Spearman theory of intelligence with examples

Charles Spearman

Charles Spearman played a pivotal role in exploring human intelligence. Human intelligence is a subjective topic, and when you ask people, “what is intelligence?” The answers will vary because understanding intelligence is difficult. For example, for some people, an intelligent person will be the one who solves mathematics questions quickly, while for others, an intelligent person will be a person who makes accurate life decisions.

Giving a proper definition of intelligence has been debatable. Different psychologists have different views on intelligence. If we have to come up with a comprehensive definition of intelligence, it can be said that intellect is a tangible process that involves parameters such as planning, attention, learning and solving.

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About Charles Edwards Spearman

Charles Edward Spearman was a well-known British psychologist born on 10th September 1863. He showed exceptional talent and capability to become a psychologist since his inception. He began his career by joining

Spearman, Charles Edward

1863-1945
British theoretical and experimental psychologist who pioneered studies of intelligence.

Charles Edward Spearman was an influential psychologist who developed commonly used statistical measures and the statistical method known as factor analysis. His studies on the nature of human abilities led to his "two-factor" theory of intelligence . Whereas most psychologists believed that mental abilities were determined by various independent factors, Spearman concluded that general intelligence, "g," was a single factor that was correlated with specific abilities, "s," to varying degrees. Spearman's work became the theoretical justification for intelligence testing. He also formulated eight basic laws of psychology.

Spearman was born in London in 1863, the second son of Alexander Young and Louisa Ann Caroline Amelia (Mainwaring) Spearman. Educated at Leamington College, Spearman joined the army in 1883 and served as a much-decorated infantry officer in Burma and India. However his early interest in philosophy led him to his desire to study psyc

Spearman, Charles Edward (1863-1945)

Charles Edward Spearman was born 10 September 1863 in London. Spearman's father died in 1865, his mother remarried in 1870 and they moved to Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. Charles was educated from the age of twelve to eighteen as a day boy at Leamington College. On leaving school in 1882 Spearman embarked on military service joining the Royal Munster Fusiliers where he mostly served in India. In January 1895 he began a two-year course at the Army Staff College, Camberley, graduating p.s.c. (passed Staff College), however a few months later Captain Spearman resigned his commission to study experimental psychology in Wilhelm Wundt's laboratory at Leipzig University, Germany.

Spearman's studies in Germany were interrupted by the second South African War (1899-1902) when the army recalled him to serve as deputy assistant adjutant-general to Guernsey. In Guernsey he met and married his wife Frances (née Aikman) with whom he had four daughters and a son.

During the few months between his release from military duties and returning to Germany in D

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