Activity - 2
Title:
Theories of intelligence.
Aim:
To study and understand different theories of intelligence and to write interpretation on what
true intelligence is.
Introduction:
What is Intelligence?
We may define intelligence as,
The ability to behave adaptively
The ability to function successfully within a particular environment
Ability to learn new things quickly, to solve different kinds of problems.
Theories of Intelligence
Different researchers have proposed a!variety of theories!to explain the nature of intelligence.
Here are some of the major theories of intelligence that have emerged during the last 100
years.
1. General Intelligence
British psychologist Charles Spearman (1863–1945) described a concept he referred
to as!general intelligence!or the!g factor. After using a technique known as factor analysis
to examine some mental aptitude tests, Spearman concluded that scores on these tests
were remarkably similar.
People who performed well on one cognitive test tended to perform well on other
tests, while those who scored badly on one test tended to score badly on others. He
concluded that intelligence is a!general cognitive ability that can be measured and
numerically expressed.
2. Primary Mental Abilities
Psychologist Louis L.Thurstone (1887–1955) offered a differing theory of intelligence.
Instead of viewing intelligence as a single, general ability, Thurstone's theory focused on
seven different primary mental abilities.
Associative memory: The ability to memorize and recall
Numerical ability: The ability to solve arithmetic problems
Perceptual speed: The ability to see differences and similarities among objects
Reasoning: The ability to find rules
Spatial visualization: The ability to visualize relationships
Verbal comprehension: The ability to define and understand words
Word fluency: The ability to produce words rapidly
