What Determines Leadership Style?

This project examines selected traits valued in friends by educated individuals, and it seeks to determine if these valued traits vary by gender, race, and generational cohort. A literature review reveals that variations in leadership attributes are evident among these traits. In order to test the broad applicability of this literature, data were taken from the General Social Survey (GSS). The key analyses center on correlations between gender, race, and cohort, on the one hand, and the selected valued traits identified with effective leadership on the other. In some cases, the literature yields weak hypotheses, and in other cases the research is solely exploratory. According to leadership expert Peter Northouse, the personal traits of intelligence, integrity, and sociability are closely tied to effective leadership. This project examines the influence of gender, race, and cohort on how much these traits are valued. The findings of this project have potential usefulness for organizations to better understand how these three leadership traits are associated with gender, race, and age—perhaps ultimately influencing how organizations train and view their managers

MOTHER-CHILD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE: THE ROLE OF MOTHERS’ PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE

The dissertation focuses on two studies that explore an intriguing context in which variations in personal intelligence are apparent: the way parents talk with their children about other people. Fifty 6-9 year-olds and their mothers participated in Study 1. Study 1 documented individual differences in mother-child conversations about others and their relationship with mothers’ personal intelligence and children’s conversational variables, and also examined children’s use of trait labels and social behavior ratings. Forty-two 4-5 year-olds and 43 7-8 year-olds participated in Study 2 with their mothers. Study 2 replicated many of Study 1 findings, including significant correlations between mothers’ conversational variables, children’s conversational variables, and an association between mothers’ personal intelligence level and personality talk variables. Furthermore, Study 2 extended findings to a younger cohort of participants. Procedures for coding and analysis of personality talk are delineated. Study contributions are described in relation to literature on mother-child reminiscence and personal intelligence

Predicting the IQ of young children from early developmental markers

No abstract available

The Nature and Development of Giftedness

Following a short discussion of conceptual and theoretical problems of giftedness, the methodological foundations and selected results of a (presently) four year longitudinal study are presented. This study is based on a multidimensional concept of giftedness: intelligence, creativity, social competence, musical ability, psychomotor ability (or practical intelligence). Both academic achievements and leisure activities, as well as cognitive and motivational personality factors and school and family socialisation conditions relevant to giftedness, were studied. During the second project phase developmental aspects and achievement analyses of gifted and normal students aged 6 to 18 years were the central aspects of the study. Finally, methodological problems in the identification of gifted children and adolescents as well as consequences for the nurturing of giftedness are discussed

IQ variations across time and race are explained by literacy differences

Intelligence quotient (IQ) scores are intended to assess the cognitive competences of individuals, groups and populations. A body of data collected during the last 50 years has revealed that IQ average population scores vary significantly over time, nationality, and race. The causes of these variations remain a mystery. Theories focusing on nutrition, brain size, dysgenic factors, social class and education have proved inexact or unsatisfactory. Here I describe a new explanation based on the fact that intelligence test performance requires a level of literacy not present in all people to the same degree. I show that literacy variations across time, place and race are highly associated with changes in IQ scores. These findings have widespread implications. Contemporary IQ test score differences between populations and racial groups are predicted to diminish with rises in universal literacy in the 21st century

Determinants of political trust : a lifetime learning model

This article addresses questions regarding the origins of individual variations in political trust. Using 2 prospective longitudinal studies, we examine the associations between family background, general cognitive ability (g) and school motivation at early age, educational and occupational attainment in adulthood, and political trust measured in early and mid-adulthood in 2 large representative samples of the British population born in 1958 (N = 8,804) and in 1970 (N = 7,194). A lifetime learning model of political trust is tested using structural equation modeling to map the pathways linking early experiences to adult outcomes. Results show that political trust is shaped by both early and later experiences with institutions in society. Individuals who have accumulated more socioeconomic, educational, and motivational resources throughout their life course express higher levels of political trust than do those with fewer resources