Factor models of intelligence
1- Spearman's 2 factor theory
g factor = general ability that influences performance on all tasks
s factor= specific ability that influences abilities on particular tasks, such as mechanical, spatial, verbal and numerical intelligence
2- Carroll's 3 stratum model
3- Thurstone's 7 primary mental abilities
- verbal comprehension = ability to understand spoken information
- verbal fluency = producing words
- inductive reasoning = using logic, predicting, forecasting
- spatial ability = mental rotation, etc.
- numerical ability = maths, etc.
- perceptual speed = comparing things visually, e.g. puzzles
- memory = retaining information
4- Cattell's 2 forms of intelligence
Fluid = ability to solve new problems, use logic and identify patterns
Crystalised = ability to use learned knowledge and experience
5- Gardner's theory of multiple intelligence
- Naturalistic = animals, nature, biology
- Linguistic = words, languages, poetry
- Visual/Spatial = shapes, graphics, visualisation
- Kinesthetic = sports, bodily movement, athletism
- Logical = maths, logic, banking
- Intrapersonal = understanding self and one's own mind
- Interpersonal = organising people, and managing social relationships
- Musical = music, composing, singing
6- Goleman's emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence = recognising, understanding and managing our own and other's emotions
Biological factors of intelligence
1- Sex differences like anatomy and hormones
Halpern found evidence of differences in cognitive abilities between 2 sexes, women scored higher in verbal fluency and language but men scored higher in mental rotation and scientific reasoning
Haier found men had more grey matter in their frontal and parental lobes, which are associated with motor skills and reasoning. Women had more grey matter in their frontal lobes and brocas, linked to speech and writing.
Evidence shows that there's no structure for general intelligence, nor no real difference between sexes
2- Genetic factors
Heredity = offspring inheriting traits from their parents
Heredity studies on intelligence usually use twin or adoption studies
Scarr and Weinberg found stronger correlations between biological relatives than between adopted ones
Plomin and Defries compared MZ (identical) and DZ (fraternal) twins on spatial and verbal skills, and found that the identical twins all scored higher than the fraternal twins even when they had been reared seperately
Assortative mating = non random reproduction pattern, where individuals mate when genetically similar individuals to them, usually down to environment