My name is David Tierney and this is a brief description of my PhD Psychology research. The research examines goal management skills in an attempt to refine intelligence theories and enhance mental health, performance and general wellbeing. This SlideShare presentation was created as part of an academic assignment. For more info: David.Tierney@ul.ie

1. Is this it... …or is there something more?

2. Background
 Three main approaches (Carlson et al, 2008):
1) General type of intelligence e.g. g-factor
2) multiple intelligences
3) combination
 Controversy undermines educational/disability/employee
assessment based on intelligence tests
 “After 100 years of research, the definition of the field [of
intelligence] is still inadequate” (Hunt and Jaeggi, 2013).

3. Additional Weaknesses
 Controversy based on same data interpreted in
different ways.
 What counts as a type of intelligence? Nature,
spirituality/existentialism, emotion, etc.
 People with severe brain damage and impairments can
do well on IQ tests e.g. HM
 Cultural, class and educational biases in IQ tests
 The teacher expectancy experiment

4. Potential Solution?
 Goals – a situation or status a person desires to obtain,
maintain or avoid
 Goals direct behaviour and development in specific areas
(multiple types)
 The ability to manage or organise goals is general (g-
factor?)
 Motivation – the degree of incentive to pursue a given
action or goal
 Self-regulation – the attempt to control oneself
(consciously, sub-consciously or through automated
processes) in order to maintain, or bring oneself closer to,
an ideal or preferred state (goal).

5. Goal Orientated Theory
 Takes into consideration personal values
 Focus of research is on ‘goal management skills’ e.g. goal
conflict resolution, obtainment evaluation, task
appropriateness.
 Aim of research is to provide foundation for new approach
and basic framework (which can be combined with
previous research)
 Limitation: Goals can differ depending on individuals,
culture, gender, religion, etc. Not useful for creating
measurements that apply to general population
However…

6. Can we Presume Certain Goals?
 Psychology is for the general population
 Implications for health issues e.g. dieting, suicide, etc.

7. Benefits
 Provides foundation for future research e.g. sports,
developmental psychology, workplace performance,
decision making, brain training games, etc.
 Could help resolve controversy
 Could enhance performance
 Understanding of goals could reveal ways to encourage
people to adopt healthy goals and not adopt unhealthy
ones
 Skills can typically be enhanced through practise so
may be able to increase our intelligence  (goal
management skills).

8. Challenges
 Might go against established theories and academics
 Terms such as goals, motivation and self-regulation
poorly defined (if defined at all in given research)
 Intelligence and self-regulation cross multiple
disciplines (makes finding relevant literature more
challenging)
 Given definitions diverse
 Theoretical arguments
(not just research with
participants)

9. Intelligence Framework (Draft)
And finally…

10. Any Questions???
For more information:
 http://dtdriven.wordpress.com/
 http://dtpsychology.wordpress.com/
 http://dtdriven.wix.com/davetierney
Contact Details:
 David.Tierney@ul.ie
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