Chapter-1

Variations in Psychological attributes

The first topic of variations in psychological attributes notes is individual differences in human
functioning. The world around us is diverse and has a lot of variations. The physical attributes
vary among individuals with respect to height, weight, etc. The personal attributes of
individuals show variation like some people around us are motivated. Some are demotivated
while some are dull and some are intelligent. The distinctiveness and variations found in the
personality of people are called individual differences. Situationism talks about the impact of
situations on our personality and according to it, personality is a result of both internal and
external factors.

Assessment of Psychological Attributes

Psychological assessment is done to understand and evaluate various qualities, attributes,
behavioral patterns of an individual by the use of systematic and standardized ways of testing.
The 5 main domains of Psychological Assessment are explained in variations in psychological
attributes notes:

 Intelligence is defined as an individual’s capacity to understand the world, and the

ability to make the best use of whatever a person has.
 Aptitude is defined as an individual’s potential and capability to learn and acquire skills
and aptitude tests give us a clear picture of what a person is capable of doing.
 Interest refers to the preference of an individual in what kind of activity he/she would
like to engage in himself/herself and that is relative to others.
 Personality refers to relatively enduring characteristics of a person that make him/her
distinct from others
 Values are enduring beliefs about an ideal mode of behavior

Assessment Methods
Different tests and interviews are conducted as a medium of the assessment method. Several
methods other methods for psychological assessment are mentioned in variations in
psychological attributes notes:

1. Psychological Test is an objective and a standardized way of measuring and evaluating a

person’s psychological attributes like intelligence, values, and these tests are conducted
for various purposes like career assessment, Placement of Students, etc
2. An interview is a purposeful activity conducted to derive information from a person on a
particular subject on one basis
3. Observation is a powerful and effective method of psychological inquiry for
understanding particular phenomena occurring in real-time
4. A case study is an in-depth study of a particular case/subject. It can be of great help in
developing a clear understanding of the feelings, emotions, beliefs, mindset of a person
 5. Self Report is a method in which an individual provides information about
himself/herself, beliefs, opinions, etc

Intelligence
Alfred Binet defined intelligence as the ability to judge well, understand well, and reason well.
Wechsler denied intelligence as the global and aggregate capacity of an individual to think
rationally, act purposefully, and deal effectively with his/her environment. Check out the
various theories of intelligence:

Theories of Intelligence
Psychometric Approach– It considers intelligence as an aggregate of abilities. It expresses the
individual’s performance in terms of a single index of cognitive abilities. Various theories of
intelligence based on this approach are as follows:

Theory of Primary Mental Abilities

 This theory was proposed by Louis Turnstone

 This model of intelligence comprises 7 primary mental abilities
 Verbal comprehension-understanding meaning of words, concepts
 Numerical ability- accuracy in solving numerical
 Spatial ability- understand images and patterns
 Perceptual speed- perceiving information
 Memory-learning and recalling information
 Inductive reasoning- Based on facts to derive results
 Word fluency-speaking words fluently

Unifactor Theory of Intelligence

It was proposed by the psychologist Alfred Binet who was the first psychologist who coined the
term intelligence. As per this theory, there is a particular set of abilities likeability to judge,
reason, and understand well and on the basis of its differentiation between less intelligent and
more intelligent individuals.

Two-Factor Theory
 The psychometric argument for intelligence as a general ability was first advanced by
British Psychologist Charles Spearman
 Intellectual performance is partially determined by the General Intelligence/G factor
and partly by specific abilities
 G-Factor-Existence of broad mental capacity that influences performance on cognitive
mental abilities
 S-Factor –Ability to excel in certain areas or specific Intelligence.
Arthur Jensen’s Model of Intelligence
It was proposed by Arthur Jensen. This model of intelligence is conceptualized in two levels:

1. Level 1 is about associative learning and here output is more or less similar to the input.
For Example- rote learning
2. Level 2 primarily focuses on Higher Order Thinking Skills. For example- Creative Learning

Structure of Intellect Model

It was proposed by J.P. Guilford. Three main aspects of intelligence are classified as follows:

1. Contents refer to the material which the respondent has to learn and grasp. For
Example – information about people’s behavior, semantic Words, etc
2. Operations refer to performing cognitive tasks like knowing, understanding, memorizing
in order to learn the contents which have been chosen to learn
3. Product is the form in which information is processed. For example- classification of the
information which we have learned

Information Processing Approach

It describes the processes people use in intellectual reasoning and problem solving and its
major focus is on how an intellectual person acts. Some of the theories based on the
Information processing approach are described as follows:

Triarchic Theory of Intelligence

Variations in psychological attributes notes also include the Triarchic theory of intelligence. It
was proposed by Robert Sternberg. It focuses on both the psychological processes that underlie
intelligent behavior and the diverse forms that intelligence can take. The three types of
intelligence:

