Why g matters: The complexity of everyday life
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide evidence that intelligence has pervasive utility in work settings because it is essentially the ability to deal with cognitive complexity, in particular, with complex information processing, and the more complex a work task, the greater the advantages that higher g confers in performing it well.
About: This article is published in Intelligence.The article was published on 1997-01-01 and is currently open access. It has received 1300 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Everyday life & Cognitive complexity.
Summary (1 min read)
Jump to: [Why g Matters: The Complexity of Everyday Life] – [WHAT DOES “IMPORTANT” MEAN?] – [INFLUENCE OF INTELLIGENCE ON OVERALL LIFE OUTCOMES] and [THE FUTURE]
Why g Matters: The Complexity of Everyday Life
- This article provides evidence that g has pervasive utility in work settings because it is essentially the ability to deal with cognitive complexity, in particular, with complex information processing.
- Few claims in the social sciences are backed by such massive evidence but remain so hotly contested in public discourse.
- Besides demonstrating that g is important in practical affairs, I seek to demonstrate why intelligence has such surprisingly pervasive importance in the lives of individuals.
- I then use both the employment and literacy data to sketch a portrait of life’s challenges and opportunities at different levels of intelligence.
WHAT DOES “IMPORTANT” MEAN?
- The nature of the job and its context seem to determine whether g has any direct effect on task proficiency, net of job knowlege.
- As is well known in psychometrics (see also Gordon, 1997), the fact that an individual passes or fails any single test item says little about that person’s general intelligence level.
INFLUENCE OF INTELLIGENCE ON OVERALL LIFE OUTCOMES
- The effects of intelligence-like other psychological traits-are probabilistic, not deterministic.
- White adults in this range marry, work, and have children (Hermstein & Murray, 1994), but, as Table 10 shows, they are nonetheless at great risk of living in poverty (30%), bearing children out of wedlock (32%), and becoming chronic welfare dependents (31%).
- At this IQ level, fewer than half the high school graduates and none of the dropouts meet the military’s minimum AFQT enlistment standards.
- Most occupations are within reach cognitively, because these individuals learn complex material fairly easily and independently.
- Such as divorce, illness, and occasional unemployment, they rarely become trapped in poverty or social pathology.
THE FUTURE
- Complexity enriches social and cultural life, but it also risks leaving some individuals behind.
- Society has become more complex-and g loaded-as the authors have entered the information age and postindustrial economy.
- Accordingly, organizations are “flatter” (have fewer hierarchical levels), and increasing numbers of jobs require high-level cognitive and interpersonal skills (Camevale, 1991; Cascio, 1995; Hunt, 1995; Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills, 1991).
- There is evidence that increasing proportions of individuals with below-average IQs are having trouble adapting to their increasingly complex modern life (Granat & Granat, 1978) and that social inequality along IQ lines is increasing (Herrnstein & Murray, 1994).
- As the military experience also illustrates, however, what is good pedagogy for the low-aptitude learner may be inappropriate for the high-aptitude person.
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01 Sep 2019
TL;DR: In this article, gender differences in Cattell-Horn-Carroll cognitive explanatory variables of basic writing skills and written expression in children and adolescents in grades 1-12 were explored using multiple-group structural equation modeling with the standardization samples for the Woodcock Johnson IV (N = 3569).
Abstract: Gender differences in Cattell-Horn-Carroll cognitive explanatory variables of basic writing skills and written expression in children and adolescents in grades 1–12 were explored using multiple-group structural equation modeling with the standardization samples for the Woodcock Johnson IV (N = 3569). Results showed small female advantages in cognitive processing speed and written expression across grade levels. Crystallized ability, fluid reasoning, short-term working memory, processing speed, and auditory processing were significant predictors of basic writing skills with learning efficiency showing stronger effects on basic writing skills for males compared to females in grades 9–12. Additionally, fluid reasoning, short-term working memory, processing speed, learning efficiency, and visual processing were significant predictors of written expression. Processing speed had stronger effects on written expression for males compared to females in grades 9–12, whereas auditory processing had stronger effects on written expression for females compared to males in grades 9–12. Theoretical and practical implications of findings are discussed.
2 citations
01 Jan 2012
2 citations
Cites background from "Why g matters: The complexity of ev..."
...Moreover, Gf is closely related to professional and educational success especially in complex and demanding environments (Gottfredson, 1997). There is considerable agreement that Gf is robust against influences of education and socialization (Gray & Thompson, 2004), Catell (1963), Baltes, Staudinger, & Lindenberger, 1999)....
