Cattell's Theory Research Articles

High-performing teams: Is collective intelligence the answer?

The concept of a general factor of collective intelligence, proposed by Woolley et al. in 2010, has spurred interest in understanding collective intelligence within small groups. This study aims to extend this investigation by examining the validity of a general collective intelligence factor, assessing its underlying factor structure, and evaluating its utility in predicting performance on future group problem-solving tasks and academic outcomes. Employing a correlational study design, we engaged 85 university students in a series of complex cognitive tasks designed to measure collective intelligence through individual, group, and predictive phases. Contrary to the hypothesized single-factor model, our findings favor a two-factor model influenced by Cattell's theory of crystalized and fluid intelligence. These two factors accounted for substantial variance in group performance outcomes, challenging the prevailing single-factor model. Notably, the predictive validity of these factors on group assignments was statistically significant, with both individual and collective intelligence measures correlating moderately with group assignment scores (rs = .40 to .47, p < .05). Our research suggests that collective intelligence in small group settings may not be uniformly governed by a single factor but rather by multiple dimensions that reflect established theories of individual intelligence. This nuanced understanding of collective intelligence could have significant implications for enhancing group performance in both educational and organizational contexts. Future research should explore these dimensions and their independent contributions to group dynamics and outcomes.

Reciprocal effects between fluid and crystallized intelligence and their dependence on parents' socioeconomic status and education

The investment theory of Cattell supposes an influence of fluid on crystallized intelligence. The development of fluid intelligence largely depends on biological factors, of crystallized intelligence on fluid intelligence and environmental stimulation. To test this theory two contrasting samples representing a broad ability range were chosen, a Brazilian sample (ages 7 to 15, N = 833, mean IQ 92) and a sample with a higher ability level in Germany (ages 11 to 19, N = 722, IQ 118). Analyses of cross-lagged effects across two year intervals show similar effects of fluid intelligence on crystallized and vice versa (around β = .17). Parental socioeconomic status and parental education have in both samples a slightly stronger effect on crystallized than on fluid intelligence. The first result refutes Cattell's theory, the second gives some support. The development of fluid intelligence also seems to be influenced by non-biological environmental factors resulting in a concept of intelligence as a malleable ability.

Validity Studies Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the K-ABC with Gifted Referrals

An important area of inquiry in the assessment of intelligence lies in the area of giftedness. If proper educational decisions are to be made for children referred for gifted services, it is imperative that educational and psychological service providers understand factors influencing the response patterns of children with high levels of academic aptitude. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate four models of intellectual abilities using confirmatory factor analytic methods and data obtained on a sample of 197 children referred for services in an experimental gifted program. Although all four models provided results indicative of a plausible fit, a model posited on a revised version of Horn and Cattell's theory of fluid-crystallized abilities provided the broadest understanding of the cognitive functioning of children referred for gifted services.

Inspection time and IQ: Evidence for a mental speed—ability association

Two studies have tested a theory that individual differences in mental speed constitute an important component of differences in general intelligence by examining patterns of correlation between ‘inspection time’ (IT) and various ability measures assumed to reflect different kinds of speed. The first study was set within the framework of Cattell's theory about the structure of abilities. Results from 30 adult Ss whose IQs (Raven Advanced Progressive Matrices, RAPM) were in the average to above-average range suggested that IT is associated with a broad general ability variable and not with the primary abilities ‘perceptual speed’ or ‘speed of closure’. However, IT was significantly correlated with only a subgroup of those primary abilities that were significantly intercorrelated, and the outcome did not further elucidate the nature of speed as discussed within Cattell's formulation. The second study tested a relationship between IT and a measure of general ‘intellectual speed’, previously described as the major determinant of intellectual differences in a situation where two other critical variables, ‘accuracy’ and ‘continuance’ can exert no influence. It was measured for more than 40 adult Ss, whose IQs (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised) ranged from 81 to 138, and compared with times to produce the correct solution to individual items from the RPM. IT, IQ and solution times were all significantly intercorrelated but, nonetheless, IT and solution times appeared to be substantially reflecting different processes. It is concluded that IT can account for more than the 10% of variance in IQ commonly found to be shared with simple information-processing tasks. The present result of approx. 17% shared variance is probably an underestimate, given the restricted IQ samples used and certain procedural shortcomings. The nature of speed reflected by IT has not been determined and current measurement procedures may be confounded by internal noise.

Cognitive impairment and personality adjustment in vietnam veterans

This study investigated the intellectual functioning and personality characteristics of 81 Australian ex-servicemen, 42 of whom had served in Vietnam. A Cognitive Impairment Model (SCIM) developed by Savage (1978, 1981, 1984) enabled intellectual functioning levels, intellectual deterioration and learning ability in the verbal and performance modalities to be asses. The Clinical Analysis Questionnaire (CAQ) of Krug (1980) based 00 Cattell's theory and personality measurement techniques provided an assessment of normal personality characteristics and clinical factors. The data suggested that the two groups, Australian ex-servicemen and Australian Vietnam veterans, were relatively homogeneous with regard to cognitive functioning and gave no indication of impairment in their intellectual levels or of their learning ability. Significant personality differences were, however, found between the two groups of ex-servicemen. The Vietnam veterans showed significantly more tension, depression, guilt, resentment, alienation and hypochondriasis than their colleagues who had remained in Australia. They were more withdrawn from others and from reality and had more abnormal thought than the ex-servicemen who had not been to Vietnam. The cognitive data do not support the view that Vietnam veterans suffered from any serious cognitive impairment. The personality data, however, suggest a significant “Psycbological Stress Syndrome” in these Vietnam veterans which required professional psychological treatment.

