Primary Mental Abilities Test

psychological test

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July 13, 2026

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The Primary Mental Abilities Test, developed by L. L. Thurstone, is a psychological test designed to measure distinct components of human intelligence. It emerged from psychometric theories, which focus on quantifying mental functions and analyzing performance on psychological tests.12

Thurstone's test identified seven primary mental abilities:
* Reasoning ability
* Word fluency
* Verbal comprehension
* Facility with numbers
* Spatial visualization
* Rote memory1

This approach contrasted with earlier theories that emphasized a single general intelligence factor, proposing instead that intelligence is composed of these specific, measurable abilities.12

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L. L. Thurstone
…these techniques led to the Primary Mental Abilities Test (1938), which measured components of human intelligence such as reasoning ability, word fluency, verbal comprehension, facility with numbers, spatial visualization, and rote memory. Multiple-Factor Analysis (1947), his other major work, was an extensive rewriting of Vectors.
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…these techniques led to the Primary Mental Abilities Test (1938), which measured components of human intelligence such as reasoning ability, word fluency, verbal comprehension, facility with numbers, spatial visualization, and rote memory. Multiple-Factor Analysis (1947), his other major work, was an extensive rewriting of Vectors.
Read More