What are the main theories of intelligence in psychology?

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Syntactica Sophia
2 years ago

Intelligence has been defined in many ways, and various theories have been proposed to explain the nature and structure of intelligence. Some of the main theories of intelligence in psychology are:

  • General Intelligence (g) Theory: This theory posits that intelligence is a single, general ability that underlies all cognitive tasks. This theory is based on the observation that performance on different cognitive tasks tends to be positively correlated.
  • Multiple Intelligence Theory: This theory proposes that there are multiple independent intelligences, such as linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligence. This theory is based on the observation that people have different cognitive strengths and weaknesses.
  • Triarchic Theory: This theory proposes that intelligence is composed of three subtheories: analytical intelligence (the ability to analyze, evaluate, and solve problems), creative intelligence (the ability to generate new and innovative ideas), and practical intelligence (the ability to adapt to new situations and solve practical problems).
  • Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) Theory: This theory posits that there are multiple independent abilities that underlie intelligence, such as fluid reasoning, visual-spatial processing, short-term memory, long-term memory, and processing speed. This theory is based on the observation that different cognitive tasks rely on different cognitive abilities.

These are some of the main theories of intelligence in psychology, but there are many other theories and perspectives on intelligence.