Vladimir Magun read Richard Nisbett’s book “What is intelligence and how to develop it” for us.
Richard Nisbett, social psychologist, professor at the University of Michigan (USA), author of books addressed to both professionals and the general public. “The Man and the Situation”, a book written by him jointly with Lee Ross, published in Russian (Aspect Press, 1999).
“What is intelligence and how to develop it” Richard Nisbett
Translation from English by Maria Kulneva.
ALPINA NON-FIXION, 344 p.
If a child is convinced that abilities can be developed, his mental achievements increase, and the thought that they cannot be changed demoralizes him. In other words, the success of the child in solving difficult intellectual problems depends on how he himself perceives his abilities; this was proved by American scientists – Carol Dweck and her colleagues. The book of one of the most famous and profound modern psychologists, Richard Nisbett, convinces the reader of the same thing that Carol Dweck demonstrated in her experiments with children: “intellectual abilities can be developed.” They are not set once and for all by nature, genes, living conditions. This message of the American intellectual is urgently needed by the Russian reader today. After all, we are still convinced that we live in a world of stable and not amenable to our influence entities. The most frequent phrase in the mouth of a Russian is “it does not depend on me.” So: in relation to the level of mental development, this is definitely not the case. Nisbett’s book combines the latest scientific findings with subtle critiques and clear advice to parents, teachers, and leaders. The abundance of pedagogical experiments in the American education system, the search for various ways to systematically change and improve something is impressive. And no less admirable is the scientific thoroughness with which the results of these experiments were analyzed: many of them were rejected as unsuccessful or required further reflection. Here is a good example of how to move forward while being cautious and reasonably conservative.
Nisbett’s recommendations to parents are also relevant for us: when talking with a child, do not be afraid of difficult words, expand his vocabulary, involve him in adult conversations, scold him less often. During the holidays, support the mental load of the child, stimulate his memory and attention. Do not forget that physical exercises contribute to the development of intelligence. But it is better to praise a child not for his mind (otherwise, in order to earn praise, he will choose tasks that he successfully copes with), but for diligence, perseverance, willpower (which will stimulate him to choose and solve more complex tasks).
The theoretical part of the book is no less informative: the reader will learn about the structure of intellectual abilities, tests for measuring them, about the reasons for the high achievements of the Chinese and Jews, and about how genes affect mental development.