L.L Thurstone

Definition

L.L. Thurstone was an American psychologist who challenged Charles Spearman's view of intelligence as a single factor. He proposed the theory of "primary mental abilities," suggesting that intelligence is composed of seven distinct factors.

Related terms

Multiple Intelligences:

A theory proposed by Howard Gardner that suggests there are many types of intelligences, such as linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, etc.

Primary Mental Abilities Test (PMAT): A test developed by Thurstone to measure his seven identified abilities including verbal comprehension, reasoning, perceptual speed etc.

Psychometrics:

The field in psychology that specializes in measuring psychological traits such as knowledge, skills, aptitude and personality traits.