An analysis of demographic differences in student’s perceptions of intelligence at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg campus.

Abstract

The concept of intelligence has been one of the most studied phenomena over many centuries and its definition remains a mystery and continues to be surrounded by controversy. There are different ways in which intelligence is conceptualized all over the world, however the most dominant is the Western conceptualization and consequently, all the IQ tests that are currently being utilized to measure intelligence are derived/based on this Western conceptualization of intelligence. This is problematic in the South African context where almost all the tests used to measure intelligence are based on Western standards and interpretations of intelligence but applied in South African populations. The purpose of this study was to explore and establish the perceptions of intelligence and whether age differences exist in these perceptions amongst the University of KwaZulu Natal student population. The findings of this study have the potential to contribute to the body of knowledge that exists in the field of psychometrics, particularly cognitive assessments in South Africa, and can provide valuable insight for theorists and academics in the field who may want to develop a contextually relevant theory of intelligence. A semi structured focus group interview schedule was conducted with 11 participants. The findings of the study established perceptions of intelligence, revealed that demographic differences in students’ perceptions of intelligence do exist, and there are various reasons as to why these exist which are also ultimately the factors that shape the student’s perception of intelligence. Moreover, younger students at the undergraduate level of study generally perceive intelligence using the lenses of the multiple intelligences’ theory while older students at the postgraduate level of study perceive intelligence in both cognitive and social constructionism lenses. The study has revealed that there is a need for additional research to build a solid body of knowledge and create a clear understanding of how students in the larger South African community perceive and construct the concept of intelligence.