Contemporary psychology, Vol. 6 No. 2, 2003.
Review article
A critique of the ‘g' factor
Lazar Stankov
Abstract
large body of recent literature on human cognitive abilities is influenced by the neo-Spearmanian views that emphasize the importance of the ‘g' factor. This paper argues for a critical approach to the overly enthusiastic endorsement of such views. In particular, it points out that there are issues of design and interpretation of the factor-analytic literature that challenge this interpretation. An important issue is the definition of the domain of mental as opposed to cognitive abilities. Statistical criteria for the number of factors typically do not support a single factor solution. Furthermore, there are doubts about the replicability of the ‘g' factor across cultures, different methods of factor analysis, and different batteries of cognitive tests. It is pointed out that essentially the same empirical findings within personality and human cognitive abilities areas have led to the endorsement of multiple personality factors rather than a single ‘g' factor. There are also problems with the ‘g' factor interpretation. In particular, the interpretation tends to differ from the way all other common factors are interpreted; ‘g' lacks substance.
Keywords
'g' factor; intelligence; cognitivne abilities; individual differences; personality
Hrčak ID:
3236
URI
Publication date:
15.12.2003.
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