Human Intelligence: An Introduction

Human Intelligence is the most comprehensive, current, and readable textbook available today. Written by leading experts in the field, the text includes IQ-test-based, biological, cognitive, cultural, and systems-based perspectives. It also addresses genetic and environmental influences, extremes of intelligence, group differences, lifespan development, the relationship of intelligence and other psychological attributes, and educational interventions. Specific pedagogical features make the text ideal for teaching. Introductions briefly preview what is to come in each chapter. Key terms and concepts are bolded and defined in the text as they are introduced and also found in a glossary at the end of the book. Chapter summaries highlight major points of each chapter, and comprehension and reflection questions help students check their understanding of the material they have just read. Each chapter also includes a 'Focus on Contemporary Research' box that describes in vivid detail the chapter author's current research. A rich program of tables, figures, photos, and samples from research tools throughout help students understand the material in a concrete way.

Table of Contents:
Part I. Introduction: 1. What is intelligence and what are the big questions about it? Robert J. Sternberg; 2. Approaches to understanding human intelligence Robert J. Sternberg; Part II. Approaches to Studying Intelligence: 3. Early history of theory and research on intelligence Robert J. Sternberg; 4. Psychometric approaches to intelligence Alan S. Kaufman, W. Joel Schneider and James C. Kaufman; 5. Cognitive approaches to intelligence Victor J. Ellingsen and Randall W. Engle; 6. Biological approaches to intelligence Richard J. Haier; 7. Cultural approaches to intelligence Robert J. Sternberg; 8. Systems approaches to intelligence Robert J. Sternberg; Part III. Theories on the Development of Intelligence: 9. Genetics/genomics and intelligence Mei Tan and Elena L. Grigorenko; 10. Environment and intelligence James R. Flynn and Robert J. Sternberg; 11. Lifespan development of intelligence Christopher Hertzog; Part IV. Applications of Intelligence Research: 12. Extremes of intelligence Julian G. Elliott and Wilma C. Resing; 13. Group differences in intelligence Diane F. Halpern and Tomoe Kanaya; 14. The predictive value of intelligence Paul R. Sackett, Oren R. Shewach and Jeffrey A. Dahlke; 15. The relationship of intelligence to other psychological traits Colin G. DeYoung; 16. Intelligence, education and society Richard E. Mayer.

About the Author :
Robert J. Sternberg is Professor of Human Development at Cornell University, New York. He is also Honorary Professor of Psychology at Ruprecht-Karls-Universitaet Universität, Germany, and was previously IBM Professor of Psychology and Education at Yale University, Connecticut. He has won the William James and James McKeen Cattell Awards from the Association for Psychological Science and the Grawemeyer Award in Psychology.

Review :
'This is a nicely balanced and honest textbook on the complex notion of intelligence. It has breadth, depth, and volume. It covers all important questions and possible answers, certainties and uncertainties, speculations as well as empirical findings. It is written with love for the topic, with inspiration, ambition, and wisdom.' Paul De Boeck, Ohio State University 'Human intelligence is a rapidly changing discipline, and an updated introductory textbook has been needed for some time. This textbook offers a nice balance of perspectives, and is a real treasure trove for anyone interested in diving deep into the latest research and controversies surrounding the scientific investigation of human intelligence.' Scott Barry Kaufman, Columbia University 'Nobody knows more about human intelligence than Robert J. Sternberg. From mental age and IQ through social and emotional intelligence to practical intelligence and creativity, he and his contributors have assembled all this knowledge in this great textbook, suitable for use in upper-division courses in cognitive and educational psychology.' John F. Kihlstrom, University of California, Berkeley 'This volume contains a delightful balance between classic thinking about intelligence, its measurement, meaning, and correlates, and current thinking about these same issues. Although this is an edited volume, it reads like an authored text because every author did a good job of writing clearly and providing lots of examples for readers outside the area, and the editor inserted transitional text to link each chapter to others. Each chapter concludes with questions for readers that promote thoughtful contemplation. I highly recommend this volume. It would be excellent for courses on intelligence and, because of the clarity of each chapter, it does not presuppose a background in the topic.' Stephen J. Ceci, Cornell University, New York 'Examining the vast research and commentary about intelligence, arguably the most queried concept in both psychology and education, has become more manageable with the publication of Sternberg's book on Human Intelligence: An Introduction. Renowned scholars have examined this complex concept from multiple perspectives; and readers will benefit from this marvelous synthesis of the voluminous literature on the topic.' Joseph S. Renzulli, University of Connecticut 'It is often observed that human intelligence is among the most important and meaningful psychological constructs science has ever identified. Every day, we judge other people on the basis of their intelligence, and in the grand scheme humanity succeeds on the basis of its intelligence. Every person, undergraduates included, should become intelligent about intelligence. If you are thinking about teaching a course in human intelligence and wonder what text might be appropriate, or just want to bone up yourself on what intelligence is all about, Robert J. Sternberg has generously provided you with all that you need. This new text successfully covers a wide variety of topics and touches all the teaching bases, providing students with a host of learning aids that will successfully pave their way to a broad understanding of intelligence, its nature and functions, its biological-to-cultural origins and variations, and its theoretical and practical implications.' Marc H. Bornstein, Editor of Parenting: Science and Practice