Cognitive abilities such as problem solving, logic reasoning and general knowledge have traditionally been theorized and studied as factor models, whereby latent unobserved variables such as...Show moreCognitive abilities such as problem solving, logic reasoning and general knowledge have traditionally been theorized and studied as factor models, whereby latent unobserved variables such as general intelligence (g-factor), or crystallized (gc) and fluid intelligence (gf) pose as the underlying mechanisms for performance on cognitive tests. However, the mutualism theory of intelligence conceptualizes general cognitive ability and its components as a network, in which individual cognitive abilities (e.g., reasoning and vocabulary) influence and facilitate each other’s development. Studies into the use of mutualism theory have supported the theory as an explanation of the development between different cognitive constructs. Studies into development within a singular construct, however, remains sparse. Our study aimed to fill this gap in the literature. Using this network psychometrics we researched the construct general knowledge (gkn) using a data set of answers to a multiple-choice general knowledge test, obtained from the Open-Source Psychometrics Project database. Grouping the participants based on age (13-18, 19-24 and 25-35 years old) we found that overall, the partial correlations are weaker for the youngest group and strongest for the older groups. This suggests that general knowledge is not as strongly developed in the youngest group compared to the older groups. We also found that the youngest group had the most positive partial correlations overall, suggesting that mutualism is most active in this age range. Concurrently, we found that the middle group had the highest of both total amount of partial correlations, and total amount of positive partial correlations. The oldest group had the widest range in partial correlations, and the smallest number of partial correlations compared to the total amount of partial correlations recorded, suggesting that the development of general knowledge strengthens with age from younger to older adolescence and that this development levels off in (early) adulthood. These findings support the theory of mutualism and opens up avenues for further research into the use of mutualism theory to investigate the development of (constructs of) intelligence and related factorsShow less
Abstract Objectives: Adverse Life Events (ALEs) are seen as a risk factor for both psychiatric and cognitive difficulties later in life. There is a growing interest in understanding the...Show moreAbstract Objectives: Adverse Life Events (ALEs) are seen as a risk factor for both psychiatric and cognitive difficulties later in life. There is a growing interest in understanding the relationship between ALEs and their impact on the developing individual due to the various types of consequences of ALEs (e.g., anxiety, substance use, depression, attention deficits, or language impairments). This study aimed to identify the relationship between the moment of the occurrence of ALEs (i.e., age) and intelligence (i.e., IQ) in adolescents who have experienced one or multiple ALE(s). It was hypothesized that more experiences of ALEs endured during a lifetime led to lower intelligence as experiences of ALEs lead to lower intelligence. Furthermore, it was expected that ALEs during early childhood led to lower intelligence as these experiences may result in smaller brain volume, which is associated with decreased intelligence. Additionally, experiences of ALEs during late childhood were expected to predict lower intelligence as these children tend to have a more thorough understanding of their endured ALEs. This study also examined the moderating effect of marijuana use on the relationship between age and intelligence. Here, the expectation was that individuals who reported marijuana use had lower intelligence as substance use can have a negative effect on intelligence. Methods: In total, 713 adolescents were included in this cross-sectional study design. Adolescents with a high risk to develop psychiatric disorders were oversampled for the cohort used. During this study, ALEs were assessed with the Adverse Life Events questionnaire. Intelligence was assessed with the Snijders-Oomen Non-Verbal Intelligence Test-Revised. Marijuana use was measured by using a single item of the Self-Reported Early Delinquency scale. Results: Multiple linear regressions were conducted in this study. The analyses showed that more lifetime experiences of ALEs predicted lower intelligence (partial r = -.090, p < .001). This study did not find evidence for a decrease in intelligence when experiencing ALE at a younger age. The study did find evidence that experiences of ALE at an older age predicted lower intelligence (partial r = -.088, p = .019). However, when controlling for age, gender, and socioeconomic status this effect did not remain significant (partial r = -.019, p = .607). These confounders most likely confounded the effect. No evidence was found for a stronger relationship between ALE and intelligence among marijuana users. Conclusions: In line with the expectations, more lifetime ALEs seem to negatively affect intelligence. Contradictory to the expectations, this study found that the timing of ALEs did not play a role in the relationship between ALEs and intelligence. This may be attributed to the study design where all different ALE types were combined in a total sum score and were not examined individually.Show less
