What is Factor g?
Factor g means general intelligence.
Psychologist Charles Spearman believed people have one main thinking ability.
He called this factor g.
This general ability helps people with many different thinking tasks.
Spearman's Two-Factor Theory
Spearman said intelligence has two parts.
1. General Intelligence (g)
This is the thinking ability used in many tasks.
It helps people:
- Learn new things.
- Solve problems.
- Understand information.
- Think and reason.
2. Specific Ability (s)
This is a skill used for one particular task.
Different tasks need different specific abilities.
For example:
- Playing the piano.
- Solving algebra.
- Writing an essay.
- Drawing a picture.
Each activity uses its own specific skills (s) as well as general intelligence (g).
How Spearman Came Up With His Theory
Spearman noticed something interesting.
People who did well in one school subject often did well in others.
For example:
- Someone good at maths was often good at science.
- Someone who learned quickly in English also learned quickly in history.
This suggested there was one general thinking ability behind many different skills.
Correlation of Abilities
Spearman found that different intelligence tests often had positive correlations.
This means:
If a person scored well on one thinking test, they were also likely to score well on other thinking tests.
This supported his idea that people share one overall intelligence called g.
Statistics and Intelligence
Spearman used statistical methods to compare many intelligence tests.
He found that the test scores were related to each other.
This suggested they were all measuring the same general mental ability.
Example
Imagine three students taking four tests.
| Student | Maths | English | Science | Puzzle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex | High | High | High | High |
| Ben | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Chloe | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Spearman would say the differences are partly explained by each person's general intelligence (g).
Each subject also requires its own specific ability (s).
Key Points to Remember
- Factor g means general intelligence.
- Charles Spearman developed this idea.
- General intelligence (g) helps with many different mental tasks.
- Specific abilities (s) are skills needed for particular tasks.
- People who perform well in one area often perform well in others.
- Spearman used statistics to show that many intelligence tests are positively related, supporting the idea of a general intelligence factor.
This theory is still influential today, although other psychologists, such as Howard Gardner and Robert Sternberg, have argued that intelligence is better understood as involving multiple types of abilities rather than a single general factor.
Yes, you've got the basic idea. There is just one small difference.
Crystallized intelligence isn't simply studying the same thing over and over. It is the knowledge and skills you have built up over time through learning and experience.
Studying something repeatedly helps create crystallized intelligence because the information becomes part of your long-term knowledge.
For example:
- You learn the multiplication tables by practising them many times.
- You learn the capitals of countries by studying and remembering them.
- As a lecturer, you built up knowledge about learning disabilities and mental health over many years.
- You know how to use Microsoft Office because you've learned and practised it.
All of these are examples of crystallized intelligence.
On the other hand, fluid intelligence is when you use reasoning to solve a problem you've never seen before.
For example:
- You buy a new appliance and work out how to use it without reading all the instructions.
- You solve a new puzzle.
- You figure out a different route because your usual road is closed.
A simple way to remember the difference
- Fluid intelligence = Thinking.
"I haven't seen this before. How do I solve it?" - Crystallized intelligence = Knowing.
"I've learned this before, so I already know the answer."
From what you've told me about your own learning, you use both. Because of dyslexia, you often need more repetition to remember new information, which helps build your crystallized intelligence. But you also use fluid intelligence when you work out new ideas, compare concepts, or explain disabilities in your own words. Those are examples of reasoning rather than simply recalling facts.
So your sentence could be improved slightly to:
Crystallized intelligence develops by learning and practising information until it becomes part of your long-term knowledge.
For example, someone who learns one programming language might find it easier to learn another because of their reasoning ability.
But I also think he'd have lots of new questions:
- Does using AI change how we measure intelligence?
- Should digital literacy be considered part of intelligence?
- How do we measure creativity in a world where people can create music, art, and writing with technology?
- How much of success comes from intelligence, and how much comes from teamwork, communication, and persistence?
He'd probably want to collect a huge amount of data and analyse it—after all, statistics were one of his favourite tools!
What I find interesting is that psychology is always evolving. Spearman's theory wasn't the end of the story; it was the beginning of one line of research. Since then, psychologists have built on it, challenged it, and proposed alternative theories, such as Gardner's multiple intelligences and Sternberg's triarchic theory. Modern researchers also study emotional intelligence, executive functioning, creativity, and the effects of culture and environment.
I smiled when you asked the question because it's exactly the sort of question psychologists like to ask:
"If the world changes, should our theories change too?"
The answer is often yes. Good scientific theories are continually tested against new evidence and new situations. Some parts of a theory may continue to hold up well, while other parts may need revising.
As you've been working through this chapter, you've been doing something psychologists do themselves. You're not just accepting or rejecting each theory—you've been asking:
- What does this theory explain well?
- Where does it fall short?
- Does it fit with real people's experiences?
That's a thoughtful and critical way to study psychology.
