This chapter studies intelligence under the viewpoint of positive psychology. The first section recounts the authors' experiences in their research on intelligence, which seem to support the chapter's theory that intelligence cannot be evaluated properly if taken out of its cultural context. This is followed by a discussion on the theory of successful intelligence which posits that a balance between analytical, creative, and practical abilities is necessary for success. The third section presents relevant cultural studies on how people perceive intelligence. Findings show that children may develop contextually important skills at the expense of academic ones and may have substantial practical skills unrecognized in standard tests. Other conclusions show that practical intellectual skills may be better predictors of health and that the latter affects assessment performance. The remaining sections contrast dynamic versus static testing and present newintermediate tests for cognition.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Science of Well-Being
PublisherOxford University Press
ISBN (Electronic)9780191693670
ISBN (Print)9780198567523
DOIs
StatePublished - 22 Mar 2012

    Scopus subject areas

  • Psychology(all)

    Research areas

  • Cultural context, Dynamic testing, Intellectual skills, Intelligence, Positive psychology, Static testing, Successful intelligence

ID: 87387586