scholarly journals Scale-Localized Abstract Reasoning

Author(s):  
Yaniv Benny ◽  
Niv Pekar ◽  
Lior Wolf
Keyword(s):  
2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Paneduro ◽  
Maria Kharitonova ◽  
Nicholas J. Cepeda
Keyword(s):  

2011 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 900-918 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jannica Stålnacke ◽  
Ann-Charlotte Smedler

In Sweden, special needs of high-ability individuals have received little attention. For this purpose, adult Swedes with superior general mental ability (GMA; N = 302), defined by an IQ score > 130 on tests of abstract reasoning, answered a questionnaire regarding their views of themselves and their giftedness. The participants also rated their self-theory of intelligence and completed the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-13). At large, the participants experienced being different but felt little need to downplay their giftedness to gain social acceptance. Most participants encompassed an entity self-theory of intelligence, while also recognizing that it takes effort to develop one’s ability. The group scored lower ( p < .001) than Swedes in general on the SOC, which may be a reflection of social difficulties associated with being gifted in an egalitarian society. However, it may also indicate that the SOC carries a different meaning for those with superior GMA.


Author(s):  
Angela Duckworth ◽  

In tandem with increases in delay of gratification, the human capacity for abstract reasoning has increased enormously over the past century. This phenomenon is called the Flynn Effect, after the political scientist who discovered it. I first learned about the Flynn Effect in graduate school. I remember thinking it was impossible. How could it be that as a species, we're getting smarter? And not just a little bit smarter. The size of the Flynn Effect is staggering: more than 30 IQ points—the difference between getting an average score on a standard intelligence test versus qualifying as mentally gifted. Gains are comparable in all areas of the United States and, indeed, around the world.


Stroke ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
GALIT WEINSTEIN ◽  
Alexa Beiser ◽  
Rhoda Au ◽  
Charles DeCarli ◽  
Philip A Wolf ◽  
...  

Objectives- Parental stroke is related to an increased risk of stroke among the offspring. Vascular related brain changes, however, often occur before clinical stroke and the association of parental history of stroke and structural brain measures and cognition has not been fully explored. We hypothesized that prospectively verified parental stroke will be associated with increased vascular brain injury and poorer cognitive performance. Methods- A total of 1,297 Framingham offspring (mean age: 61 ± 9 years, 54% women) were studied. Of these, 9.9% had prospectively identified stroke in one or both parents before age 65. Volumetric brain MRI measures of total cerebral brain volume (TCBV), regional brain volumes, white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV), and covert brain infarcts (CBI) and performance on tests of verbal memory, abstract reasoning, verbal learning and visuospatial memory (VRd) were compared for offspring with and without parental history of stroke. All measures were assessed cross-sectionally and longitudinally (mean duration of follow-up was 6.1±1.2 years). We used models adjusted only for age, sex, education and also additionally adjusted for vascular risk factors and for WMHV as an index of subclinical vascular brain injury. GEE models were used to adjust for sibling relationships among offspring. Results- Higher WMHV (β±SE=0.17±0.08;p=0.027) and lower VRd scores (β±SE=-0.80±0.34; p=0.017) at baseline were found in offspring with parental history of stroke. In addition, participants with parental stroke by age 65 years were more likely to be in the highest quintile of increase in WMHV (OR=1.87;p=0.04) as well as worsening executive function (Trails B-A) (OR:1.81;p=0.03). Parental stroke was not associated with total and regional brain volumes or with memory, abstract reasoning and verbal learning. Conclusions- In our community-based sample of middle-aged asymptomatic subjects, the occurrence of parental stroke by age 65 years is associated with higher baseline WMHV and with a more rapid increase in WMHV. Further, parental stroke is also associated with poorer performance on VRd and a decline in executive function. The effects on baseline WMH and VRd were substantial equivalent to 2.8 and 7 years of brain aging, respectively.


Author(s):  
Muriel Oyarce Piraud

This article provides a report on a finished piece of research. The study is divided into two stages. Firstly, the brain dominance and grammatical sensitivity of Pedagogy and Medical students in a Chilean university were measured. The correlation of both variables shows that Medical students are better at grammatical sensitivity than Pedagogy students and that left-brain dominance involves higher levels of grammatical sensitivity than right-brain dominance. The instruments used in this stage were: 1) a grammatical sensitivity pre-test (used to assess the students’ levels in this variable), 2) a brain dominance instrument (used to determine the cerebral preferences of the students) and 3) an abstract reasoning test (which measures a person’s ability to identify non numerical or verbal patterns). In the second stage, Pedagogy students underwent a five-session training aimed at improving their grammatical sensitivity. After the training was over, we administered a grammatical sensitivity post- test whose results were compared with the ones in the pre-test; the purpose was to determine if the training could improve the students’ performance in this variable. It was concluded that the training was successful since their grammatical sensitivity improved in 20%. In addition, most students with high attendance to the training (over 80%) improved their grammatical sensitivity after attending it.


2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 221-238
Author(s):  
Stephen R. Palmquist ◽  
Keith Ka-Fu Chan

Environmental eco-centrism, the claim that all members of the biosphere are ontologically and axiologically equal, presents a challenge to traditional ethical conceptions of the special status of humanity. Confucian and Kantian ethics approach this topic, and its application to other animals, in different ways: Confucianism employs stories that promote insight into the importance of sincerity and compassion to all animals, including non-human ones; Kant employs abstract reasoning to argue that non-human animals deserve respect because we humans share their basic nature. We argue that, taken together, these two approaches preserve what is most important in eco-centrism, but without sacrificing human dignity in the process.


2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie John ◽  
Maggie Kirk ◽  
Emma Tonkin ◽  
Ian Stuart-Hamilton

Aim To establish whether women's cognitive status influenced their understanding of Down syndrome screening information, and to determine whether midwives offer the same oral explanation of Down syndrome screening to all women or if information was tailored to each woman based on their cognitive status. Methods Midwives (n=16) and women (n=100) were recruited from a regional NHS unit in the UK. A mixed-methods design encompassed two components; audio-recorded antenatal consultations and quantitative surveys to assess women's cognitive status and their understanding of Down syndrome screening information. Findings While women with abstract reasoning skills and high need for cognition (NfC) could understand information sufficiently, women with more concrete skills and low NfC require further explanation from the midwife to reach an informed decision. Conclusion Midwives did not tailor their communication based on women's cognitive status. This has implications for midwifery education programmes to train midwives to communicate Down syndrome screening information effectively.


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