DOCUMENT RESUME ED 243 065 CG 017 559 AUTHOR Lesgold, Alan . TITLE Intelligence: The Ability, to Learn, or More? A Review of "Handbook bf Human Intelligence" by Robert. S. Sternberg. .. - INSTITUTION Pittsburgh Univ., Pa. Learning Research. and Development Center. SPONS AGENCY National Inst. of Education (ED), Washington, DC. REPORT NO LRDC-1983/26 PUB DATE 83 44, NOTE 18p.; Best 'copy available. Reprinted by permission from Contemporary Education Reviews,- Volume 2, Number 2. Copyright, American Educational Research' Association; Washington, DC. PUB TYPE Information Analyses (070) -- Viewpoints (120) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Adjustment (to Environment); Book Reviews; Cultural Influences; *Edudational Psychology; *Etiology; *Intellectual Development; *Intelligence; *Learning Processei; Memory; Perception; Psychometrics; Research IDENTIFIERS *Handbook of Human Intelligence (Sternberg) ABSTRACT This article, written for psychologists, educatOrs, and allied health professionals, is both a review of the "Handbook of Human Intelligence" Robert S. Sternberg, editor; and an essay in resporise to it. Following a note on the contributions made to the, field of cognitive psychology by Sternberg and the Handbook, chapters of the book, which include conceptual issues, multiple definitions for intelligence, and a taxonomy of cognitive competencies, are reviewed. The contributed chapters in the Handbook, which focus on . various aspects of intelligence are reviewed sepaiately, with specific consideration as'to how each aspect contributes to and broadens the.definition of and research on intelligence. Areas which, are covered include: ptyqhometrics, perception and attention, learning and memory, intelligence as reflective thinking, mental retardation and the instructability of intelligence, education, intervention programs, the cultur'al relativity of intelligence', and intellectual development. The paper concludes with reflections -on two issues that were generated by the author's treading of the book. The first isspe is whethei intelligence research exists as "à separate field of inquiry within the broad study of cognitive psychology.. Arguments in favor of a separate stibfield as well as potential dangers (0.g., stagnation and research issues) are presented. The second concern focuses on a need fOr the teaching of intelligence in light, of the information processing pnd transmission revolution: The movement of teaching, from specific skills, which are being taken over by computers, to skills_in how to learn, and adaptation, is recommended. (BL) EARN INTELLIGENCE: THE ABILITY TO LEARN, OR MORE? N LESGOLO U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION ED CA TIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER IERICI t Thy &culla has beerilreproduced as micerved from the person or organization otiginating it, Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. ft Points of view or opinion stated in Mrs docui mem do not necessarily Nresent Oval NIE posiriod'or poky to' BEST COPY AVAILABLE, , Intelligence:- The Ability to Learn, Or MOre? A Review of Handbook of Human Intelligence ° by Robert S. Sternberg 'Alan Zeagold Learning Research and Development'Center University of Pittsburgh 4 1983 Reprinted by permission frotn Contemporary Education Reviews, Voluthe2, Number 2, jn press.Copyright, American Educational Research Association, Washington, D.C. The research reported herein was supported by the Learning Research and Lf1 Lf1 Development Ce ter, supported in part as a research and development center by funds from the tional Institute of Education (NIE), Department of. Education. The opinions expr ssed do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of NIE and CP no official endors ment should be interred. CD able of,Gontents A Milestone Con'Urib,utt 1 s. Sternberg's Chapt 2 Contributed Chapte 3 PsychometrieS 3 Perception and Atte 3 Learning and Mentor Intelligence as Reflective t king . Can. Intelligence be Taught? 5 Education and Inte1ligo*:''' 6 Intervention PrOgliarnS,;i::, 6 Cultural Relativity orlAtjligence. 7 ,Intellectual DevelOpiliON 7. Summary 8 Is Ist a.Separate Field? 