Developmental Psychology

Achieve Test Prep: Developmental Psychology

potential and are used to predict academic success or to diagnose learning disabilities. The most common aptitude test is the General Intelligence Test, or IQ Test. IQ stands for intelligence quotient and is defined as the mental age divided by the chronological (actual) age. The most frequently used IQ tests are the Stanford-Binet and the Wechsler. Each test measures general knowledge, reasoning ability, memory, math, vocabulary, and spatial perception. There are specialized tests for different age children, even for as young as preschool-aged children. IQ tests need to be used with caution because they are only useful when comparing the results to other children of the same age who took the same test. One of the largest issues with traditional aptitude and achievement tests are they only measure one kind of intelligence. Robert Sternberg purported three types of intelligence including academic, creative, and practical. • Academic intelligence: measured by IQ tests and achievement tests • Creative intelligence: measured by imaginative pursuits • Practical intelligence: measured by everyday interactions and actions Howard Gardner believed there are more types of intelligence which include: linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial, body-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic, and philosophical. Daniel Goleman supports the idea of emotional intelligence , self-control, and the communication of feelings. Children with Special Needs: Most special needs, learning disabilities, and emotional handicaps are diagnosed during middle childhood. 1. Autism a. Named in 1941 by A.D. Kanner b. Main symptoms: extreme Isolation and obsessive insistence on routine preservation c. Other characteristics: low level of family history d. Autistic children tend to avoid overstimulation and dislike changes in their routines

e. Perform repetitive behaviors such as rocking or spinning to comfort themselves f. One theory says that children with Autism are naturally overly stimulated and, as such, they are often prescribed sedative medications

Page 77 of 161

©2015

www.achievetestprep.com