1. Componential Intelligence is defined as the ability to think analytically and critically to

solve problems. It has three components. First is Knowledge Acquisition Component is
responsible for learning and acquisition of the ways of doing things. Meta component
involves planning what to do and how to do it. Performance Component involves
actually doing things
2. Contextual Intelligence includes those skills which are needed to cope up with everyday
demands and manage oneself and other people effectively
3. Experiential Intelligence comprises the mental skills which are needed to deal with novel
problems in an effective manner

Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligence

Moving on in variations in psychological attributes notes is Gardner’s theory of multiple
intelligence.Traditionally, intelligence has been defined as mental competence but as per
Gardner’s point of view, this approach is narrow as it fails to include a broad range of human
capabilities and adaptations. As per Gardner, there are 8 distinct varieties of adaptive abilities:

 Linguistic Intelligence – It refers to the ability of a person to use words and language
well to express one’s point of view. For example – writers, poets
 Logical-Mathematical Intelligence – Ability to reason well mathematically as well as
logically and have a high mathematical aptitude and scientific temper. For example,
mathematicians, scientists
 Spatial Intelligence- It refers to the ability to solve spatial problems well and can easily
present the spatial world easily in the mind. For Example- Sailors, Architects
 Musical Intelligence- The ability to perceive pitch and rhythm and to understand and
produce music. For Example – Music Composers
 Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence- The ability to control body movements and skillfully and
flexibly move their body. For example- Dancers, Athletes
 Interpersonal Intelligence- Ability to understand and relate well to others by seeing their
point of view, opinions, etc. For example – Counsellors, Politicians
 Intrapersonal Intelligence- The ability to understand oneself well and being skilled in
self-awareness. For example- Spiritual Gurus
 Naturalistic Intelligence- It is the ability to detect and understand phenomena in the
natural world. For example- Zoologist, Travellers

PASS Model of Intelligence

 It was proposed by J.P. Das, Kirby, Jack Negleiri in 1994
 Intelligence is an interdependent function of those neurological brain units responsible
for planning, attention, and simultaneous and successive processing
 Attention is basic to all humans and important stimuli grab our attention. The optimum
level of attention helps us to focus well on important aspects of a task
 Simultaneous Processing is about establishing relationships between different topics in
order to come up with something unique and meaningful whereas successive processing
is about remembering information properly in a serial order
 After the information has been attended and processed focus on planning is done which
helps in devising a course of action, implement them and evaluate results

Nature v/s Nurture

1. Nature signifies the genetic factors/heredity which plays a crucial role in shaping the
personality and intelligence of an individual
2. Nurture signifies the environmental factors which like nature shape up the intelligence
and personality of an individual
3. Genetic factors play an important role in determining what kind of environment people
select for themselves
 4. With respect to the role of the environment, children from disadvantaged homes
adopted into families who have higher socio-economic status exhibit a larger increase in
their intelligence scores as rich nutrition, quality schooling, provision of relevant
facilities help in increasing their IQ
5. It is a popular perception of psychologists that intelligence is the product of nature and
nurture

Assessment of Intelligence
Assessment of intelligence means proper understanding and evaluation of the intelligence of a
person. The intelligence of a person is assessed with the help of Intelligence Quotient(IQ) which
was first proposed by William Stern in 1912.

 IQ is defined as mental age upon chronological age multiplied by 100

IQ= MA/CA*100
 If mental age is higher than chronological age then the person has high intelligence and
vice-versa.

Variations of Intelligence
Intellectual Deficiency- Significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning existing
concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental
period- American Association On Mental Deficiency(AAMD). There are further four types. Let us
explore this variation in Psychological notes:

 Mild Retardation(IQ 55-69) is Marked by slow development as compared to peers,

requires mild care, and can hold families, jobs, etc
 Moderate Retardation(IQ 40-54).People with moderate retardation require moderate
supervision and face difficulty in language and motor skills
 People with Severe Retardation(IQ 25-39) and Profound Retardation(IQ Below 25)
require constant care and supervision throughout their life and they can’t live
independently in their life

Intellectual Giftedness – In variations in psychological attributes notes next is intellectual

giftedness. It was first thoroughly examined by Lewis Terman in 1925 by conducting a case
study on 1500 children with IQ above 130 to examine the role of intelligence in all areas of life.
Giftedness means the exceptional ability of an individual to perform well in a wide variety of
areas and it is often confused with Talent. Talent and Giftedness are separate as talent means
remarkable ability in a specific field like sports, academics, etc. Giftedness broadly includes 3
main characteristics-

1. High Creativity
2. High Ability
3. High Commitment

 Signs of giftedness during childhood are:

 1. Exceptional Concentration
2. Preference for Novelty
3. Large Attention Span
4. Good Memory

 Important features of Giftedness:

