Mental development: concept, norm and deviations. Mental abilities and intelligence

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Every person is a person, with their own characteristics, character, life beliefs, goals and thoughts. To get to know him better, you need to get to know each other better through communication. In the process, whose facial expressions, gestures, demeanor, with the ability to listen, the level of his mental development and intelligence will be revealed.

These are two characteristics that reflect an individual's mental skills.

What is intelligence and mental development

Definitely they can be improved and upgraded through cultivation.

Mental development involves a set of knowledge and skills that was formed in the process of obtaining them.

Translated from Latin - knowledge, understanding. And it means a set of needs for assessing, analyzing and resolving the situation. The term combines all human cognitive processes: memory, speech, thinking, imagination, attention, and perception.

It follows that human intelligence is a certain system of skills thatallows you to adapt to new circumstances, the learning process, based on the experience gained, thanks to which the management of various existing life conditions is carried out.

The term "intelligence" can be described by three characteristics:

1. Biological. This is the ability to consciously adapt to the situation;
2. Educational. Ability to process learning.
3. Structural approach. Its author Alfred Binet is a French psychologist. Intelligence is the ability to adapt the means to the end. In other words, it is a set of specific skills.

We conclude that intelligence is determined by a large-scale ability for reasonable action, a rational thought process and skillful overcoming of life situations.

Now let's figure out what contributes to the development of mental abilities

The ability to recognize the plot of your favorite movie, understand the interlocutor at a glance or easily explain what the book is about - these are qualities that demonstrate mental abilities.

First let's define the term

This is the individual's ability to recognize, analyze and accept the correct resolution of a situation. Mental abilities unite all human cognitive processes. These include: thinking, imagining, feeling, understanding and imagining.

Now let's look at some points that affect the level of mental abilities

There is no clear definition of this term, scientists argue on what the level depends on. Butthere are three criteria that determine it:

1. Cognition. This is the ability to understand and analyze the speech of another individual or the awareness of a book read, for example;
2. Sanity. It is characterized by the ability to soberly assess the situation, highlight positive and negative points, and maintain objectivity in extreme circumstances;
3. Memory. The ability to remember the necessary and important information. The ability to reproduce it at the required time.

We figured out what affects the level of mental abilities, and now we will find out how to measure them.

Measuring intelligence through an IQ test

Today, IQ is successfully practiced in many companies - testing of working personnel. Children can also test their intellectual level. Yes, there is a lot of controversy going around, but it still takes place.

The answer is expressed as a result of passing the test, the figure. The average result varies from ninety to one hundred and ten. If the coefficient is higher than one hundred and thirty, then the person has the highest abilities. All scores down from ninety indicate below average intelligence.

But do not despair, because intellectual mental development can be increased.

How can it be improved

Scientists have proven factors that contribute to their deterioration, these are long-term inactivity, physical and psychological abnormalities, old age.

But there are ways tokeep them up to date and improve:

1. Solving puzzles, charades, crossword puzzles, various tasks;
2. Working with specially designed computer programs that improve brain performance;
3. Hobby, favorite pastime. For example, attending various trainings, developing games;
4. Special sets of exercises that give physical activity.

If you get an unsatisfactory result on an IQ test, don't get upset. It is necessary to train the mind: this is solving logical problems, reading scientific and artistic books, learning languages. You need to constantly improve yourself. And, of course, stick to a he althy diet and get plenty of rest.

Now let's talk about how to develop a child's abilities

You can not judge the mental development of a baby who has just been born, because he is still incapable of action. He definitely has natural inclinations. These are features laid down from birth, in the form of physiological, anatomical, psychological properties, which will reliably contribute to the development of talents in any activity. For example, a sense of rhythm and the ability to hear music for dancing, quick reaction and accuracy of motor movements for practicing a certain sport, etc.

The inclinations are then expressed in the child's predisposition to any kind of occupation (dancing, drawing, singing). This captivates the baby, and gives great pleasure.

To identify these talents, the child must be immersed incertain process. And, of course, their development will occur only with a regular, systematic lesson with a teacher.

But it should be noted that no matter what natural inclinations a child has, without diligence, discipline, will, diligence, one cannot achieve heights. Sometimes, people without talent achieve unprecedented results through willpower and perseverance.

In principle, we have opened the question of "the concept of the mental development of the child", but there is something else to add.

Scientists suggest that the basis of mental abilities in a baby is 50 - 60%. Moreover, they have a more creative character, which not everyone manages to develop. And only from the process of education will depend on how they develop.

