Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Chapter 1: Cognitive factor structure, g Abstract: The first chapter will present the cognitive structure found in Latin American samples. Along with the factor structure obtained to each country's sample, the chapter will show the estimation and analysis of the congruence coefficient, which is an index of the similarity between factors derived in a factor analysis. Finally, the chapter will present the estimation of g factor using hierarchical factor analysis.
Chapter 2: Education, Social Correlates and g/IQ differencesAbstract: The second chapters will be dedicated to the relationship between g factor (the best representation of intelligence using several cognitive measures) and school performance. Social correlates of g differences such as individual social economic status, education of parents, neighborhood social economic status, kind of school, and other will be presented. The chapter will also compare this data with a similar analysis using an IQ scale, and will verify group differences.
Chapter 3: Information ProcessingAbstract: The third chapter goes beyond test scores. It will verify how the mind of good and bad problem-solvers works using models of cognitive processing - especially information processing models. This psychometric linked to cognitive psychology investigation can be a better way to understand the cognitive performance of human groups.
Chapter 4: Creativity and IntelligenceAbstract: The theme of the fourth chapter will be creativity, which is recognized as an important factor for dealing with the demands of the contemporary world. It is supposed that in order to create new solutions, and solve the hardest problems, the creative advantage is the most beneficial to people, as well as nations, in their pursuit of goals and development.
Chapter 5: Sex DifferencesAbstract: The fifth chapter will be dedicated to a sensitive but important subject for understanding the human capital of a nation: cognitive sex differences. There are few studies that investigate this issue in developing countries, where the culture tends to be sexist and/or subject to social inequality. Because of the perceived importance of intelligence for successful adaptation and success in life, experts pay special attention to results of investigations of sex differences in general intelligence. The SLATINT project meets this demand for information and will analyze the results from an unbiased perspective, presenting within and between group differences.
Chapter 6: Human CapitalAbstract: The sixth and last chapter will summarize the general results obtained in order to analyze the human capital present in the region as well as its challenges and future prospects. In addition, the chapter will discuss non-cognitive elements that may contribute to individual and group differences.
Synopsis
This book presents the results of the most complete and updated assessment of cognitive resources of students in Latin America: the Study of Latin American Intelligence (SLATINT). During four years, top researchers of the region used a standardized set of cognitive measures to assess 4,000 students aged between 14 and 15 years from six countries: Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Peru. The data collected and now analyzed in this volume is a first step to understand the human cognitive capital of the region, a crucial resource for any country today. Intelligence research has shown that the cognitive skills of a population are strongly associated with the school performance of its students and the development of a nation. This makes Intelligence Measurement and School Performance in Latin America a valuable tool both for Latin American researchers and authorities engaged in the improvement of each country's human resources and for psychologists, educators and other social scientists dedicated to the study of the impact of intelligence in the development of nations.