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...Moreover, Gf is closely related to professional and educational success especially in complex and demanding environments (Gottfredson, 1997). There is considerable agreement that Gf is robust against influences of education and socialization (Gray & Thompson, 2004), Catell (1963), Baltes, Staudinger, & Lindenberger, 1999). It has been argued that the strong relationship between working memory and Gf primarily results from the involvement of attentional control being essential for both skills (Halford, Cowan, & Andrews, 2007). With regard to vocabulary, the notions of crystallised and fluid intelligence can be utilised as well. For instance, vocabulary knowledge has been described as static or crystallised knowledge. On the contrary, the ability to use a wide range of different words in conversation can be conceptualized as one type of fluid knowledge (Hayashi, Kato, Igarashi, & Kashima (2007). How then can vocabulary use as a type of fluid knowledge be conceptualised within Gupta and Tisdale’s (2009) model? We understand that the acoustic traces that we hear generate the word form phonological representations, and the word form representations evoke a semantic representation to yield meaning....
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...Moreover, Gf is closely related to professional and educational success especially in complex and demanding environments (Gottfredson, 1997)....
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TL;DR: In this article, a meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the direction and overall effect size between intelligence, psychopathy, and antisocial or conduct-related disorders, finding a small, statistically significant, relationship between intelligence and psychopathy.
Abstract: Across the last several decades, a growing body of research has accumulated concerning the relationship between indicators of general intelligence and the personality construct known as psychopathy. Both traits represent key correlates of life outcomes, predicting everything from occupational and economic success, to various indicators of prosocial and antisocial behaviour. The findings to date regarding the association of the two traits, however, have been somewhat inconsistent. Moreover, there has been a tendency to confuse psychopathy with other clinically significant disorders, which also predict antisocial behaviour. Thus, there remains a need for a more systematic investigation of the extant empirical literature. The current study represents a meta-analysis conducted to evaluate the direction and overall effect size between these traits: intelligence, psychopathy, and antisocial or conduct-related disorders. In a pooled sample of 27,094 participants from 105 correlations, our analyses revealed a small, statistically significant, relationship between intelligence and psychopathy (r = -.07, p = .001). Furthermore, we analysed the relationship between intelligence and antisocial disorders, finding a modest, inverse relationship for Antisocial Personality Disorder (r = -.13, p = .001; n = 2,151; k = 14) and Conduct Disorder (r = -.11; n = 23,171; k = 23), but a small, positive association for Oppositional Defiant Disorder (r = .06, p = .001; n = 10,362; k = 3).
2 citations
Cites background from "Why g matters: The complexity of ev..."
...IQ predicts socioeconomic status (Kanazawa, 2006; Strenze, 2007), educational achievement (Deary, Strand, Smith, & Fernandes, 2007; Gottfredson, 1997; Lynn & Mikk, 2009; Strenze, 2007), occupational status and job success (Gottfredson, 2002; 1 We appreciate an anonymous reviewer on a prior version…...
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...Having a higher intelligence has been found to be a correlate of completing more years of education (Deary, Strand, Smith, & Fernandes, 2007; Gottfredson, 1997; Lynn & Mikk, 2009; Strenze, 2007), gaining a higher status career (Gottfredson, 2002; Strenze, 2007) and living longer (Deary, Weiss, &…...
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...Researchers have been studying and refining the concept of g since Spearman (1904) first proposed it in the beginning of the 20th century as a way to conceptualize overall mental ability rather than variation across a specific ability (e.g. verbal ability) (Gottfredson, 1997; 2002)....
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed four configurations of human capital, combining individual cognitive and non-cognitive dimensions, which can explain how human capital can become a source of competitive advantage.
Abstract: Using a multilevel approach, this theoretical paper aims to build a framework to explore the cognitive and non-cognitive dimensions of human capital, which may in turn explain how they become a source of competitive advantage.,This paper presents several propositions to be empirically tested in further research using multilevel analysis. Starting at the individual level, four configurations of human capital are determined by considering cognitive and non-cognitive human capital. Based on these settings, interactions of human capital at intermediate or departmental level are discussed, taking into account the complexity of the task environment and psychosocial processes. These interactions constitute microfoundations, which explain why human capital may influence different types of organizational capabilities.,The theoretical analysis carried out allows proposing four configurations of human capital, combining individual cognitive and non-cognitive dimensions. These configurations form a human capital portfolio classifying different types of employees. In addition, this paper shows how individual human capital aggregates into departmental level and generates human capital emergence processes by contextualizing through the complex task environments and psychosocial processes. The development of these emergence processes enables proposing the association of certain organizational capabilities with cognitive elements of human capital (absorptive capacity, innovativeness and technical capacities), whereas a second group of organizational capabilities is linked to non-cognitive human capital aspects (organizational