Adaptive Intelligence: Intelligence Is Not a Personal Trait but Rather a Person × Task × Situation Interaction

This article explores the advantages of viewing intelligence not as a fixed trait residing within an individual, but rather as a person × task × situation interaction. The emphasis in the article is on the role of persons solving tasks embedded in situations involving learning, intellectual abilitie...

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Main Author: Robert J. Sternberg
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-11-01
Series:Journal of Intelligence
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/9/4/58
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author Robert J. Sternberg
author_facet Robert J. Sternberg
author_sort Robert J. Sternberg
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description This article explores the advantages of viewing intelligence not as a fixed trait residing within an individual, but rather as a person × task × situation interaction. The emphasis in the article is on the role of persons solving tasks embedded in situations involving learning, intellectual abilities, and competencies. The article opens with a consideration of the role of situations in intelligent behavior. The article then discusses how intelligence is more similar to creativity and wisdom, in terms of the role of situations, than many psychologists have realized. Then the article reviews the role of situations in identity-based and irrational thinking and in conspiratorial thinking and cults. Next the article discusses the demonstrated importance of situations in assessment, but also notes the difficulties in sampling situations. Finally, the article draws conclusions, in particular, that, given our lack of situation-based tests, we need to be more modest in our interpretations results from conventional tests of intelligence.
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spelling doaj.art-bf3535f1a7d8473aaa4ec461aacb580d2023-11-23T09:01:05ZengMDPI AGJournal of Intelligence2079-32002021-11-01945810.3390/jintelligence9040058Adaptive Intelligence: Intelligence Is Not a Personal Trait but Rather a Person × Task × Situation InteractionRobert J. Sternberg0Department of Psychology, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USAThis article explores the advantages of viewing intelligence not as a fixed trait residing within an individual, but rather as a person × task × situation interaction. The emphasis in the article is on the role of persons solving tasks embedded in situations involving learning, intellectual abilities, and competencies. The article opens with a consideration of the role of situations in intelligent behavior. The article then discusses how intelligence is more similar to creativity and wisdom, in terms of the role of situations, than many psychologists have realized. Then the article reviews the role of situations in identity-based and irrational thinking and in conspiratorial thinking and cults. Next the article discusses the demonstrated importance of situations in assessment, but also notes the difficulties in sampling situations. Finally, the article draws conclusions, in particular, that, given our lack of situation-based tests, we need to be more modest in our interpretations results from conventional tests of intelligence.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/9/4/58intelligencepersontasksituationinteraction
spellingShingle Robert J. Sternberg
Adaptive Intelligence: Intelligence Is Not a Personal Trait but Rather a Person × Task × Situation Interaction
Journal of Intelligence
intelligence
person
task
situation
interaction
title Adaptive Intelligence: Intelligence Is Not a Personal Trait but Rather a Person × Task × Situation Interaction
title_full Adaptive Intelligence: Intelligence Is Not a Personal Trait but Rather a Person × Task × Situation Interaction
title_fullStr Adaptive Intelligence: Intelligence Is Not a Personal Trait but Rather a Person × Task × Situation Interaction
title_full_unstemmed Adaptive Intelligence: Intelligence Is Not a Personal Trait but Rather a Person × Task × Situation Interaction
title_short Adaptive Intelligence: Intelligence Is Not a Personal Trait but Rather a Person × Task × Situation Interaction
title_sort adaptive intelligence intelligence is not a personal trait but rather a person task situation interaction
topic intelligence
person
task
situation
interaction
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/9/4/58
work_keys_str_mv AT robertjsternberg adaptiveintelligenceintelligenceisnotapersonaltraitbutratherapersontasksituationinteraction