Question

Who proposed the Two-Factor Theory of Intelligence using factor analysis?

• A. Alfred Binet
• B. Louis Thurstone
• C. Charles Spearman
• D. Howard Gardner

Hint:

This theory is built on exactly two components, a general ability and a specific ability, found using a method called factor analysis. Recall which psychologist is directly linked to the terms g-factor and s-factor, and rule out any option whose theory names many separate abilities instead of exactly two. The keyword to hold onto is TWO, since only one of these four names is tied to a theory with exactly two parts.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Psychologists use statistical methods like factor analysis to determine whether intelligence is a single general ability or a collection of specific independent skills.

Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Spearman's theory focuses on two components: '$g$' (General) and '$s$' (Specific).

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
In 1904, Charles Spearman proposed that every intellectual activity involves a general factor ($g$-factor), which is the mental energy required for all tasks, and a specific factor ($s$-factor), which is unique to a particular task (like music, math, or language). He used factor analysis to show that people who perform well on one cognitive task tend to perform well on others, suggesting the presence of the $g$-factor.

Step 4: Final Answer:
Charles Spearman proposed the Two-Factor Theory of Intelligence.

Answer 2

Concept:

• Each psychologist listed is famous for one specific, well known theory of intelligence.
• Instead of recalling the full theory from scratch, we can match the phrase "two factors found using factor analysis" directly to the theorist known for exactly that idea.

Step 1: List what each name is actually known for.
Alfred Binet built the first intelligence test and introduced the idea of mental age, not a factor based theory. Louis Thurstone argued against a single or double factor model and proposed seven separate, independent abilities called Primary Mental Abilities. Howard Gardner proposed Multiple Intelligences, a theory with eight or more independent types of intelligence. Charles Spearman used factor analysis on test scores and found that performance could be explained using just two components.

Step 2: Remove the options that do not match two factors.
Binet is out because his idea is about age, not factors. Thurstone is out because his theory has many abilities, not two. Gardner is out because his theory also has many types, not two. Only Spearman is left, since his whole theory is built around exactly two components.

Step 3: Confirm using the name of the theory itself.
Spearman called his two components general intelligence, written as $g$, and specific ability, written as $s$. This is exactly why his model is called the Two Factor Theory, and factor analysis is the statistical tool he used to find it.

Final Answer: Charles Spearman