8 41i Intelligence, and Ohe InformatiOn Revolution 9 0 Y a t. k List of Tables Table DeflnklOgg or Intelligence seep 1n the Handbook of Intelligence 12 Q. O u , . Intelligence: The, Abi\ ity tc; %Learn, orMo A Review of the Handbook of Human Inte ligencel W Handbook of Human Intelligence R. S. Sternberg (Ed.) " New York:'Cambridge University Press, 1982, 1D31 pp, $60.00 . ,Alan eagold This arlticie Is both a review of the Handbook of Huan Intelligence and an essay in response .to It. handbook is monumental in slze,,scope, and importace. It can have many uses far educators and . psychologists, and it ha§ manymany strong rints.Vghfolios is a collection of sp.eciflc comments orf the-, volume and then reflectionson two issues that dg it ral ecl for me. The first. issue Is a question that arose as I read the various.chapters in this volume: Is there r ally a separate field of intelligence research, or has it become as broad as cognitive psychAkogy? The secind is a concern about the need for more teaching of intelligence, In light of profound changes coming bout as we enter' an eras in which human' activity revolves around processing and transmission of information. A Milestone Contribution Robert Sternberg, the Handbook edltbr, has pimed a major role In shaping the research domain of intelligence as we know it today. While intelligence is efleld in which a number of our most productive colleagues work, it is largely due to Sternberg that the field is seen as a separate discipline., He has created a journal and an/ Advances series, and his own 'program of research is both strong cognitive psychology and a strong personal viewpoint cin what thestudy of intelligenceshould be: Intelligence, the concept, was born in the domain of psychornetrics, but It will only be vital if attacked through 'the cognitive sciences.Sternberg is a central bridging force connecting these areas.Thus, it was certainly apprOpriate for him to lead a number of major psychologists and researchers fromallied professions in the creation of this handbook. One can question whether a handbook 'is a good idea for contemporary psychology, Isuppose. The argument against one is that the field moves so quickly that few studies are still important five years after 1Preparation of thisrview was partially funded by Contract Number N00014-701C-0215from the Office of Naval a Research, Personne1 land Training Programs. It was also funded by the Learning Researchand Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, through funds granted by the National Institute of Education, U. S.Department of Education. fleither agency necessarily endorses the positions taken in this review. , they appear.4 I bellevc ,that this point 8f view is too prevalent generally; it certainly does not apply in the present case. In the past few months, since I've, read through the. Handbook, I have several -times. recommended Individual chapters to people who wanted to know where to start In pursuing a topic, and I see the book as an invaluable basis for some of the core courses that are taught to graduate stutients in . -\ , . cognitive psychology. There are already new articles that, move beyond specific conclUsions drawn in the volume;but,it will continue for many years to be a good initial grounding for someone starting to do work: in this area. Sternberg's Chaptrs This book Is more than the sum of its chapters. While including a wide range of topics outside his own interests, Sternberg has, with associates, written three of the chapters, himself in order to ,lend greater coherencto e to the effort. An initial chapter entitled Conceptions of,Intelligence laya a foundation for the ° rest of the handbook. In defining intelligence as goal-directed adaptive behavior, SternbereandiSalter give one clearorganization,for the field as they see it. The cognitive approach is nicely introduced 'with discussions of procedural, strategic, and declarative aspects of intelligence. A variety of issues concerning the social contexts in which intelligence is exercised and acquired comes next, followed 'by disCussion of biological, developmental, and instructional issues, in the growth of intelligence. The rest of the book is organized by these basic concerns. The direct influence of Sternberg appears a second time Ina chapt on problem solving- and intelligence,' he area in which his own work has concentrated. He reviews the literature dealing with Interactions between the domains of problem solving, reasoning, and intelligence.The review proceeds from a set of questions that are driven, in part, by Sternberg's own theoretical approach: For example, some of the questions are: What performance components are posited by the theory? (p. 229) Upon what representation. or representations do 'these components act? (p. 230) What metacomponents are used in this form of reasoning? (p. 232) What are the salient,, sources of Individual differences in reasoning or problem solving at a given age leiel, and how do these sources of individual differences manifest themselves? (p. '232) The review ends with another definition of intelligence: ...the abiltty to acquire and think with`new 441kliceptualsystems and tolve novel kinds of tasks (p. 206). 'Sternberg's ,ability to provide multiple °)8 de nitionst of intelligence rr7s-a plurality of views throughout the volume as a whole. INthe concluding 4 4 . chapteruninia ri 'ring tl4s forms which theories