In this post the nature of intelligence will be discussed through the lenses of the 2 Factor Theory, the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and the Multiple Intelligence Theory.
2 Factor Theory
Psychologist, Charles Spearman developed The 2 Factor Theory in 1904. This theory states that an individual’s intelligence comprises of 2 factors.
The “g factor”
The first he called the “ g factor”which stands for General Intelligence. This refers to the basic knowledge that you were born with. It varies in each individual as it is based on your unique genes. This knowledge is constant. An individual cannot learn more to improve it. Persons use this knowledge in their everyday activities such as walking, talking, working memory etc.
The “s factor”
The second factor Spearman identified is the “s factor”. This refers to specific abilities learnt from your external environment. Our ability to perform such tasks efficiently depends on how much time we spend practicing it. Some tasks include for example playing an instrument or sport.
It takes 10,000 hours to truly master anything”
– Malcolm Gladwell
There’s that famous “10,000 hours rule” that I’m sure you’ve heard of which is that to become an expert at something, you have to commit the time to master its craft. Of course there have been many criticisms to this rule which at first glance is quite daunting.
The first is that an individual needs to take into consideration the quality of their practice time and not merely how many hours they practice. The second criticism is that the statement fails to take into consideration the unique innate differences of individuals.
Spearman, however, did take into account that there was a combination of both the “g factor” (innate ability) and “s factor” (special factor) when a task was performed. This observation is one of the assumptions that psychometric tests are based on. These are tests which measure a person’s cognitive ability or personality. When an individual did well in one task then they did well on another. This was accounted for by the g factor that they possessed.
IQ – Intelligence Quotient
A person’s IQ refers to the result of a standardized psychometric test that is given. It attempts to quantify an individual’s intelligence relative to those of a similar age. An IQ tends to be stable throughout a person’s life span. For example a person who is smarter than their peers at 9 years old will still be smarter than their peers at 50 years old.
An IQ test measures cognitive domains such as reasoning, processing, memory and comprehension. A person’s IQ score is considered an estimate of the g factor proposed in Spearman’s 2 factor theory. Some examples of popular IQ tests are the Stanford-Binet Scale and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale.
Theory of Multiple Intelligence
The Theory of Multiple Intelligence was developed by Howard Gardner where he proposed that individuals possess different types of intelligences.
The 8 intelligences proposed included Linguistic, Logical , Spatial, Kinesthetic , Musical Interpersonal, Intrapersonal and Naturalistic Intelligence.
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IQ and the MI Theory
So which one is the true definition of intelligence ? Do you have to pick one or the other in order to show a true reflection of a person’s intelligence? The answer is no. The APA defines intelligence as the ability to derive information, learn from experience, adapt to the environment, understand, and correctly utilize thought and reason. This definition is reflected in both of these theories.
There is also neuroscientific evidence that builds a bridge between IQ type academic skills and the 8 types of Multiple Intelligences.
Academic skills and IQ are both closely related to linguistic and logical intelligence proposed in Gardner’s theory.
The eight types of intelligence found in MI theory are also expressed in various ways. These include analytical, insight/intuition, creative cognition and aesthetic judgment. IQ tests however only measure the analytical aspect not the others. Regardless of this fact, conducted experiments have identified neural patterns associated with the cognitive components of each type of intelligence.
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Can Intelligence be Developed?
Research confirms that all persons possess multiple intelligences and not just one. Each person has varying levels of the 8 types of intelligence mentioned above. No one type is superior to the other in this theory but rather some individuals are stronger in certain areas and weaker in others.
Intelligence Developed through Culture and Learning
This can be due to the environment conducive to one particular type of intelligence. For example in the study conducted, verbal-linguistic intelligence was the highest while music was the least. The research proposed two reasons for this. The first being that their country lacks proper infrastructure to provide opportunities to develop other intelligences. The second is that their society’s culture was one that discouraged musical intelligence.
In another study among 9th grade students, the males ranked highest in interpersonal, logical, mathematical and naturalistic intelligence. The researchers explained that society’s expectations influenced these results. Society raises boys to fulfill certain expectations of the role of a man.
After taking a quiz to determine which area I was strongest in, I scored the highest in Musical Intelligence. This score confirmed the findings in the studies mentioned above, that my environment did in fact have a significant impact on the development of my intelligence. Musical instruments surrounded me during my childhood both at church and at home. This is a privilege not many children have growing up.
In my results I also had interpersonal, intrapersonal, linguistic and logical intelligences all within a close percentile range.
In conclusion, for each task performed, it is evident that a person uses their multiple intelligences which contribute to creativity, and acting purposefully to achieve a set goal.
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