Which of the following statements about Charles Spearman is false?
(A) He believed intelligence consisted of a general factor called g.
(B) He believed intelligence could be measured and compared between individuals.
(C) He divided intelligence into two components: crystallized intelligence and fluid intelligence.
(D) He focused on the commonalities among various intellectual abilities and de-emphasized what made each unique.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is (C) He divided intelligence into two components: crystallized intelligence and fluid intelligence.
Explanation:
Charles Spearman was a British psychologist who is best known for his theory of intelligence, which was based on the concept of a general intelligence factor (g). This theory contrasts with later theories, such as those proposed by Raymond Cattell and John Horn, who distinguished between crystallized and fluid intelligence. Spearman’s theory did not include this distinction, which is why statement (C) is false.
- Statement (A) – True: Charles Spearman believed in a general intelligence factor, often denoted as g. He proposed that intelligence was composed of a single underlying ability that affected performance across a variety of cognitive tasks. According to Spearman, g was the core factor influencing all intellectual abilities, such as reasoning, problem-solving, and memory.
- Statement (B) – True: Spearman believed intelligence could be measured and compared across individuals. He used statistical methods, specifically factor analysis, to identify the general factor (g) and assess individual differences in intelligence. This view underpinned the development of intelligence testing, such as the development of IQ tests.
- Statement (C) – False: This statement refers to the theory of intelligence proposed by Raymond Cattell, who distinguished between crystallized intelligence (knowledge acquired through experience and education) and fluid intelligence (the ability to solve novel problems and think abstractly). Spearman did not divide intelligence into these two components, so this statement is incorrect in relation to his theory.
- Statement (D) – True: Spearman emphasized the commonalities between different intellectual abilities, suggesting that they were all related to the general factor of intelligence. He downplayed the importance of differences between various cognitive tasks, focusing instead on the shared aspect of intelligence that could be captured by factor analysis.
Thus, the false statement is (C) because it misrepresents Spearman’s theory by attributing to him the division of intelligence into crystallized and fluid components, which was a concept developed by other psychologists.