Constructive replication of the visual–perceptual-image rotation model in Thurstone's (1941) battery of 60 tests of mental ability

Abstract

We recently evaluated the relative statistical performance of the Cattell–Horn fluid–crystallized model and the Vernon verbal–perceptual model of the structure of human intelligence in a sample of 436 adults heterogeneous for age, place of origin, and educational background who completed 42 separate tests of mental ability from three test batteries. We concluded that the Vernon model's performance was substantively superior but could be significantly improved. In so doing, we proposed a four-stratum model with a g factor at the top of the hierarchy and three factors at the third stratum. We termed this the Verbal–Perceptual-Image Rotation (VPR) model. In this study, we constructively replicated the model comparisons and development of the VPR model using the data matrix published by Thurstone and Thurstone (1941) [Thurstone, L. L., & Thurstone T. G. (1941). Factorial studies of intelligence. Chicago: University of Chicago Press]. The data matrix was generated by scores of 710 Chicago eighth graders on 60 tests of mental ability.