Anderson's theory of intelligence and cognitive development (GDP)

One of the criticisms of Gardner's theory points out that a high level of abilities related to any of the identified manifestations of intelligence, as a rule, correlates with a high level of abilities related to other manifestations of intelligence; that is, that none of the specific abilities is completely independent of the others (Messick, 1992; Scarr, 1985). In addition, psychologist Mike Anderson points out that Gardner does not clearly define the nature of multiple intellectual abilities — he calls them "behaviors, cognitive processes, and brain structures" (1992, p. 67). Because of this uncertainty, Anderson attempted to develop a theory based on the idea of General intelligence put forward by Thurstone and others.

Anderson's theory States that individual differences in intelligence and individual development-related changes in intellectual competence are explained by a number of different mechanisms. Differences in intelligence are the result of differences in "basic information processing mechanisms" that involve thinking and, in turn, lead to knowledge acquisition. The rate at which processing processes occur varies among different individuals. For example, an individual with a slow-functioning basic processing mechanism is likely to have more difficulty acquiring new knowledge than an individual with a fast-functioning processing mechanism. This is equivalent to saying that a slow processing mechanism is the cause of a low level of General intelligence.

However, Anderson notes that there are cognitive mechanisms that are not characterized by individual differences. For example, individuals with down syndrome may not be able to put two and two together, but they are aware that other people have beliefs and act on those beliefs (Anderson, 1992). The mechanisms that provide such universal abilities are called "modules". Each module functions independently, performing complex calculations. Modules are not affected by the basic processing mechanisms; in principle, they are automatic. According to Anderson, it is the maturation of new modules that explains the growth of cognitive abilities in the process of individual development. For example, the maturation of the module responsible for speech explains the development of the ability to speak complete (expanded) sentences.

According to Anderson's theory, in addition to modules, intelligence includes two "specific abilities". One of them is related to propositional thinking (a linguistic mathematical expression), and the other is related to visual and spatial functioning. Anderson believes that tasks that require these abilities are performed by "specific processors". Unlike modules, specific processors are affected by basic processing mechanisms. High-speed processing mechanisms allow an individual to use specific processors more effectively and thus get higher test scores and achieve more in real life.

Thus, Anderson's theory of intelligence suggests that there are two different "routes" to knowledge acquisition. The first involves the use of basic processing mechanisms that lead to the acquisition of knowledge through specific processors. From Anderson's point of view, it is this process that we understand as "thinking" and it is responsible for individual differences in intelligence (from his point of view, equivalent to differences in knowledge). The second route involves using modules to acquire knowledge. Knowledge based on modules, such as the perception of three-dimensional space, comes automatically if the corresponding module is sufficiently Mature, and this explains the development of intelligence.

Anderson's theory can be illustrated by the example of a 21-year-old young man known by the initials M. A., who suffered from convulsions as a child and was diagnosed with autism. When he reached adulthood, he could not speak and received the lowest scores on psychometric tests. However, he was found to have an IQ of 128 points and an extraordinary ability to operate with Prime numbers, which he performed more accurately than a specialist with a degree in mathematics (Anderson, 1992). Anderson came to the conclusion that the basic mechanism of processing in M. A. it was not damaged, which allowed it to think in abstract symbols, but its linguistic modules were affected, which prevented it from mastering everyday knowledge and communication processes.

Other theories of intelligence

• Gardner's theory of multiple intelligence​​ см.→​​​​​​​
• Sternberg's triarchic theory см.→
• Bioecological theory of Ceci см.→

The theory of intelligence: the results

Despite these differences, all theories of intelligence share a number of common features. All of them try to take into account the biological basis of intelligence, Whether it is a basic processing mechanism or a set of multiple intellectual abilities, modules, or cognitive potentials. см.→