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Spearman's two-factor theory proposes that intelligence has two components: general intelligence ("g") and specific ability ("s"). [7] To explain the differences in performance on different tasks, Spearman hypothesized that the "s" component was specific to a certain aspect of intelligence.
Illustration of Spearman's two-factor intelligence theory. I, Schaefer, made this image in Photoshop, based on a similar illustration appearing on page 214 of Arthur Jensen's Bias in Mental Testing. The small ovals represent tests of cognitive ability, while the red circle represents psychometric g.
Spearman's hypothesis and the arguments that invoke it have received multiple criticisms, including criticisms of Jensen's method of correlated vectors, of the inference that the first formulation of Spearman's hypothesis supports the second, and of genetic and biological arguments made on the basis of Spearman's hypothesis.
Spearman found that a single common factor explained the positive correlations among tests. Spearman named it g for "general intelligence factor". He interpreted it as the core of human intelligence that, to a larger or smaller degree, influences success in all cognitive tasks and thereby creates the positive manifold.
It was factor analytic data which led Spearman to postulate his original general and specific factor models of ability. [17] Spearman applied mathematical procedures to psychological phenomena and moulded the outcome of his analysis into a theory – which has greatly influenced modern psychology. [ 11 ]
Vernon extended intelligence theory by adding the importance of the test which he called Intelligence C. [2] Vernon's view of intelligence was a geographic metaphor meaning he viewed intelligence as a map of the mind. The basic unit of analysis in this metaphor is that there are factors that are the sources of individual differences in ...
Charles Spearman, bearing in mind the influential theory that he originated—that intelligence comprises both a "general factor" and "special factors" more specific to particular mental tasks—wrote in 1927, "Every normal man, woman, and child is, then, a genius at something, as well as an idiot at something."
As with Cattell, Horn rejected the existence of an even higher level factor of general intelligence ‘g’ asserted by Spearman (1927). In Horn (1988) he reported a full list of such broad level abilities: g c (crystallized) g f (fluid) g v (visual) g a (auditory) q f (quantitative) g s (processing speed) TSR (Long-term storage and retrieval)