At least one in seven children have experienced child abuse and/or neglect in the past year and more than two thirds of children reported at least one traumatic event by the age of sixteen....Show moreAt least one in seven children have experienced child abuse and/or neglect in the past year and more than two thirds of children reported at least one traumatic event by the age of sixteen. Psychological problems, gender, mood, and socioeconomic status (SES) are all related to the severity of childhood trauma. Childhood trauma has not only been associated with a lower SES, but also with lower scores on IQ-tests. For example, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect are all negatively correlated with IQ. The relationship between SES, IQ and childhood trauma is not well understood. Especially in a population with individuals that report overall higher levels of traumatic experiences and have a lower IQ, such as offspring of people with a mood disorder. In this study, we investigated the relationship between SES, IQ, and trauma in offspring of parents with a mood disorder. Children (N = 198 and N = 40) participating in the MARIO cohort study were assessed for gender, age, SES, and exposure to childhood trauma (emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect) using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Child IQ-scores were assessed with either the WISC or the WAIS. A linear regression analysis showed that IQ was only weakly related to childhood trauma. In contrast SES was strongly related to childhood trauma. These findings suggest that IQ is not a determinant of childhood trauma in current research but underscores the importance of SES. The significant association between SES and childhood trauma could be further investigated and implemented in clinical practice. Future interventions could for example focus on preventing and/or reducing childhood trauma in children who grow up with a low SES.Show less
In this study, the influence of teachers’ attitudes, beliefs and opinions regarding the creative and intellectual abilities of primary school children on the achievement of these children is...Show moreIn this study, the influence of teachers’ attitudes, beliefs and opinions regarding the creative and intellectual abilities of primary school children on the achievement of these children is investigated. Intelligence and creativity are both crucial for problem solving, high achievement and reasoning on a daily basis. The first hypothesis states that intelligence and creativity have a positive relationship, where intelligence predicts creativity, according to the “necessary but not sufficient” hypothesis. The second hypothesis states that the influence of teachers operates as a moderator in this relationship, thus strengthening the connection between intelligence and creativity. According to the idea that the social context is important in the development of intelligence and creativity and that this development commences early in childhood, teachers are seen as influential in this development. Intelligence is measured through the Nederlandse Intelligentietest voor Onderwijsniveau (NIO). Creativity is measured through the Creative Problem Solving task (CPS) and the Test of Creative Thinking and Drawing Production (TCT-DP). Teachers’ opinions is measured through a questionnaire. Results show that intelligence does significantly predict creativity, but that teachers have little to no influence on this connection and therefore do not operate as a moderator. Further research is needed to investigate the influence of teachers more comprehensive, expand the use of intelligence tests, examine the effects of a longitudinal instead of a cross-sectional study design, and look into the possible influence of parents, age and gender on the development of intelligence and creativity.Show less
The current study focuses on the influence of giftedness and pubertal phase on prosocial giving. Specifically, it was examined whether young adolescents differentiate between different targets in...Show moreThe current study focuses on the influence of giftedness and pubertal phase on prosocial giving. Specifically, it was examined whether young adolescents differentiate between different targets in prosocial giving, whether gifted young adolescents show more prosocial giving than non-gifted young adolescents and whether young adolescents in pubertal phase show more prosocial giving than young adolescents in pre-pubertal phase. The participants were 145 young adolescents (9-12 years old) who performed the Prosocial Donation Task (PDT) and filled out the Pubertal Development Scale (PDS). In the PDT participants divided ten coins between themselves and a specific target (friend, disliked peer, anonymous peer, father and mother). We measured their pubertal development with the PDS, after which we compared it to the Tanner Stages. This study found that young adolescents differentiate in prosocial giving towards the different targets, and that disliked peers and anonymous peers receive fewer coins than friends or parents. However, we did not find that gifted adolescents engage in more prosocial giving than non-gifted adolescents. The results of puberty showed that the pubertal phase itself does not affect prosocial giving, but that young adolescent girls do differentiate differently towards the targets than young adolescent girls in pre-pubertal phase do. For boys we found that young adolescent boys in pre-pubertal phase give fewer coins towards anonymous peers than young adolescent boys in pubertal phase. These findings suggest that targets influence young adolescents’ prosocial giving, which is insightful for social development in young adolescents. Young adolescents can act upon the person facing them and indicate that they show more prosocial giving towards their in-group than an out-group, which is in line with earlier research.Show less
Master thesis | Crisis and Security Management (MSc)
open access
In two cases of the decision to deploy military forces, Bosnia and Uruzgan, the role of the Dutch intelligence culture in the decision-making process and the role Dutch strategic culture within the...Show moreIn two cases of the decision to deploy military forces, Bosnia and Uruzgan, the role of the Dutch intelligence culture in the decision-making process and the role Dutch strategic culture within the Dutch Intelligence culture is researched.Show less
