Biosketch
As with most important developments in my life, my interest in psychology developed purely accidently . As an undergraduate at Boston University , most of the courses I took were requirements. I took psychology as an elective, I think because I was closed out of something else I wanted to take as frequently happened. I found general psychology fascinating and took other courses. Before I knew it, I had nearly a major. One day I passed a poster in the hall that offered graduate assistantships for going to graduate school. Going to school with someone else paying for it seemed much better than working. I had been reading a book by Norman Ellis on research in mental retardation and even had done some research on my own. I wrote Ellis a letter telling him of my interest in graduate school. He wrote back telling me what I should do to apply. I applied and was accepted. I studied mental retardation with Norman Ellis at the University of Alabama . Later, I did a postdoc with Benton Underwood at Northwestern. Though it can be said that I was truly a fool without a friend, I "lucked into" a great career and have enjoyed every minute.
Research Interests
My research interests are still the same as they were when I entered the psychology: I would like to know why some people are smarter than others. Though the question has not changed, the way I go about answering it has become increasingly sophisticated (I hope). It is an exciting field that has both theoretical and practical implications. Currently, I am doing research at both ends of the intellectual spectrum with mentally retarded persons and with people with exceptional abilities.
Courses Taught
- PSCL 101 – Introductory Psychology
- PSCL 282 – Statistics
- PSCL 370 - Human Intelligence
- PSCL 375 - Research Design and Analysis
- PSCL 400 - Ethics for Professional Researchers
- PSCL 408 - Research Design and Quantitative Analysis II
Recent Case Publications (2001-present)
Detterman, D.K. (1982). Does "g" exist . Intelligence , 6, 99-108.
Detterman, D.K. (1987). Theoretical notions of intelligence and mental retardation . American Journal of Mental Deficiency , 92, 2-11.
Detterman, D.K. & Daniel, M.H. (1989). Correlations of mental tests with each other and with cognitive variables are highest for low IQ groups , Intelligence , 13, 349-359.
Detterman, D.K. (1993). Giftedness and intelligence: One in the same . CIBA Foundation Symposium 178, The origins and development of high ability . New York , John Wiley and Sons.
Detterman, D.K. (1994). A system theory of intelligence . In D.K. Detterman (Ed.). Current topics in human intelligence: Vol. 4. Theories of Intelligence (pp. 85-115) . Norwood , NJ : Ablex Publishing Corporation.
Detterman, D.K. , & Thompson, L.A. (1997) . IQ, Schooling, and Developmental Disabilities: What's so Special about Special Education? American Psychologist , 52, 1082-1091.
Detterman, D. K. (2000). Tests, affirmative action in university admissions, and the American way. Psychology, Pu blic Policy, and Law, 6, 44-55 ..
Detterman, D. K. (2000). Intelligence. In Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. Redmond , WA : Microsoft Corporation.
Detterman, D. K. (2000). General intelligence and the definition of phenotypes. In G. R. Bock, J. A. Goode, & K. Webb (Eds.). The nature of intelligence, Novartis Foundation Symposium 233. (pp. 136-148). Chichester , UK : John Wiley and Sons.
Detterman, D. K. , & Gabriel, L.T. (2003). Look before you leap: Implications of the 199 2 definition of mental retardation. In S. Greenspan & H. Switsky (Eds.). What is mental retardation? (Chapter 9). Washington , DC : American Association on Mental Retardation Disability Books Online.
Ruthsatz , J., & Detterman, D. K. (2003). An extraordinary memory: The case study of a musical prodigy. Intelligence , 31, 509-518.
Frey, M. C. & Detterman, D. K. (in press). Scholastic assessment or g? The relationship between the SAT and general cognitive ability. Psychological Science .
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