Intelligence is a mental energy of an individual who enables him to cope with his environment in terms of adaptation and dealing with novel situations in an effective manner.
The factor theories of intelligence try to throw light on the structure of intelligence by indicating the number of factors or constituents, e.g. the unitary theory holds that intelligence consists of only one factor, i.e.. a fund of intellectual competence. Quite contrary to this, the multi-factor theory considers intelligence to be a combination of many separate elements or factors, each of which is a minute element of ability. Spearman’s two-factor theory promotes the presence of two factors viz., G factor (general intelligence) and S factor (specific intelligence). The group factor theory put forward that all intellectual tasks can be categorized in definite groups. Each group has a unique common factor known as the group factor. Thurston and his fellow associates had discovered nine such group factors. Vernon’s hierarchical theory suggests a hierarchical structure for the organisation of intelligence in the shape of G, an overall factor branching into two major group factors and various specific factors. Guilford’s theory lays down a model of the intellect involving three interrelated and interacted basic parameters operations, contents and products for
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It defines intelligence as a set of abilities, talents, or mental skills that permit an individual to solve problems or fashion products that are of outcome in a particular cultural setting. This theory, while providing a comprehensive view of the human cognitive structure, believes that there are seven independent types of intelligence (developing differently in different people) ranging from linguistic and logical-mathematical abilities to intrapersonal and interpersonal