UNIT 7
HUMAN INTELLIGENCE
CONCEPT
The common meaning of intelligence is the capacity to acquire and apply
knowledge.
It is the individuals’ ability to understand complex ideas, to learn from experience,
to adapt effectively in the environment and to overcome obstacles by various
thoughts.
According to Robert Feldman, “Intelligence is the capacity to understand the
world, think rationally, and use resources effectively when faced with challenges.”
So, intelligence is the ability to think , to learn from experience, to solve problems
and to adapt new situation.
Major Approaches of Intelligence
1. Two-Factor Theory
Charles Spearman advanced the two-factor theory of intelligence in 1904. This
theory is based on the factor analysis which is a statistical technique to examine
the relationship between the people’s score on different factors of intelligence.
According to Spearman, intelligence is the ability to think constructively and he
advocated that intelligence consists of two ability viz. general or “g” factors and
specific or “s” ability. He also explained that general ability works in combination
with special ability.
• GENERAL FACTORS
General or “g” factors refers to the general intelligence, are the ability to
reason and solve problems. it is an inborn ability and general mental energy of
human being. Amount of ‘g’ differs from individual to individual and used in
every life activity. The greater the ‘g’ in individual, the greater the success.
• SPECIFIC FACTORS
‘S’ factor is specific capacity that helps the person to deal with specific problems.
It learned and acquired in environment. It varies from activity to activity in the
same individual. We can improve ‘s’ factor.
2. Group Factor Theory of Intelligence
Psychologists Louis L. Thurston offered a differing theory intelligence. Instead of
viewing intelligence as a single, general ability he focused on nine different
primary factors. These primary factors are independent of each other.
The abilities that he identified are as follows:
1. Spatial factor: It is involved in visualizing shapes.
2. Verbal factor: It is concerned with understanding of verbal ideas.
3. Word fluency factor: It is involved whenever the subject is asked to think of
isolated words at a rapid rate.
4. Numerical factor: It is the ability to do numerical calculations.
5. Memory factor: It is the ability to memorize quickly.
6. Inductive Reasoning factor: It is the ability to draw inferences.
7. Perceptual factor: It is the ability to perceive objects accurately.
8. Deductive Reasoning factor: It is the ability to make use of generalized
results.
9. Problem-solving ability factor: It is the ability to solve problems
independently.
The weakest aspect of the group factor theory was that it discarded the
concept of the common factor.
3. Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligence
In the 1980s and 1990s, psychologist Howard Gardner proposed the idea of not
one kind of intelligence but he proposed first eight and extended to nine which
are relatively independent of one another. These nine types of intelligence are:
1. Verbal/ Linguistic: spoken and written language skills. Sample occupation
are writer, speakers.
2. Logical–mathematical: number skills. They will be suitable for scientist and
engineers.
