Unraveling the Myth of Unitary Intelligence: The Legacy of Thurstone’s Primary Mental Abilities and Factor Analysis

Thurstone

counter argument to Spearman; seven clusters; those who are good at one thing in a certain cluster are usually strong in other clusters as well

Thurstone is a psychologist widely known for his contributions to psychometric theory. In particular, he is known for his development of factor analysis, a statistical technique used to identify underlying factors or dimensions behind a set of observed variables.

Thurstone proposed that intelligence is not a single, unitary construct, but rather a collection of distinct abilities. He referred to these abilities as primary mental abilities, which included visual-spatial ability, numerical ability, verbal comprehension, perceptual speed, memory, and reasoning. According to Thurstone, these primary mental abilities are related to each other in various ways and can be measured independently.

Thurstone’s work on factor analysis and the concept of primary mental abilities has had a significant impact on the field of psychology and has influenced the development of various intelligence tests and other measures of cognitive abilities. His ideas have been further refined and expanded upon by other researchers, but his contributions remain an important part of the history of psychological assessment.

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