GENERAL INTELLIGENCE
(SPEARMAN)
oGeneral intelligence, also known as g factor, refers to a general mental ability that,
according to Spearman, underlies multiple specific skills, including verbal, spatial,
numerical, and mechanical.
oCharles Spearman, an English psychologist, established the two-factor theory of
intelligence back in 1904 (Spearman, 1904). To arrive at this theory, Spearman used
a technique known as factor analysis.
oFactor analysis is a procedure through which the correlation of related variables is
evaluated to find an underlying factor that explains this correlation.
oIn the case of intelligence, Spearman noticed that those who did well in one area of
intelligence tests (for example, mathematics) also did well in other areas (such as
distinguishing pitch; Kalat, 2014).
oIn other words, there was a strong correlation between performing well in math
and music, and Spearman then attributed this relationship to a central factor, that
of general intelligence (g).
oSpearman concluded that there is a single g-factor that represents an individual’s
general intelligence across multiple abilities and that a second factor, s, refers to an
individual’s specific ability in one particular area (Spearman, as cited in
Thomson,1947).
oIn the case of intelligence, Spearman noticed that those who did
well in one area of intelligence tests (for example, mathematics) also
did well in other areas (such as distinguishing pitch; Kalat, 2014).
oIn other words, there was a strong correlation between performing
well in math and music, and Spearman then attributed this
relationship to a central factor, that of general intelligence (g).
oSpearman concluded that there is a single g-factor that represents
an individual’s general intelligence across multiple abilities and that a
second factor, s, refers to an individual’s specific ability in one
particular area (Spearman, as cited in Thomson,1947).
THURSTONE’S MULTIPLE
FACTOR THEORY
PRIMARY MENTAL
ABILITIES
(P.M.A.)
Louis Leon Thurstone
Louis Leon Thurstone (29 May 1887 – 30 September
1955) suggested that intelligence is a composite of
seven distinct primary mental abilities (PMA). His
approach was different from Spearman’s theory of
general intelligence. Rather than focusing on a single
factor of general intelligence as suggested by
Spearman, Thurstone (1935) pointed out that
intelligence consists of a number of primary mental
abilities. He recognizes the diversity of human
abilities. Using improved statistical techniques, he
developed a new factor model of intelligence. He
analyzed the inter-correlation of the scores of 57 tests
on a large group subjects, and identified seven factors.
These factors were called primary mental abilities or
PMA.
Primary Mental Abilities
1. The Verbal Comprehension Factor
It refers to the ability of the person to understand and
use various words, sentences, language, or other
verbal content pieces.
This ability can be assessed through vocabulary tests,
jumble word tests, and verbal or reading
comprehension tests.
Askew:
A. To tease, annoy, harass
B. Crooked; awry
Askew B. Crooked; awry
Askew means crooked; awry. This term refers to
A. To tease, something that is not straight or aligned
annoy, properly. It can be used to describe physical
harass objects that are tilted or slanted, as well as
situations or plans that have gone off track or
deviated from the intended course.
B. Crooked;
awry The word "askew" implies a sense of imbalance
or irregularity, suggesting that something is not
in its correct or expected position.
Aspire:
A. Severely simple and plain
B. To seek, attain, or achieve a
goal
Aspire B. To seek, attain, or achieve a goal
A. Severely
simple and The word "aspire" means to have a strong desire
plain or ambition to seek, attain, or achieve a goal. It
implies a sense of determination and motivation
B. To seek, towards reaching a specific objective.
attain, or The other option, "severely simple and plain,"
achieve a
goal does not accurately capture the meaning of the
word "aspire." Therefore, the correct answer is to
seek, attain, or achieve a goal.
Assuage
A. To soothe; to make less severe
B. To wither away
Assuage A. To soothe; to make less severe
A. To soothe; Assuage means to soothe or make less severe. It
to make less implies the act of calming or alleviating
severe
something, such as pain, fear, or anger.
B. To wither When you assuage something, you are making it
away feel better or reducing its intensity. This word is
often used in contexts where a person's emotions
or discomfort need to be eased or pacified.
JUMBLED LETTERS
Direction: Arrange the jumble letters to form a
word related to arts.
eawgni odow vingcra
ingtniap reppa tingtuc
puretlucs
Arrange the jumbled letters to form a
word in relation to the parts of camera.
nels hustert
yormem rossen
shafl
2. The Verbal Fluency/Word
Fluency Factor
This ability is involved in rapidly producing words, sentences,
and other verbal material.
When a person is asked to rapidly speak several isolated
words or sentences, then verbal fluency comes into play; a
person with high verbal fluency may excel in this task, while
the person with low verbal fluency may have difficulty in this
task. This factor is responsible for the communication skills of
the person. The tests to measure this factor may involve
asking participants to rapidly think of words that begin or end
with a specific letter.
It is measured by tests such as one that
requires the examines to produce as many
words as possible beginning with a
particular letter in a short amount of time.
Semantic Fluency
❑List all the animals you can think in 60
seconds?
❑List all the fruits you can think in 60 seconds?
❑List all the vegetables you can think in 60
seconds?
3. The Numerical Factor
The ability to solve arithmetic problems.
