Why is memory the primary measure of intelligence?

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   DonDWestposted 12 years ago

   Why is memory the primary measure of intelligence?
   
   Seems people admire (and academia grades accordingly) a person's ability to store information, sort of like a computer processor, and this is used as the primary measure of intelligence. I believe this is backward because a computer will always information processing better than a human. I believe we should instead evaluate intelligence based on creativity, problem solving, and a person's ability to interpret value (non-linear/non-arithmetic math computers can't always do). What is your opinion?

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2. 83

   arksysposted 12 years ago

   memory does play an important part in problem solving.
   
   problem solving - if you can remember how you tried to fix a certain situation yet failed and have another occurence of the same problem a couple of years later, you are more likely to solve it the second time round if you remember what you did the first time.

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3. 66

   MazioCreateposted 12 years ago

   There has been considerable research about "multiple intelligences" over the last twenty-eight years.  Dr Howard Gardner isolated 8 different intelligences that account for a broader range of human potential than just I.Q. testing. These areas include - linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intralpersonal and naturalistic.
   
   Since this theory has been around and adopted by many educaitonalists you do wonder what is the underlying reason/s for not changing how students of all ages are tested.  The answer DonDWest is simple - MONEY.  Governments find it hard to test these areas and base their budgets on this type of data.  So regardless of how teachers approach their delivery it will always come back to number crunching and who's students perform the best on an IQ or standardised test.

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4. 60

   ZackW.Vanposted 12 years ago

   This is actually very interesting. I must admit I hadn't really given the topic much thought. So what you are saying is that we should gauge intelligence based on what computers can't do and not what they can do, better.
   Well I would say I agree to that, but to an extent. I don't necessarily believe that intelligence is based off of the difference between everything, including inanimate objects. I believe intellect is gauged by person to person. The average human can only utilize about 10% of their brain, but who knows what could happen if a human used 30% or 50%. We can't compete with computers when it comes to memory, that is for sure. But we are the ones that created these computers that store so much memory. Of course our memory can't compete with a computer; we built them for that purpose.
   But onto the view of what intelligence is gauged on. I honestly believe that intellect is an amalgamation of all those things. I agree that there are many right brained people and many left brained. True brilliance in either the art or calculation field is achieved from people of one side or the other. However, I would consider a true genius to be well rounded. A renaissance person. I would also gauge intelligence by overall awareness or common sense. So many people are book smart but have no ability to apply it to anything.
   But that's just my opinion.

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5. 0

   Billie Paglioloposted 12 years ago

   I don't think memory IS a primary measure of intelligence.  The Guilford Cube, as I remember it, shows that as only one of a myriad of skills.  In addition, Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning lists that as a low level skill. In writing a multiple choice question, which is used in much of standardized testing, it is very difficult to write a question close to a higher level thinking skill.  That's why people are so misguided in regard to standardized testing and clamor for more.  Even President Obama and Bill Gates and his foundation has this a bit wrong.  We want a nation of problem solvers.  If you have ever worked with students who are mentally challenged, you'll find many with great memory skills.  One student I encountered could name all the Presidents of the United States and did so every time he got off the bus.  It's the integration of facts with higher level thinking skills and problem solving ability that we need, so you are precisely right!

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