Intelligence

Table of Contents


Intelligence might be defined broadly as facility at solving problems. Clearly, such facility is related to the competencies described in
Cognitive Social Theories. The heritability of intelligence has been shown by many studies in Behavior Genetics.
 


Intelligence: One Versus Many

There are basically two camps on the theory of intelligence: those who believe in one unilinear construct of general intelligence (g), and those who believe in many different intelligences.
Binet founded the French school of intelligence, in which intelligence tests were regarded as a practical means of separating the bright from the dull. Intelligence quotient (IQ) was regarded as simply an average of numerous dissimilar abilities, not as a real thing with definite properties that could be studied. Galton founded the English school of intelligence, in which it was believed that intelligence is a real faculty with a biological basis and could be studied using reaction times on simple cognitive tasks.

The English school took a huge step forward with Spearman's invention of factor analysis. Using this technique, Spearman found that all tests of intelligence have positive correlations (loadings) on the general factor and called this factor general intelligence, or g. However, Thurstone later disputed the prominence assigned to general intelligence by rotating the factors. In this way he found several primary mental abilities, instead of the one found by Spearman.

PROPONENTS OF ONE GENERAL INTELLIGENCE  PROPONENTS OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES
Galton
Spearman
Eysenck
Jensen
  Thurstone
Gardner
Sternberg

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Theorists Table

Intelligence A:

Elementary Information Processing

Intelligence B:

Acquired Problem-Solving Skills

Intelligence C:

Artifact of Averaging Unlike Abilities

Binet

Intelligence Quotient

Cattell

Fluid IntelligenceCrystalized Intelligence

Eysenck

Intelligence AIntelligence BIntelligence C

Galton

Neural Processing Speed

Gould

Reified Abstraction

Jensen

Neural Processing Speed

Spearman

Positive Manifold

Sternberg

Practical IntelligenceAnalytic (Academic) Intelligence

Thurstone

Primary Mental Abilities

Wallach and Wing

Cognitive Vitality

Intelligence A:

Elementary Information Processing

Intelligence B:

Acquired Problem-Solving Skills

Intelligence C:

Artifact of Averaging Unlike Abilities

This table is an original creation for this website.
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Intelligence Links

Intelligence: Student Papers in This Website Intelligence: Links in This Website Intelligence: Papers Elsewhere Intelligence: Websites Elsewhere Intelligence: Reference Sources
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Last modified January 1999
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