Non-verbal intelligence: concept, main functions, level and methods of development

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

In the history of the development of psychology, a lot of attention was paid to the study of the concept of intelligence and the individual characteristics of this aspect of personality. In the course of the research, it was found that non-verbal intelligence is an integral part of mental abilities. Knowing what this substructure is and how it can be influenced will open up new facets in self-knowledge and self-improvement of a person.

The concept of human intelligence

In modern psychology, intelligence is seen as a person's ability to adapt to new circumstances and situations. This concept also includes the ability of the individual to learn new material and master new skills.

In the course of many years of research on this concept, conducted by many specialists, it was found that intelligence can be divided into two main substructures - verbaland nonverbal. Each of them has its own area of functioning, individual level of development and potential ways of evolution.

The concept of non-verbal intelligence

Under the concept of "non-verbal intelligence" is meant a kind of intelligence that uses a visual image and spatial representation as a support. It is worth noting that this substructure develops in each person in exactly the same way as the verbal component. However, the level of non-verbal intelligence is individual.

Non-verbal human thinking is based on operations associated with visual objects. By presenting these objects, a person gets the opportunity to evaluate the similarities and differences of different objects or images. Also, thanks to this substructure, people can determine the position of an object in space. By developing non-verbal intelligence, a person begins to better understand diagrams and drawings. Also, the level of development of the non-verbal component of intelligence affects the ability to draw and design.

General principles for diagnosing non-verbal substructure

Today, there are many ways to diagnose verbal and non-verbal intelligence. The differences lie in the assignments and the materials from which the assignments are formed.

Diagnosis of non-verbal intelligence is carried out using tasks based on visual materials. Often a common test task is to compose figures from separatelyelements taken, manipulation of objects, or comparison of visual material provided for passing the test. In most cases, the state of non-verbal intelligence is assessed using Kos cubes, Raven's progressive matrices or Seguin's form board.

However, there are also methods that give the psychologist the opportunity to assess the verbal and non-verbal substructure at the same time. The most commonly used is the Wechsler test. However, it should be noted that the diagnosis of both components takes a lot of time. Most often, the test is delayed for one and a half or two hours.

Description of the Wechsler test

This test, also known in psychology as the Wechsler scale, is the most common and best known method for determining the level of development of human intelligence. Created by David Wexler in 1939. The test is based on the Wexler hierarchical model of intelligence, which makes it possible to consider all the components of intelligence at the same time.

This diagnostic technique includes 11 subtests divided into two groups. 6 tasks are aimed at testing verbal intelligence, and 5 - at determining the level of development of the non-verbal component. Each test contains from 10 to 30 tasks, the complexity of which gradually increases. Each completed subtest is scored. The final result is translated into a unified score on a scale, which makes it possible to estimate the spread. During the evaluation of the results inattention is taken to the general coefficient of intelligence, the ratio of the level of development of the verbal and non-verbal components, and the performance of each individual task assigned to the test person is analyzed.

Processing Wechsler test results

After a person has completed all the subtests, you need to correctly calculate and interpret the points obtained into the final result. For this process, you must have on hand the necessary tables for this.

Evaluation is carried out at three levels:

1. Calculation and interpretation of general intelligence scores, verbal and non-verbal components.
2. Analysis of a profile of performance scores based on ratios.
3. Qualitative interpretation of grades, taking into account the observation of the behavior of the tested and other diagnosed information.

Standard processing is that the psychologist calculates the primary scores for each of the tasks, that is, sums up the "raw" scores of the subject. After that, by means of special tables, the "raw" result is reduced to a standard one and displayed as a profile. The summed results in a standardized form determine the indicators of general, non-verbal and verbal intelligence.

The classification of results is as follows:

1. 130 points or more - very high IQ.
2. 120-129 points - high level.
3. 110-119 points is a good norm.
4. 90-109 points - average IQ.
5. 80-89 points are a bad norm.
6. 70-79 points aresegment of the border zone.
7. 69 and below indicate that the subject has a mental defect.

Age adaptations of the Wechsler method

Depending on the age of the person being tested, the study of non-verbal intelligence and other components of the concept of "intelligence" is carried out according to one of the three age adaptations of the Wechsler test. This is due to the fact that at different ages the human intellect develops in a specific way, which significantly affects the tasks that can be completed.

Today, for children from 4 to 6, 5 years old, the WPPSI modification is used. WISC is an adaptation for ages 6.5 to 16.5. For anyone over 16.5 years old, use the WAIS version.

How can I develop non-verbal intelligence?

Non-verbal intelligence can be developed. To date, there are special techniques and exercises for this, the systematic implementation of which will help develop this substructure of the intellect.

First of all, a person seeking to develop a non-verbal structure of the intellect must learn not just to look, but to see. For example, when you see cars colliding on the road, you should not limit yourself to a superficial examination of the situation. Attempts to see the full picture and understand the causes of the incident contribute to the development of the non-verbal component. Restoring all the factors that have fallen out of sight and a holistic picture of the situation, a person trains his intellect and develops the level of observation.

The destruction of thought patterns is no less progressive technique. At the initial stage, you can change such simple things as the route from home to work or the path taken through the store while shopping. Any change in habitual actions and pictures induces the brain to change the picture of the environment, which becomes habitual and drags the person into the comfort zone.

The development of the non-verbal substructure of the intellect is facilitated by reading difficult-to-perceive literature and understanding each step described in this literature. No less useful is a thoughtful reading of literature concerning activities unusual for a person.

Conclusion

Human intelligence is a rather multifaceted concept. In modern psychology, there are methods for diagnosing each of these components. You can also find useful tips and tricks with which you can develop one or another component of the intellect and increase the overall level of intellectual development.