
Kurt has an unusually high level of general intelligence, but finds it difficult to comprehend mathematical con- cepts. The specific abilities are like the fingers of a hand, and they can vary in length.


The general factor, or g, is like the palm of a hand. It is possible to bring together the concept of a general ability with the con- cept of specific abilities. Answers: (a) A factor analysis (b) multiple intelligences. (a) What kind of analysis did Thurstone make of intelligence tests? (b) Gardner has suggested that we speak of in preference to global intelligence. Such intelligence is important in athletic performance and dancing. An example of what Gardner means is kinesthetic intelligence, the ability to comprehend the position of one’s body in space. Taking this approach, one kind of intelligence may be more or less independent of another kind of intelligence. More recently, the research psychologist Howard Gardner has suggested that we speak of multiple intelligences in preference to global intelligence.

These include (1) inductive rea- soning, (2) deductive reasoning, (3) word fluency, (4) speed of perception, (5) verbal comprehension, (6) verbal fluency, (7) memory, (8) spatial visualiza- tion, and (9) mathematics. Based on his analysis, Thurstone concluded that there are at least nine primary mental abilities. Fac- tor analysis is a mathematical tool that allows a researcher to pull meaningful clusters out of a set of data. Interested in the nature of specific mental abilities, the American researcher Louis Thurstone made a factor analysis of intelligence tests in the 1930s.

Answers: (a) environment (b) functional (c) general g. Intelligence: In Pursuit of Rational Thought and Effective Action 139 (c) Spearman concluded that there is a factor running through all aspects of intelligence.
