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Multiple-Factor Analysis

work by Thurstone

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Multiple-Factor Analysis, developed by L. L. Thurstone, is a statistical technique used in psychometrics to analyze performance on psychological tests. Thurstone proposed that human intelligence is not a single general factor but is composed of several distinct "primary mental abilities".12

His method, detailed in works like The Vectors of Mind (1935) and Multiple-Factor Analysis (1947), aimed to explain correlations between test results by identifying these underlying factors. This approach contrasted with earlier theories, such as Charles Spearman's "g" factor, and led to the development of tests like the Primary Mental Abilities Test. These abilities include reasoning, verbal comprehension, and spatial visualization.13

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