As children start school, more and more emphasis is placed on their academic performance, their cognitive capabilities, and their intelligence. Current forms of intelligence testing – static...Show moreAs children start school, more and more emphasis is placed on their academic performance, their cognitive capabilities, and their intelligence. Current forms of intelligence testing – static testing and assessment – have been heavily scrutinised for being biased due to for example the influence of socioeconomic status (SES), leading to unequal educational outcomes. Therefore, different forms of testing – dynamic testing and assessment – are being investigated, with this study focusing on a new form of the Dynamic Screener (DS). This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the DS to increase children’s test performance. A second aim of this study was to determine the predictive value of SES for learning potential and DS outcomes. Participants included 52 children (mean age = 13.14) in the first year of secondary school. The study employed a single-session experimental test-training-test design. Half of the children (n= 27) received a graduated prompts training between the pre-test and post-test, while the other half (n= 25) were the control group and did not receive the training. Five different tests were administered, including a test for working memory, mathematics, language, planning, and inductive reasoning. No significant results were found for trained participants’ performance in comparison with the control group on any of the subtests. Furthermore, no significant difference was found for the predictive value of SES for learning potential, nor for results on pre- versus post-test for the training group. Overall, no definitive conclusions on the effectiveness of the DS, nor on the predictive value of SES for learning potential and DS outcomes, can be drawn from the current study. Future research is needed to determine whether these results are due to the small sample size or are inherent to the DS.Show less
In this study, the influence of teachers’ attitudes, beliefs and opinions regarding the creative and intellectual abilities of primary school children on the achievement of these children is...Show moreIn this study, the influence of teachers’ attitudes, beliefs and opinions regarding the creative and intellectual abilities of primary school children on the achievement of these children is investigated. Intelligence and creativity are both crucial for problem solving, high achievement and reasoning on a daily basis. The first hypothesis states that intelligence and creativity have a positive relationship, where intelligence predicts creativity, according to the “necessary but not sufficient” hypothesis. The second hypothesis states that the influence of teachers operates as a moderator in this relationship, thus strengthening the connection between intelligence and creativity. According to the idea that the social context is important in the development of intelligence and creativity and that this development commences early in childhood, teachers are seen as influential in this development. Intelligence is measured through the Nederlandse Intelligentietest voor Onderwijsniveau (NIO). Creativity is measured through the Creative Problem Solving task (CPS) and the Test of Creative Thinking and Drawing Production (TCT-DP). Teachers’ opinions is measured through a questionnaire. Results show that intelligence does significantly predict creativity, but that teachers have little to no influence on this connection and therefore do not operate as a moderator. Further research is needed to investigate the influence of teachers more comprehensive, expand the use of intelligence tests, examine the effects of a longitudinal instead of a cross-sectional study design, and look into the possible influence of parents, age and gender on the development of intelligence and creativity.Show less
Numerous studies have been directed to the interaction between intelligence and (mathematical) creativity. However, there is no consistency in the results of these studies they are mostly based on...Show moreNumerous studies have been directed to the interaction between intelligence and (mathematical) creativity. However, there is no consistency in the results of these studies they are mostly based on adolescents and/or adults. This study aims to understand the relationship between intelligence and mathematical creativity by examining these constructs among primary school children in the age of 8 to 12. The sample was collected in The Netherlands among nine primary schools and consists of 334 students. A verbal intelligence subtask was conducted to determine the verbal intelligence level of students in either low, average or high. A mathematical divergent thinking task was conducted to determine the mathematical creativity score of students, the score is based on the creativity components fluency, flexibility and originality. The results indicate a positive relationship between intelligence and mathematical creativity. Students with the highest intelligence scores also have the highest mathematical creativity scores. Accordingly, students with average or low intelligence scores have a significantly lower level of mathematical creativity than students with high intelligence scores. No support was obtained for the hypothesis that the relationship between originality and intelligence would be stronger than the relationship between intelligence and fluency and flexibility. These results are discussed in light of domain-specificity, executive functions, uncontrolled variables and reliability.Numerous studies have been directed to the interaction between intelligence and (mathematical) creativity. However, there is no consistency in the results of these studies they are mostly based on adolescents and/or adults. This study aims to understand the relationship between intelligence and mathematical creativity by examining these constructs among primary school children in the age of 8 to 12. The sample was collected in The Netherlands among nine primary schools and consists of 334 students. A verbal intelligence subtask was conducted to determine the verbal intelligence level of students in either low, average or high. A mathematical divergent thinking task was conducted to determine the mathematical creativity score of students, the score is based on the creativity components fluency, flexibility and originality. The results indicate a positive relationship between intelligence and mathematical creativity. Students with the highest intelligence scores also have the highest mathematical creativity scores. Accordingly, students with average or low intelligence scores have a significantly lower level of mathematical creativity than students with high intelligence scores. No support was obtained for the hypothesis that the relationship between originality and intelligence would be stronger than the relationship between intelligence and fluency and flexibility. These results are discussed in light of domain-specificity, executive functions, uncontrolled variables and reliability.Show less
