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What did Charles Spearman mean by the general intelligence factor called g?
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intelligence test
Overview of human intelligence, including a discussion of intelligence tests.
Charles Spearman theorized that a general intelligence factor, denoted as g, is present in varying degrees across different human abilities. He observed that individuals who performed well on one mental ability test tended to perform well on others, and vice versa. To explain these consistent correlations, Spearman employed factor analysis, a statistical technique, and concluded that a general factor, g, underlies all tasks requiring intelligence. He proposed that g might represent a form of "mental energy". While Spearman identified g as the most important factor, he also acknowledged the existence of specific factors (s) unique to particular tests.12