THEORIES OF INTELLIGENCE

1 Everyman's Science VOL. XXXIX NO. 3, August September'04. THEORIES OF INTELLIGENCE . Pal*, A. Pal** & P. Tourani**. At present, INTELLIGENCE is a diffuse concept and there are multitudes of THEORIES that attempt to explain it. Some involve a general INTELLIGENCE ', some involve situational factors, and some involve both. None of them satisfactorily deals with the scope of INTELLIGENCE . INTRODUCTION none of which agreee with each other. Every approach to thinking comes up with it's own T o be labeled as being intelligent''. imparts positive feelings, encourages self different perspective and assumptions, often contradicting at least one earlier theory.

2 Esteem and a sense of worth. Yet, what is intelligent and smart? This has been the focus of Faculty theory : It is the oldest theory THEORIES , definitions and philosophies dating as regarding the nature of INTELLIGENCE and flourished far back as Plato (428 BC); yet most presumably, during 18th and 19th century. According to this dating prior to this historical figure, might be theory, mind is made up of different faculties due to the fact that humankind is himself like reasoning, memory, discrimination, intelligent. One way to seek understanding of imagination, etc. These faculties are independent INTELLIGENCE is simply to define what it is.

3 Of each other and can be developed by vigorous Sternberg (1986) purports two principal training. Faculty Theory had been under criticism classifications of definition of INTELLIGENCE the by experimental psychologists who disproved operational definition and the real'' definition. the existence of independent faculties in the Operational INTELLIGENCE is measurable. Real brain. INTELLIGENCE is one that inquires the true nature of the thing being defined. As with the plethora One factor/UNI factor theory : It reduces of definitions of INTELLIGENCE , there are numerous all abilities to a single capacity of general THEORIES of INTELLIGENCE .

4 From examining how INTELLIGENCE or common sense'. This would smart one is to how to measure one's smartness, imply that they are all perfectly correlated, and how to measure how one is smart, thories have would make no allowance for the unevenness come and gone and some have endured to be of people abilities along different lines. pondered and proven over time. Since it goes against the common observation that an individual does possess different levels THEORIES OF INTELLIGENCE . of different abilities and does not shine equally There are different THEORIES about INTELLIGENCE , in all directions'' it has no ground to stand. * Reader and ** Research Scholar, Institute of Education DAVV, Indore Spearman's two-factor theory : It was ** Asst.

5 Prof., Holkar Science College, Indore developed in 1904 by an English Psychologist, 181. Everyman's Science VOL. XXXIX NO. 3, August September'04. Charles Spearman, who proposed that intellectual from other mental operations. These mental abilites were comprised of two factors : one operations then constitute a group. A second general ability or common ability known as G' group of mental operation has its own unifying factor and the other a group of specific abilities primary factor, and so on. In other words, there known as S' factor. G' factor is universal are a number of groups of mental abilities, each inborn ability. Greater G' in an individual leads of which has its own primary factor, giving the to greater success in life.

6 S' factor is acquired group a functional unity and cohesiveness. from the environment. It varies from activity to Each of these primary factors is said to be activity in the same individual. relatively independent of the others. Thorndike's multifactor theory : Thorndike Thurstone has given the following six primary believed that there was nothing like General factors : Ability. Each mental activity requires an (i) The Number Factor (N) Ability to do aggregate of different set of abilities. He Numerical Calculations rapidly and distinguished the following four attributes of accurately. INTELLIGENCE : (ii) The Verbal Factor (V) Found in tests (a) Level refers to the level of difficulty of a involving Verbal Comprehension.

7 Task that can be solved. (iii) The Space Factor (S) Involved in any (b) Range refers to a number of tasks at any task in which the subject manipulates the given degree of difficulty. imaginary object in space. (c) Area means the total number of situations (iv) Memory (M) Involving ability to memorize at each level to which the individual is able quickly. to respond. (v) he Word Fluency Factor (W) Involved (d) Speed is the rapidity with which we can whenever the subject is asked to think of respond to the items. isolated words at a rapid rate. (vi) The Reasoning Factor (R) Found in tasks Thurstone's theory : Primary mental that require a subject to discover a rule or abilities/Group factor theory : States that principle involved in a series or groups of Intelligent Activities are not an expression of letters.

8 Innumerable highly specific factors, as Thorndike Based on these factors Thurstone constructed claimed. Nor is it the expression primarily of a a new test of INTELLIGENCE known as Test of general factor that pervades all mental activities. Primary Mental Abilities (PMA).''. It is the essence of INTELLIGENCE , as Spearman held. Instead, the analysis of interpretation of GUILFORD'S MODEL OF STRUCTURE OF. Spearman and others led them to the conclusion INTELLECT. that certain' mental operations have in common Guilford (1967, 1985, 1988) proposed a a primary' factor that gives them psychological three dimensional structure of intellect model.

9 And functional unity and that differentiates them According to Guilford every intellectual task 182. Everyman's Science VOL. XXXIX NO. 3, August September'04. can be classified according to it's (1) content, practical-mechanical-spatial-physical ( ). (2) the mental operation ivolved and (3) the ability. 3. The next level : minor group factors are divided from major group factors. 4. The bottom level : s''(specific) factor. (Spearmen). Beginning in 1969, Vernon became increasingly involved in studying the contributions of environmental and genetic factors to intellectual development. Vernon continued to analyze the effects of genes and the environment on both individual and group difference in INTELLIGENCE .

10 He concludes that product resulting from the operation. He further individual difference in INTELLIGENCE are classified content into five categories, namely, approximately 60 percent attributable to genetic Visual, Auditory, Symbolic, Semantic and factors, and that there is some evidence Behavioral. He classified operations into five implicating genes in racial group differences in categories, namely, Cognition, Memory retention, average levels of mental ability. Memory recording, Divergent production, Convergent production and evaluation. He CATTELL'S FLUID AND CRYSTALLIZED. classified products into six categories, namely, THEORY.