INTELLIGENCE CAN BE
IMPROVED OVER TIME
The City College of New
York
Sujoy Bhowmik
Professor Lisa Diomande
May 16, 2016
Abstract
Psychologists debate: Should we consider intelligence as one aptitude or
many? As linked to cognitive speed? As neurologically measurable? On this much,
intelligence experts agree: Intelligence is a concept and not a “thing.” Researches
have been done over it. Scientists has figured out that the relation of
biological and psychological aspect of intelligence that controls its
development. Developing intelligence is a process. It is not something fixed.
Over the period of time, it can change, modify and increase. Intelligence has
different aspects and different individuals can become the master of it if they
want to. Myths and stereotypes about intelligence still exist regarding racial
or age profile. On the other side, science is proving that intelligence can be
controlled and increase over time.
Intelligence can be improved over time
Once Stephen Hawing said, “Intelligence is
the ability to adapt to change”. In other words, intelligence enables us to
tackle a challenging situation and helps us to cope with any form of
unfamiliarity over time. From the beginning of time, intelligence has been an
unsolved mystery and a very popular topic of research. People from diverse
interests like- philosophers, writers, poets, political leaders, scientists,
and so on have been discussing and stating various point of views and analyzed
opinions about intelligence. Intelligence has been defined various ways.
Basically, the word “intelligence” originated from Latin word ‘Intelligentia’
which literally means “understand”.
According to American Psychological Association, the term “intelligence”
simply refers to intellectual functioning which means the ability to acquire
knowledge and apply the skills. In other words, intelligence is the ability to learn from experience, solve problems, and use knowledge
to adapt to new situations. It also
relates to Intelligence quotients or IQ tests. Recently, studies have been done
over concept that intelligence can be improved over time. It is an epoch making concept. We, humans
share similar instincts like all the other animals. We also reproduce and
thrive for food. Intelligence is the key
concept distinguishes us from other species. Therefore, if our intelligence can
be improved over time, it is possible to reintroduce a new human race that will
take us to the peak of modernization. On this research paper, I will discuss
that science can prove that intelligence can be increased.
There are experiments done over different
periods of time about the myths and facts regarding intelligence improvement.
For example, there is an article published on ScienceDaily website which shows
that one study looked at 373 twelve-year-olds over two years of junior high
school. Although all students began the study with equivalent achievement
levels in math, students who believed that their intelligence could be
developed outperformed those who believed their intelligence was fixed.
Furthermore, the researchers found, the gap between these two groups widened
over the two-year period. Researchers concluded that the difference between the
two sets of students stems from the fact that students who believed their
intelligence could be developed placed a higher premium on learning, believed
more in the power of effort, and had more constructive reactions to setbacks in
school.
The
correlations between brain anatomy and intelligence only begin to explain intelligence
differences. Searching for other explanations, neuroscientists are studying the
brain’s functioning. As people contemplate a variety of questions like those
found on intelligence tests, a frontal lobe area just above the outer edge of the
eyebrows becomes especially active—in the left brain for verbal questions, and
on both sides for spatial questions. Information from various brain areas seems
to converge here, suggesting to researcher John Duncan in 2000 that it may be a
“global workspace for organizing and coordinating information” and that some
people may be “blessed with a workspace that functions very, very well.”
Functioning well means functioning efficiently. Brain scans reveal that smart
people use less energy to solve problems. They are like skilled athletes, for
whom agile moves can seem effortless. Agile minds come with agile brains.
There was a research done by National Association of Independent school
on intelligence. They found out that brain can be developed just like a muscle.
For better understanding, scientists used the example of new born babies and
their procedure to develop the brain. We all know that babies are born without
being able to talk or understand language. But somehow, almost all babies learn
to speak their parents' language in the first few years of life. From the first
day they are born, babies are hearing people around them talk ail day.
Actually, it is every day. People, especially parents talk to the baby and to
each other. On the other hand, babies have to try to make sense of these
strange sounds and figure out what they mean. In a way, babies are exercising
their brains by listening hard.
Later, when they need to tell their parents what they want, they start
practicing talking themselves. At first, they just make goo-goo sounds. Then,
words start coming. By the time they are three years old, most can say whole
sentences almost perfectly. Once children learn a language, they don't forget
it. The child's brain has changed. Simply, it means that it has actually gotten
smarter.
Research show that this can happen because
learning causes permanent changes in the brain. The babies' brain cells get
larger and grow new connections between them. These new, stronger connections
make the child's brain stronger and smarter, just like a weightlifter's big
muscles make them strong.
There is an article published on American
Psychological Association where social psychologists Aronson, Fried, and Good
developed a possible antidote to stereotype threat in 2001. They taught African
American and European American college students to think of intelligence as
changeable, rather than fixed - a lesson that many psychological studies
suggests is true. Students in a control group did not receive this message.
Those students who learned about IQ's malleability improved their grades more
than did students who did not receive this message, and also saw academics as
more important than did students in the control group. Even more exciting was
the finding that Black students benefited more from learning about the
malleable nature of intelligence than did White students, showing that this
intervention may successfully counteract stereotype threat.
To conclude, it can be stated that by practicing you make your brain
stronger. Just like a weightlifter or a basketball player, one has to exercise
and practice to develop the brain. One can also learn skills that let him use
your brain in a smarter way just the way a basketball player learns new moves.
But many people miss out on the chance to grow a stronger brain because they
think they can't do it, or that it's too hard. It does take work, just like
becoming stronger physically or becoming a better ball player does. Sometimes
it even hurts! But when one will feel himself get better and stronger, it will
definitely worth it.
References
- · Believing You Can Get Smarter Makes You Smarter. (2003, May 28). Retrieved May 04, 2016, from http://www.apa.org/research/action/smarter.aspx
- · Society for Research in Child Development. (2007, February 7). Students Who Believe Intelligence Can Be Developed Perform Better. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 4, 2016 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070207090949.htm
- · Independent School Magazine. (2008). Retrieved May 04, 2016, from http://www.nais.org/Magazines-Newsletters/ISMagazine/Pages/You-Can-Grow-Your-Intelligence.aspx
- · Aronson, J., Fried, C. B., & Good, C. (2001). Reducing the effects of stereotype threat on African American college students by shaping theories of intelligence. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 1-13.
- · Blackwell, L., Dweck, C., & Trzesniewski, K. (2002). Achievement across the adolescent transition: A longitudinal study and an intervention. Manuscript in preparation.
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