The mental abilities of a child are judged by the quantity and quality of the knowledge gained. From an early age, he perfects the mind. Based on this, we can conclude that the development of abilities depends on a number of social and biological components.

Mental education

This is the work of adults (parents, teachers) on the mental development of children, with the purposeful intention of transferring and communicating knowledge. Learning to put into practice acquired skills. The main task is to develop the active thinking process of preschoolers.

Consequently, mental development and education are closely related. It is very important not to overload the brain of the child. The mistakes made leave an imprint on the future life of a preschooler. For example, the kid was deprived of games with the designer and building material. Subsequently, hespatial imagination will be poorly developed, which will cause problems in the study of geometry and drawing.

Therefore, for successful schooling, the child needs to master independence, skills and knowledge.

To summarize:

1. A person with birth receives a certain set of inclinations that help in the development of abilities;
2. Abilities are displayed by the speed of obtaining skills for the successful execution of actions. Develop in the process of activities that must be controlled by specialists;
3. The environment plays a huge role in identifying and developing a child's abilities. This is his environment: parents, kindergarten, school;
4. Only determination, perseverance, diligence, willpower, desire will help you achieve success.

It's good when the child is he althy, but, unfortunately, mental retardation happens. This is a problem not only for parents, but also for the children themselves. After all, they suffer from this first in kindergarten, and then within the walls of the school.

What is meant by mental retardation

Retarded human mental development is a violation of the intellect, which, unfortunately, is irreversible.

There are two main clinical forms that differ in time of onset:

1. Oligophrenia. It occurs due to internal damage to the child's brain in the first years of life. Here there is a violation of the development of the intellect due to its underdevelopment;
2. Dementia is the collapse of already existing functions of the intellect due tovarious brain diseases due to damage to its cortex after the first two or three years of life.

Let's talk about degrees of mental retardation

They differ in brain damage:

• Idiot. Severe form. It is characterized by deep trauma to the cerebral cortex, which leads to serious disturbances in psychological and physiological development. Among the patients there are such people who are unable to move, and also cannot sit. Require constant care;
• Imbecile. The average degree of the disease. There is a light and expressive form. The second is severe, expressed, even in the absence of paralysis, by an underdeveloped motor function. Children are not able to jump and run, and generally have difficulty switching movements. Hands and fingers may not work, which limits them in the formation of self-service skills. Very bad memory. The light form allows you to develop imaginative thinking and primitive visual. Able to master simple self-care skills. They can be taught to write and count, as well as prepared for the upcoming work activity. They cannot live and function on their own. But they have the ability for physical activity, contact with others, participation in social events organized by teachers. Can work under supervision;
• Debility. This is a mild form of backwardness. Children with such a diagnosis can be taught correctly, to speak, to build sentences correctly. Good for teaching writing. But they make a lot of mistakes. Limited memory capacity. They can develop arbitrary attention, as well as elementary logical and imaginative thinking.

It is necessary to recognize the symptoms of mental retardation in time. As a rule, this is noticeable, the child looks immature against the background of peers, his behavior and ability to acquire knowledge is poorly expressed.

In early childhood, the signs are also pronounced. This is when a child is not interested in learning about the world around him, does not play. He starts talking late, while speech and motor development is slowed down. These are obvious physical inconsistencies, a large head, an irregular shape of the skull, etc.

Children with significant mental disabilities study in special rehabilitation centers. It is very important for parents to continue to work with them at home. With mild forms of violation, you can study at a secondary school. The support of the family, teachers and class is important here.

When to See a Doctor

If your baby's development raises some questions, you should not wait, you need to go to the pediatrician. He will dispel doubts. If the doctor assures that everything is in order, but does not leave you worried, ask for a referral for a consultation with a specialist.

And finally, let's talk about the impact mental activity has on our psychological state

Only positive. She is able to calm and concentrate a person. As a rule, people who are busy with the thought process are less prone to emotional breakdowns. The head is not filled with bad thoughts, because it is full ofwork.

Active mental activity allows you to increase the level of thinking. A person thinks a lot, calculates something, solves problems. It helps to get away from depression, and just get rid of negative thoughts.

It's good when your head is loaded with positive thoughts. It must be understood that any mental activity must be realized in practice, that is, manifested as a result. This directly affects the psyche, because we must receive confirmation of the correctness of our thoughts. You need to think and realize the dream.

Only one thing should be said, that there are no limits to perfection. You can increase the level of IQ until old age, the main thing is not to be inactive. It is necessary to develop mental abilities, and then life will be he althier, more interesting and richer.