Lay Definitions of Intelligence, Knowledge, and Memory: Inter- and Independence of Constructs

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Scientific conceptualizations of intelligence, knowledge, and memory involve complex interactions between semantic memory, crystallized and fluid intelligence, and working memory.
• Laypeople possess implicit theories of these constructs, often including factors like emotional intelligence beyond psychometric measures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate lay participants' definitions of being intelligent, knowing, and remembering.
• To compare public conceptualizations with established theoretical frameworks in psychology.
• To understand the alignment between lay mental models and expert understanding of intelligence and knowledge.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative coding of definitions provided by online participants (Prolific).
• Analysis of participant explanations for 'what does being intelligent mean to you?', 'knowing', and 'remembering'.

Main Results:

• Intelligence and knowledge are perceived as related but asymmetrically; intelligence definitions include knowledge, but not vice versa.
• Lay definitions of intelligence emphasize crystallized aspects (knowledge) and problem-solving, acknowledging its multifaceted nature.
• Emotional intelligence and other non-psychometric traits are frequently mentioned in lay definitions of intelligence.

Conclusions:

• Lay conceptualizations of intelligence are closely tied to accumulated knowledge but do not reciprocally define knowing.
• Understanding lay mental models of intelligence is crucial for bridging the gap between public perception and scientific understanding.
• Further research can explore these metacognitive differences to improve science communication and education.