Model of general intelligence

That is, white matter-based intelligence formed by associations.

Abstract intelligence (white matter) =
Dopamine level *
Impressionability *
Discernment *
Receptivity to particular forms

Dopamine is self-explanatory at this point. Impressionability is the tendency to form strong associations (dopamine -> white matter), and discernment is the tendency to form generalizations based on pattern recognition (forming synaptic shortcuts and trimming unused synapses). That is, if state B follows A a certain number of times n while dopamine is high, then the association A -> B is formed, with impressionability 1/n. If the association B -> C is also formed, then discernment is the speed at which the more efficient path A -> C is formed and A -> B -> C is trimmed.

Receptivity to particular forms is a catch-all term that stands in for all the operations of the gray matter neural network, where new ideas may be acquired smoothly and naturally according to genetic talent. It accounts for the appearance of modal intelligences, especially in the upper ranges of IQ.

Because dopamine is nearly always saturated in the modern environment, it can be safely neglected in most cases. When impressionability is high and discernment is low, we have a person with a childlike eidetic memory who can’t reason by analogy. When impressionability is low and discernment is high, we have a person who has a poor memory, but can draw useful analogies between different fields, such as “All’s fair in love and war” and “In love as in war, boldness and quickness often triumph over cleverness”.

When both impressionability and discernment are high we have a person who is highly adaptable, who modifies their behavior quickly in response to changes in the environment. When both are low, we have a person who is not very adaptable, and who changes their behavior slowly.

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