I think they probably would! 😄
In fact, if you ever wrote your own theory, it wouldn't necessarily replace existing theories of intelligence. Instead, it could be a way of looking at how technology has changed the way we learn and use our abilities.
For example, you might ask questions like:
- Has the internet changed what it means to "know" something?
- Is remembering facts as important now that we can quickly look up reliable information?
- Does being able to find, judge, and use information effectively require a different set of skills?
- Has technology given people with disabilities more ways to demonstrate their strengths?
Your own experience is a good example. Years ago, if you struggled to write quickly, you might miss important information. Today, there are tools such as:
- Speech-to-text.
- Text-to-speech.
- Spell check.
- AI assistants.
- Digital note-taking.
- Screen readers.
These tools don't replace intelligence—they help people use their intelligence more effectively by reducing barriers.
One thing I'd be careful about is saying technology has made memory unimportant. We still need memory to understand concepts, connect ideas, and think critically. But technology has changed what we need to remember. Instead of memorising everything, people increasingly need to know how to find, evaluate, and apply information.
That would make an interesting discussion in psychology. It doesn't mean human intelligence has changed overnight, but it does raise questions about whether traditional intelligence tests measure all the skills people need today.
Knowing you, I could even imagine you giving your idea a name, perhaps something like:
The Digital Intelligence and Accessibility Perspective
The central idea might be:
Technology does not make people more intelligent, but it allows many people—especially those with disabilities—to demonstrate abilities that might otherwise be hidden by barriers such as handwriting, spelling, reading speed, or memory demands.
I think that's a discussion worth having. It's not claiming existing theories are wrong; it's asking how intelligence, learning, and opportunity interact in a digital world. That's exactly the kind of question psychology continues to explore.
I'm glad you're enjoying this chapter. The next section, 7.5 Measures of Intelligence, looks at how psychologists measure intelligence using IQ tests and how those tests have developed over time.
Easy Read Notes – 7.5 Measures of Intelligence
What is an intelligence test?
An intelligence test measures thinking abilities such as:
- Solving problems.
- Understanding ideas.
- Learning.
- Reasoning.
- Remembering information.
Psychologists use these tests to better understand how people think. An IQ test does not measure everything a person can do.
What is IQ?
IQ means Intelligence Quotient.
An IQ score compares a person's performance with that of other people of the same age.
Most people score around 100.
Generally:
- Around 85–115 = Average range.
- Above 115 = Above average.
- Below 85 = Below average.
An IQ score is only one measure of cognitive ability. It does not measure kindness, creativity, motivation, life experience, or many practical skills.
Alfred Binet
French psychologist Alfred Binet developed one of the first intelligence tests.
His goal was not to label children.
Instead, he wanted to identify children who needed extra educational support.
This was an important difference. He believed the test should help children receive the teaching they needed.
Mental Age
Binet introduced the idea of mental age.
For example:
- A child who is 8 years old but performs like the average 10-year-old has a mental age of 10.
- A child who is 8 years old but performs like the average 6-year-old has a mental age of 6.
Today, psychologists generally no longer use the concept of mental age in the same way.
Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale
Binet's test was later revised at Stanford University.
This became the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, one of the best-known intelligence tests.
It has been updated many times to improve its accuracy.
David Wechsler
Psychologist David Wechsler developed intelligence tests for different age groups.
These include:
- WAIS – for adults.
- WISC – for children.
- WPPSI – for preschool and young children.
These tests measure different areas of thinking instead of producing only one overall score.
Reliability
A good intelligence test should be reliable.
This means:
- If someone takes the test again under similar conditions, they should get a similar score.
Reliable tests give consistent results.
Validity
A good intelligence test should also be valid.
This means:
- The test should measure what it is supposed to measure.
If a test claims to measure intelligence, it should actually measure cognitive abilities rather than unrelated skills.
Nature and Nurture
Psychologists continue to study whether intelligence is influenced more by:
Nature
Things we inherit from our parents through our genes.
Nurture
Our environment, including:
- Family.
- Education.
- Nutrition.
- Health.
- Life experiences.
Most psychologists agree that both nature and nurture influence intelligence.
Important Points
Psychologists also recognise that factors such as:
- Good nutrition.
- Access to education.
- Supportive teaching.
- Safe environments.
- Good healthcare.
can affect how people perform on intelligence tests and develop their abilities.
Thinking About Your Own Experience
As we've discussed before, this chapter raises an important point. An intelligence test can provide useful information, but it doesn't tell the whole story.
For example, your experience shows that:
- You learned much better with one-to-one support than in a busy classroom.
- Dyslexia and dyscalculia affected how quickly you could process written information and mathematics.
- Once teaching was adapted to your needs, you were able to learn more effectively.
- You later became a lecturer and advocate, showing strengths that a single test score could never fully capture.
This is one reason psychologists are careful about interpreting IQ scores. They are useful tools, but they are only one piece of the puzzle. A person's abilities, potential, and achievements are influenced by many factors, including their opportunities, support, motivation, and learning environment.
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