Investigating Psychology uses a small selection of classic studies to introduce students to a variety of research methods used by psychologists and to the different approaches to the study of mind and behaviour: the emphasis is on how psychologists carry out their investigations and why.
The Uses and Abuses of a Psychological Concept
In everyday language, the word intelligence is commonly used to describe the kind of qualities and abilities we associate with being smart or clever . one of the central assumptions about human intelligence has been that it can be measured. This focus on measurement has shaped much of the way in which intelligence research has developed. In some quarters, intelligence, and particularly the measurement of intelligence, is seen as one of psychology s greatest success stories. Throughout this book we will explore the three main definitions of intelligence, namely the abilities that enable a person to function effectively, the fact that intelligence varies between people and that intelligence is important as it deals with the challenges we face in life.