Master thesis | Crisis and Security Management (MSc)
open access
This thesis investigates the effectiveness of the legal accountability mechanisms that govern the marketization of intelligence agencies. The current scholarly debate focuses primarily on...Show moreThis thesis investigates the effectiveness of the legal accountability mechanisms that govern the marketization of intelligence agencies. The current scholarly debate focuses primarily on accountability issues related to privatization of military functions, failing to provide a similar discussion of the conduct of private intelligence actors. Within this research, four types of legal accountability mechanisms are identified: international law, extended jurisdiction of national law, public law values and contractual law, and soft law. Subsequently, three case studies, to which one or more of these mechanisms apply, are evaluated regarding the effectiveness of the legal accountability mechanism or mechanisms in place. The findings show that there are four reasons why legal accountability mechanisms fail to properly hold Private Intelligence Companies and their employees to account. First, there is no clear and legally binding definition of the ground rules of privatization. Second, there is legal asymmetry between the government and the private sector. Third, political interference in legal processes problematizes the establishment of accountability. And lastly, there is a clear reluctance to enforce laws in place that should contribute to good behavior.Show less
Master thesis | Crisis and Security Management (MSc)
open access
Increasingly, law enforcement focuses on the prevention of crime. In this approach, the role of information is important. Especially combined with the technological advancements of Internet and...Show moreIncreasingly, law enforcement focuses on the prevention of crime. In this approach, the role of information is important. Especially combined with the technological advancements of Internet and social media make that using publicly accessible information is inevitable. Whether this implies that such “open-source information” is freely accessible to law enforcement officers tasked with intelligence-led policing and creating intelligence remains to be the question. By means of a literary analysis, document analysis, interviews with practitioners and a single case study this research aimed to find out how intelligence officers can make use of this vast and valuable amount of information whilst adhering to security principles of surveillance and entrapment. This study found that there is no judicial framework built around creating intelligence as is the case with ongoing criminal investigations and surveillance is only partially possible. Article 3 of the Police Directive functions as the basis of officer’s functioning and any privacy breach that is more than necessary needs to be carefully considered under principles of proportionality and necessity. The assessment of these is thus vital, especially when applied to issues of national security – e.g. right-wing extremism – where these two principles have the opportunity of clashing. The study also found that a clear distinction between tasks of the public prosecutor and the municipality is of importance in order for intelligence officers to engage in effective intelligence-led policing. Finally, the attitude towards information as merely “nice-to-have” within intelligence-led policing needs to shift towards “need-to-have” to properly assess necessity and proportionality.Show less
This thesis examines the role of education in the Mysterious Benedict Society series on two levels. On the level of the story, I analyze how the two opposite characters of Nicholas Benedict and...Show moreThis thesis examines the role of education in the Mysterious Benedict Society series on two levels. On the level of the story, I analyze how the two opposite characters of Nicholas Benedict and Ledroptha Curtain function as "educators" in the intradiegetic world. Then, on a second level, I delve into the ways in which the text can "educate" its readers. I place my research in a framework of children's literature theory and criticism, narratology, and a text on education by Jacques Rancière.Show less
The main aim of this thesis was to take a critical stance towards the Intelligence Cycle as the foremost model on intelligence processes. The research question was: To what extent can the...Show moreThe main aim of this thesis was to take a critical stance towards the Intelligence Cycle as the foremost model on intelligence processes. The research question was: To what extent can the Intelligence Cycle, as a model of analysis, account for non-Western intelligence organisational structures, such as the Japanese intelligence community? The conclusion of the thesis is that the Intelligence Cycle cannot fully account for non-Western intelligence organisational structures, and specifically that of Japan. This is because of several assumptions that emerged when applying the Intelligence Cycle to Japan: First, that foreign and domestic security scopes cannot be consolidated into one organisation, ignoring the Japanese practice of 'amakudari'. Second, the assumption of inevitable competition between similar intelligence organisations. Third, the lack of a modernised intelligence arsenal. Lastly, the assumption that Japanese intelligence personnel is not trained appropriately, ignoring the practice of 'amakudari' and 'tenkin'.Show less
