Confirmatory factor analysis of Project Spectrum activities. A second-order g factor or multiple intelligences?

Abstract

This paper compares different theoretical models of the structure of intelligence, based on the analysis of data obtained in a series of measured abilities corresponding to the Spectrum assessment activities (Gardner, Feldman & Krechevsky, 1998) in a sample of 393 children enrolled in kindergarten and first grade. The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis. The models compared were: a) a model with six first-order uncorrelated factors, b) a model with six first-order factors and one second-order general factor, g; c) a model with two correlated second-order general factors, in which the cognitive intelligences load on a “cognitive” general factor and the non-cognitive intelligences load on a “non-cognitive” general factor, and d) a model with six first-order correlated factors. The percentage of variance in measured abilities due to g and to first-order factors was also estimated. Overall, the results indicate that the Spectrum activities are not as separate from g as proposed by the defenders of multiple intelligences theory, nor as unitary as argued by the defenders of g factor models.