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The General Factor in Spearman's Theory of Intelligence

Abstract

SPEARMAN'S theory may be summarised as follows: (1) A mathematical theorem, that when all the tetrad differences such as (rabrcd-racrbd) formed from N variables a, b, c, d, . . . vanish, each variable may be considered as the sum of two parts (or ‘factors’) which are numerical multiples of a general factor g (the same for every variable) and of a specific factor s (different in each case). These N + 1 factors are all uncorrelated with each other. (2) The attribution principally to mere error of sampling of the non-vanishing of the small tetrad differences formed from dissimilar mental measurements. (3) The interpretation of g as general mental energy, and of each s as a specific ability.

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PIAGGIO, H. The General Factor in Spearman's Theory of Intelligence. Nature 127, 56–57 (1931). https://doi.org/10.1038/127056b0

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