become better adapted to the needs of a particular environment, or choosing to work in an environment that values the individual's particular strengths. For example, a person with highly developed analytical and practical abilities, but with less well-developed creative abilities, might choose to work in a field that values technical expertise but does not require a great deal of imaginative thinking. Conversely, if the chosen career does value creative abilities, the individual can use his or her analytical strengths to come up with strategies for improving this weakness. Thus, a central feature of the triarchic theory of successful intelligence is adaptability-both within the individual and within the individual's sociocultural context.

Reviews

[Griffin Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the greatest single resource I have ever come across in my study of the psychology of intelligence. Unfortunately, this is only a side interest of mine, and I feel as if devoting perhaps a couple dozen more hours to finish this work will have a decreasing marginal utility for me. After reading several thousand pages of literature on this topic from other sources I feel comfortable with the "IQ lens" I am able to put on when thinking about various issues. I do, however, intend to finish the book I am reading by Piaget and read some work by Flynn and Lynn, but I think my investigations into this topic will soon begin to decrease. I would like to buy this when the most recent version comes out both for reference and for making sure I stay up to date (many of the popular books on this topic are very old).

I read the first 200 pages (the first 1/4th) and every article was of the highest caliber.

[mansi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beyond unwieldy size, a good book

[Poramate Thammasajanun · Rating 5 out of 5]

love

[Aneta Jackowska-Musiol]

great textbook, in-depth look inside all the aspects of intelligence.

[Michelle Maquilang]

like