commitment, leadership and customer intimacy).,This paper combines individual dimensions in the study of the content of human capital from a multilevel and microfoundational approach, explaining the effects of emerging human capital on different organizational capabilities when human capital is contextualized at departmental level. This theoretical paper is a new step towards understanding and measuring the concept of human capital, enriching the resource-based view framework.,Utilizando un enfoque multidimensional, este paper teorico tiene como objetivo el diseno de un marco conceptual que explore las dimensiones cognitivas y no cognitivas del capital humano, de cara a explicar como puede convertirse en fuente de ventaja competitiva.,En este articulo se presentan varias proposiciones teoricas que pueden ser testadas empiricamente en investigaciones futuras a traves de analisis multinivel. Comenzando a un nivel individual, se determinan cuatro configuraciones de capital humano, al considerar las dimensiones cognitivas y no cognitivas. En base a esto, a nivel intermedio o departamental se discuten las interacciones de capital humano, teniendo en consideracion la complejidad del entorno de tareas y los procesos psicosociales. Dichas interacciones se convierten en microfundamentos que explican como el capital humano puede influir en diferentes capacidades organizativas a nivel de empresa.,El analisis teorico que se realiza nos permite proponer cuatro configuraciones de capital humano al combinar las dimensiones individuales cognitivas y no cognitivas. Estas configuraciones forman un portafolio de capital humano que permiten clasificar cuatro tipos de trabajadores. Ademas, este articulo muestra como se agrega el capital humano individual a nivel departamental, generando procesos de surgimiento del capital humano, los cuales se contextualizan por la complejidad del entorno de tareas y los procesos psicosociales. Dicho proceso de surgimiento nos permite proponer la asociacion de capacidades organizativas como la de absorcion, innovacion y tecnologica, con los elementos cognitivos del capital humano, mientras que un segundo grupo de capacidades organizativas (compromiso, liderazgo, intimidad con el cliente) se asocia a aspectos no cognitivos del capital humano.,Este paper combina las dimensiones individuales del capital humano en el estudio de su contenido, desde una perspectiva multinivel y basada en microfundamentos, explicando los efectos del surgimiento del capital humano en diferentes capacidades organizativas, una vez que dicho capital humano se contextualiza a nivel departamental. Este paper teorico seria un paso mas en el conocimiento y medicion del capital humano, enriqueciendo el marco de la Teoria Basada en los Recursos.,Usando uma abordagem multidimensional, este paper teorico tem como objetivo a construcao dum marco conceptual que explore as dimensoes cognitivas e nao cognitivas do capital humano, de modo a explicar como se pode tornar em fonte de vantagem competitiva.,Neste artigo apresentam-se varias proposicoes teoricas que podem ser testadas empiricamente em futuras pesquisas atraves da analise multinivel. Partindo dum nivel individual, determinam-se quatro configuracoes de capital humano, considerando as dimensoes cognitivas e nao cognitivas. Baseado nisto, a nivel intermedio ou departamental debatem-se as interacoes do capital humano, tendo em consideracao a complexidade do ambiente de tarefas e os processos psicossociais. Ditas interacoes constituem-se em microfundamentos que explicam como o capital humano pode influir em diferentes capacidades organizacionais a nivel de empresa.,A analise teorica realizada nos permite propor quatro configuracoes de capital humano ao combinar as dimensoes individuais cognitivas e nao cognitivas. Essas configuracoes formam um portfolio de capital humano que permitem classificar quatro tipos de trabalhadores. Alias, este artigo mostra como se agrega o capital humano a nivel departamental, gerando processos de surgimento do capital humano, os quais contextualizam-se pela complexidade dos ambientes de tarefas e dos processos psicossociais. O desenvolvimento destes processos de surgimento nos permite propor a associacao de determinadas capacidades organizacionais como a de absorcao, a de inovacao e a tecnologica, com os elementos cognitivos do capital humano, enquanto que um segundo grupo de capacidades organizacionais (compromisso, lideranca, proximidade com o cliente) esta ligado a aspectos nao cognitivos do capital humano.,Este paper combina as dimensoes individuais no estudo do conteudo do capital humano desde uma perspectiva multinivel e micro-fundacional, explicando os efeitos do surgimento do capital humano em diferentes capacidades organizacionais quando o capital humano se contextualiza a nivel departamental. Este paper teorico seria mais um passo no conhecimento e medicao do conceito do capital humano, enriquecendo o marco da Teoria Baseada nos Recursos.
2 citations
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors conceptualize destination smartness from a tourist perspective by identifying what intelligences a smart destination has executed, and the identified intelligences were then situated within a 2 (crystalized development path-fluid development path) × 2 (taskoriented focus-interaction-oriented focus), and 2 (active service provision-passive service provision) plane.
Abstract: ABSTRACT Drawing on teleology, this study aims to conceptualize destination smartness from a tourist perspective by identifying what intelligences a “smart” destination has executed. Thematic analysis of 25 interviews with experienced “smart tourists” unveiled a hierarchical framework of destination smartness, visualizing the components of destination smartness as seen by tourists. Eight identified intelligences were then situated within a 2 (crystalized development path–fluid development path) × 2 (task-oriented focus–interaction-oriented focus) × 2 (active service provision–passive service provision) plane. This study also lays a theoretical foundation for future studies and provides practical implications for the development of smart tourism.
2 citations
References
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