1. Exceptional Rational Thinking and Problem Solving.

2. High Motivation.
3. High Self-esteem.
4. Independent and Non-Conformist thinking.

Types of Intelligence Tests

1. On the basis of Administration Procedure

 Individual tests are administered on a single individual and the test administrator is
required to adjust with feelings, the mood of the subject
 Group tests are administered on a group of individuals and it is not necessary for the
test administrator to adjust to the mood of the subjects

2. On the basis of the nature of items used

 Verbal Test – The subject is required to give responses either oral or written.
 Non-Verbal Test- Requires use of pictures as test items. For example, Raven’s
Progressive Matrices(RPM)
 Performance Test- Requires movement of objects/materials. For example, block activity

3. On the basis of Culture

 Culture fair tests are culturally appropriate and are suitable to test the intelligence of all
types of cultures
 Culture Biased Tests are not culturally appropriate and it is not suitable to test the
intelligence of all types of cultures

Culture and Intelligence

1. Culture is a collective system of ideas, opinions, attitudes which is observed among a
wide number of people
2. An important aspect of intelligence is that it helps people in adapting to their
environment and thus, makes them dynamic
3. As per the Russian Psychologist Vygotsky, culture provides a social context in which
people learn, live, and grow
4. In technologically advanced societies children are fostered with skills of Generalisation,
abstraction and this can be included under technological intelligence in which attention
is mainly given to cognitive processes like attention, memory, observation, etc
 5. In the Indian context, intelligence is evaluated on holistic grounds and attention is given
to both cognitive and non-cognitive processes and their integration as well
6. Intelligence in the Indian Context is defined in a broad way and is called buddhi
7. 4 facets of integral intelligence are as follows-

 Cognitive competence includes a cognitive ability and skills like decision-making,

analysis, etc
 Social competence includes social skills like communication skills, empathy, cooperation.
 Emotional Competence focuses on self-regulation and having a regular check on one’s
emotions and thoughts.
 Entrepreneurial Competence includes qualities like commitment, dedication,
determination, perseverance, etc

Emotional Intelligence
This concept of emotional intelligence was first introduced by Salovey and Mayer. Emotional
intelligence is a set of skills that underlie accurate appraisal, expression, and regulation of
emotions. It is expressed in terms of EQ(Emotional Quotient).

Aptitude
Aptitude is defined as an individual’s potential and capability to learn and acquire skills and
aptitude tests give us a clear picture of what a person is capable of doing. The aptitude of an
individual is measured with the help of aptitude tests which are of two types:

 Independent (Specialized) aptitude tests include Typing Aptitude test, numerical

aptitude test, etc
 Multiple (Generalized) aptitude tests include differential aptitude tests battery, general
aptitude test battery which measures intelligence in separate yet homogeneous areas

Relationship Between Creativity and Intelligence

Creativity refers to the ability of a person to think and ponder upon novel and innovative
solutions to the given problem and divergent thinking which refers to thinking in a broad and
open-minded manner is a crucial part of creativity. For example- if a student who is intelligent
and academically bright doesn’t mean that he/she will possess creative ability like an artist or
writer and vice-versa is true as well that if a person has the creative ability like that of an artist
or writer that doesn’t mean that he/she will be academically bright.

Creative fields like filmmaking do require both intelligence and creativity for better problem
solving and decision-making. For example- a writer or a filmmaker must have some intelligence
to understand the field and what kind of content is required in the modern era and creativity
along with that helps them to come up with something unique and out-of-the-box.
In a nutshell, we can say that creativity focuses on being open-minded whereas intelligence
mainly involves coming up with the correct solution to the issue. Some of the famous
psychologists who have developed creativity tests are Guilford, Torrance, etc.

Variations in Psychological Attributes Class 12 NCERT Solutions

How do psychologists characterize and define intelligence?
Alfred Binet defined intelligence as the ability to judge well, understand well, and reason well
whereas Wechsler denied intelligence as the global and aggregate capacity of an individual to
think rationally, act purposefully, and deal effectively with his/her environment.

Explain briefly the multiple intelligences identified by Gardner.

Multiple intelligences identified by Gardner are Linguistic Intelligence, Bodily Kinaesthetic
Intelligence, Logical-Mathematical Intelligence, Interpersonal Intelligence, etc.

How is creativity related to intelligence?

Creative fields like filmmaking do require both intelligence and creativity for better problem
solving and decision-making.

What are the psychological attributes?

Psychological traits are separate from physical things with specific locations in the brain and
relate to the mental equilibrium of people immersed in their social interactions as robust
attractors inside complicated dynamic processes with emergent qualities.

What are the five domains of psychological attributes?

Mental and Physical Health
Biological
Social and Personality
Developmental
Cognitive

What do you mean by assessment of psychological attributes?

Assessment: This phrase refers to the assessment of psychological characteristics of people and
their evaluation, frequently employing a number of approaches in relation to benchmarks for
comparison. Formal evaluation is organised, objective, and standardised.

What is psychological variation?

the existence of qualitative distinctions in shape, structure, behaviour, and physiology among
members of a community, whether resulting from environment or inheritance.