De BVD besloot in de jaren zestig om radicale studenten te bestuderen. Vooral na de mei-revolte in Parijs in 1968 bleken daar goede redenen aan ten grondslag aan te liggen. Deze scriptie belicht...Show moreDe BVD besloot in de jaren zestig om radicale studenten te bestuderen. Vooral na de mei-revolte in Parijs in 1968 bleken daar goede redenen aan ten grondslag aan te liggen. Deze scriptie belicht daarvan de achtergrondenShow less
Research master thesis | Developmental Psychopathology in Education and Child Studies (research) (MSc)
open access
2020-08-10T00:00:00Z
Child factors and contextual factors collectively contribute to the development of (externalizing) behavioral problems. Individual cognition and beliefs are of influence on this interplay. The...Show moreChild factors and contextual factors collectively contribute to the development of (externalizing) behavioral problems. Individual cognition and beliefs are of influence on this interplay. The current study focused on the influence of perceived self-competence on the negative relationship between intelligence (as an important child factor) and externalizing behavioral problems. It was hypothesized that the four aspects of perceived self-competence (cognitive, social, physical and general self-worth) fulfill mediating or moderating roles in the negative relationship between intelligence and externalizing behavioral problems. The sample consisted of 117 children (27 girls, 90 boys) aged 6-14 years old (M = 9.67, SD = 1.65). Intelligence was measured using the Total IQ score of the WISC-IIINL, perceived self-competence was measured using the Competentie Belevingsschaal voor Kinderen, and externalizing behavioral problems were measured using the Externalizing Problem Score of the Teacher’s Report Form. The presence of a negative relationship between intelligence and externalizing behavioral problems was confirmed through a Pearson correlation (r (116) = -.524, p <.001). In addition, a significant, negative association was found between the cognitive aspect of perceived self-competence and externalizing behavioral problems (r (104) = -.273, p <.01). No other associations were found, ruling out the possibility of the aspects of perceived self-competence fulfilling mediating or moderating roles in the relationship between intelligence and externalizing behavioral problems. However, the results of the current study have led to interesting insights, which can be implemented during the development of specifically targeted interventions in order to reduce externalizing behavioral problems.Show less
Background: Children in special education are typically characterized by developmental delays and/or deficits in social- and cognitive functioning. These children are coping with problems that are...Show moreBackground: Children in special education are typically characterized by developmental delays and/or deficits in social- and cognitive functioning. These children are coping with problems that are often associated with less developed social cognitive skills. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether children’s intelligence moderated the effect of an educational teacher training on social cognitive functioning in children. Methods: Eighty-six children between 10 and 13 years (54% boys) were recruited from a primary school for special education in The Netherlands. Four classes were randomized to either the teacher training (n = 43) or a passive control group (n = 42). The teacher training program consisted of four two-hour trainings in school given by an experienced clinical neuropsychologist. All children were tested prior to and after the training program with a parallel version of the Sociaal Cognitieve Vaardigheden Test (SCVT) to measure their social cognitive skills. In addition, intelligence data (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) was obtained regarding their Full Scale IQ (FIQ) scores. Results: The results showed that a lower FIQ significantly predicted a lower score on social cognition. After controlling for gender and age, the teacher training did not significantly contribute to the increase in social cognition over time and there was no interaction with FIQ. Conclusion: The results emphasize the need to pay special attention to and foster the social cognitive development in children with lower intelligence. To monitor and hence improve the effects of the teacher training, future research should also monitor changes in teachers knowledge, skills and behavior in addition to the child measures.Show less
1) Little is known about the relationship between a child’s intelligence and parental stress. Few studies in the USA and Japan have shown that parents of children with a low intelligence score or a...Show more1) Little is known about the relationship between a child’s intelligence and parental stress. Few studies in the USA and Japan have shown that parents of children with a low intelligence score or a high intelligence experience more stress raising their children than parents of children with an average intelligence. 2) The goal of this study is to investigate the relationship between the child’s intelligence and parental stress. This relationship is corrected for by the child’s behavioural problems. 3) The sample in this study consisted of 107 children with either their father of mother, who lived in the Netherlands. They filled in self reports (NOSI(K), CBCL/6-18) and the child’s intelligence was tested (PPVT-III-NL). 4) The relationship between child’s intelligence and parental stress was found to be not significant in this study. The relationship remained insignificant when corrected for problem behaviour of the child. 5) A possible explanation for these results is the higher than average intelligence of the children in this sample. Further arguments may be expectations of Dutch parents for their children, which might differ from expectations of American and Japanese parents.Show less
