multi factor theorists: Thurstone, Cattel and Guildford

• development of general intelligence

  • theorists aimed to develop the theoretical elements of spearman's theory
  • Thurstone, Catelll and Guilford
  • all build on spearmans work, developed rather different perspectives on the nature og G
• thurstone: G results from 7 primary mental abilities :

  • used factor analysis to inform his findings (explored relationships between a number of intelligences and looking for underlying patterns and strcutures
• thurstone :

  • Thurstone rejected Spearman's idea of a single general intelligence factor ('g').
  • Proposed the existence of seven primary mental abilities, such as verbal comprehension, spatial ability, and numerical ability.
  • Each ability was considered relatively independent, challenging the unidimensional nature of 'g.'
• Thurston:

  Agreements with Spearman:

  • Acknowledged that there is some level of correlation among the different mental abilities.
  • Did not completely dismiss the idea of general intelligence but argued for a more nuanced approach.
• Thurston

  Disagreements with Spearman:

  • Rejected the notion of a single overarching factor influencing all cognitive abilities.
  • Argued that intelligence is better understood as a combination of distinct abilities rather than a single common factor.
• Thurston Lack of Consensus:

  • While Thurstone proposed a specific set of seven primary abilities, there was no unanimous agreement within the field regarding the number or nature of these factors.
  • The lack of a standardized set of mental abilities contributed to the ongoing debate about the structure of intelligenc
• Cattell's Contribution:

  1. Expansion on Spearman's Theory:

  • Cattell introduced the distinction between fluid intelligence (Gf) and crystallized intelligence (Gc).
  • Fluid intelligence was described as the ability to solve novel problems, while crystallized intelligence involved acquired knowledge and skills.
• Catells contribution: Agreements with Spearman:

  • Retained the idea of a general intelligence factor but introduced a hierarchical structure with specific factors beneath it.
  • Acknowledged the importance of a general factor but emphasized the multifaceted nature of intelligence.
• Catell:

  Disagreements with Spearman:

  • Departed from the strict unidimensional approach by recognizing different types of intelligence.
  • Argued for a more detailed examination of the components that contribute to overall intelligence.
• Guilford's Contribution:

  1. Expansion on Spearman's Theory:

  • Guilford proposed a three-dimensional model of intelligence, comprising five operations (cognition, memory, divergent production, convergent production, evaluation) and six contents (visual, auditory, symbolic, semantic, behavioral, and semantic-affective). and 6 types of products: (units classes, relations, systems, transformation, implication)
• guildford operations:

  • types of mental processing
  • evaluation
  • convergent production
  • divergent production
  • memory and cognition
• guilford:

  1. Products: the form in which the info is stored, processed and used by the person to make associations or connections. There are 6 types of products. Units, classes, relations, systems, transformation, implication
• guilford:

  Contents: contents comprise mental material that we have on which operations are performed. There are 5 types of contents. Visual, auditory, symbolic, semantic and behavioural
• guilford operations:

  1. Operations: operations are types of mental processing e..g what a person does. There are 5 types of operations. Evaluation, convergent production, divergent production, memory and cognition
• guilford :Agreements with Spearman:

  • Acknowledged the presence of general intelligence but argued for a more intricate structure with multiple dimensions.
  • Recognized the importance of cognitive processes in shaping intelligence.
• guildford Disagreements with Spearman:

  • Challenged the idea of a single overarching factor by introducing multiple dimensions.
  • Argued for the necessity of considering both the cognitive processes and the content of intelligence.