It is the ability to use numbers with
speed and accuracy, to compute
answers to mathematical problems. It
measures the speed and accuracy of
computational skills.
Polynomials.
3 2 3
(3x + x - 2x -1) + (x + 6x + 3) = ?
2x3+ x2 −6x−8 divided by x−2 = ?
4. The Space Factor
It refers to the spatial visualization of the person. This
ability comes into play when the person tries to
understand the manipulation of various real/imaginary
objects in space.
The test that measures this ability involves solving various
kinds of puzzles, understanding various geometric figures,
and identifying the correct mirror image of the object, or
choosing the correct image of the object when it is rotated
by different angles.
Which cube can be made by folding the
given shape?
What would the 3D shape look like from
above?
Which of the given shapes is the correct
mirror image?
5. Perceptual Speed Factor
It involves the ability of a person to rapidly recognize
and compare the specific images, numbers, or letters,
and to accurately proofread various types of content.
Tests like picture recognition, rapidly crossing specific
letters from the series of numbers, and finding
particular words in the paragraphs are used to
measure the perceptual speed factor of the person.
6. Memory
It refers to the ability of the person to quickly
memorize the various concepts or phenomena and
retaining them for a longer period of time.
Various memory tests like asking the participants to
learn nonsense syllables, and their ability to
remember them could be a measure of their memory
factor. The ability to recall the learned concepts by the
students during the exams is largely dependent on
this primary mental ability factor.
7. The Inductive Reasoning Factor
This reasoning involves the ability to deduce a general
principle from a specific concept. This ability is
measured through various tests like number series,
word series, and classification of words or numbers.
The inductive reasoning tests may involve selecting an
appropriate number or image according to the
sequential order of the given numbers or images
series.
Inductive Reasoning Test
Find the missing term.
3, 6, __, 12, 15
24, 20, 16, __, 8
8. The Deductive Reasoning Factor
It involves the ability to accurately understand a
specific phenomenon or concept from the generalized
principle.
Various aptitude tests are available to test the
deductive reasoning of the person that includes the
various set of statements, and the person has to
choose the best possible logical solution according to
the given statements.
All numbers ending in 0 or 5 are divisible by 5. The
number 35 ends with a 5, so it must be divisible by 5.
All birds have feathers. All robins are birds. Therefore,
robins have feathers.
It's dangerous to drive on icy streets. The streets are icy
now, so it would be dangerous to drive on the streets.
All cats have a keen sense of smell. Fluffy is a cat, so
Fluffy has a keen sense of smell.
Cacti are plants, and all plants perform photosynthesis.
Therefore, cacti perform photosynthesis.
Red meat has iron in it, and beef is red meat. Therefore,
beef has iron in it.
Acute angles are less than 90 degrees. This angle is 40
degrees, so it must be an acute angle.
All noble gases are stable. Helium is a noble gas, so
helium is stable.
Elephants have cells in their bodies, and all cells have
DNA. Therefore, elephants have DNA.
All horses have manes. The Arabian is a horse;
therefore, Arabians have manes.
9. Problem-Solving Ability
Factor
It refers to the ability of a person to solve various
general or aptitude problems.
This factor can be assessed by analyzing the
individual’s responses to various hypothetical
problems, and their ability to reach the conclusion.
Significance of Thurstone’s Theory
Thurstone’s theory explains that people possess
different types of mental abilities. This helps the
teachers understand the intelligence levels of the
students by analyzing their different primary mental
abilities through various mental ability tests.
As stated by Thurstone, each primary mental ability is
independent of the other, and people have different
degrees of these abilities in them. The teacher can try
to improve the different primary mental abilities of
the students by involving them in various intellectual
activities.
When a student is doing any specific tasks, single or
multiple abilities out of the primary mental abilities
stated by Thurston are involved. One mental ability
could play a more important role in a particular task
than the other. Schools or teachers can use the primary
mental ability test constructed by Thurstone to select
the students in different tasks or vocations according to
the supreme mental ability present in the student.
This theory helps in understanding the intellectual
differences among students. It is commonly observed that
some students are good at calculating numerical problems,
while others perform well in research-based subjects. It is
because they have a higher factor of one mental ability than
the other.
As different students have different levels of primary mental
abilities, there should be a diversified curriculum in the
educational system that helps them sharpen their primary
mental abilities, and schools should give them the freedom
to choose any subjects as per their strength in any particular
primary mental ability.
In 1928, Thurstone developed a formal technique to measure
the attitude (emotions) of the people; it is called the
‘Thurstone scale.’ This scale has greatly contributed to
psychology. It includes various sets of statements having
agree-disagree responses, the attitude of the person can be
analyzed by calculating the total number of statements
agreed by the person.
The original multi-factor theory of intelligence proposed by
Thurstone is not widely used nowadays, but it has a
significant contribution to the various modern multiple
intelligence theories of renowned psychologists like Howard
Gardners, J.P Guilford, and Robert Sternberg.
Although Thurstone did not reject Spearman’s idea of
general intelligence altogether, he instead theorized
that intelligence consists of both general ability and a
number of specific abilities, paving the way for future
research that examined the different forms of
intelligence.
THE END
