Intelligence is a very general mental capability that, among other things, involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend complex ideas, learn quickly, and learn from experience. It is not merely book-learning, a narrow academic skill, or test-taking smarts. Rather, it reflects a broader and deeper capability for comprehending our surroundings “catching on,” “making sense” of things, or “figuring out” what to do.
Mainstream Science on Intelligence: An Editorial With 52 Signatories, History, and Bibliography
by Linda S. Gottfredson
(1997)
http://www1.udel.edu/educ/gottfredson/reprints/1997mainstream.pdf
The statement was first published in the Wall Street Journal in 1994.
Causes and Consequences of Cognitive Functioning Across the Life Course
by Robert M. Hauser
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3289095/
Research on variation in cognitive abilities has focused largely on their genetic or experiential sources and on their economic consequences. This article takes a broader look at the consequences of cognitive ability—IQ—across the life course. Contrary to received wisdom, the effects of IQ on economic success are almost entirely mediated by educational attainment. Among persons with equal levels of schooling, IQ has little influence on job performance, occupational standing, earnings, or wealth. But there are other, sometimes surprising consequences of IQ throughout adult life. The long-term correlates of adolescent cognition include drinking behavior, survey participation, Internet use, and the timing of menopause. These are surveyed primarily using findings from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study.