Multivariate persönlichkeitsforschung

The investment theory of Cattell supposes an influence of fluid on crystallized intelligence. The development of fluid intelligence largely depends on biological factors, of crystallized intelligence on fluid intelligence and environmental stimulation. To test this theory two contrasting samples representing a broad ability range were chosen, a Brazilian sample (ages 7 to 15, N = 833, mean IQ 92) and a sample with a higher ability level in Germany (ages 11 to 19, N = 722, IQ 118). Analyses of cross-lagged effects across two year intervals show similar effects of fluid intelligence on crystallized and vice versa (around β = .17). Parental socioeconomic status and parental education have in both samples a slightly stronger effect on crystallized than on fluid intelligence. The first result refutes Cattell's theory, the second gives some support. The development of fluid intelligence also seems to be influenced by non-biological environmental factors resulting in a concept of intelligence as a malleable ability.

On intelligence II: A neo‐Spearman model to replace Cattell's theory of fluid and crystallized intelligence

While many empirical studies now support second‐order simple structure factor analytic distinctions consistent with Cattell's theory of fluid and crystallized intelligence, the hierarchical order analyses carried out in the present study show that these factors are structured so as to suggest a neo‐Spearman hierarchical model where fluid intelligence is equivalent to a general intelligence factor and broad group factors of verbal‐educational knowledge, speediness, and visualization appear. The two models have different implications regarding the status of the fluid and crystallized “intelligence” factors and the relationship between them.

On Intelligence III: Examining developmental implications of Cattail's broad ability theory and of an alternative neo‐Spearman model

Developmental implications of Cattell's theory of Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence and of an alternative neo‐Spearman hierarchical model of broad ability factors are considered. A comprehensive re‐evaluation of available longitudinal data originally interpreted to support Cattell's theory indicates that the support for Cattell's hypotheses of Gf‐Gc relationships is highly questionable. Previously published data on broad abilities (see e.g. Undheim, 1976; 1978; 1981a) as well as the present results are seen to be more easily consistent with the implications of the neo‐Spearman hierarchical model formerly developed (Undheim, 1981b).

On intelligence I: Broad ability factors in 15‐year‐old children and Cattell's theory of fluid and crystallized intelligence

A simple‐structure factor analysis of test data from a sample of 148 fifteen‐year‐old children in Norway was carried out. Broad factors were interpreted to represent visualization, speediness, and fluency, as well as fluid and crystallized intelligence. The results are consistent with the factor distinctions as hypothesized by Cattell, but analyses of the developmental differentiation of fluid and crystallized intelligence raise some doubts about Cattell's interpretation of these dimensions.

On Intelligence IV: Toward a restoration of general intelligence

The present paper points to the limitations of a focusing on narrow primary factors of intelligence and argues for broad‐factor structuring of ability data. Recent studies of such broad attributes would suggest a “rapprochement” between Spearman's general intelligence model and Cattell's theory of Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence. Discussing the neo‐Spearman organization of abilities thus proposed, the paper argues, however, that the conceptualization of intelligence suggested by this structural model is more akin to Thomson's “sampling” model than to the “power” model of both Spearman and Cattell. The possible role of these interpretations of ability data in future research on intelligent behavior is discussed.

The self-sentiment: comment on internal consistency of Cattell's theory.

The self-sentiment as factorially defined by Cattell was examined with particular emphasis on its relationship to other integrative factors defined by Cattell. Literature is reviewed and data from 98 adults presented. The self-sentiment trait of the 16 PF only correlates .28 with the dynamic self-sentiment trait of the Motivation Analysis Test. The dynamic superego factor of the latter test correlated only .36 with the factor of superego strength on the 16 PF.

Level I and Level II Abilities in Three Ethnic Groups

A large battery of various tests of intelligence, scholastic achievement, and short-term memory was administered to some 2,000 white, Negro and Mexican-American pupils in grades, 4,5, and 6 in a largely agricultural school district in the central valley of California. The three grades were used as separate replications of the study. Factor analysis (i.e., principal components) with oblique rotation yielded three main factors, identified as fluid ( g f) and crystalized ( g c) intelligence (both are aspects of Level II ability in Jensen's theory) and a memory factor (a Level I ability). Mean factor scores for the three ethnic groups differed significantly and showed significant interactions with ethnicity largely in accord with expectations from Jensen's two-level theory of abilities. The white and Negro groups differed markedly in g c and g f but not in memory; the white and Mexican groups differed markedly in g c, and much less in g f and memory. The Negro and Mexican groups differed the most in g f but only slightly in g c. There were also systematic ethnic group differences in the pattern of intercorrelations among factor scores, and in the correlations of the factor scores with an index of socioeconomic status. The results are discussed in relation to Jensen's two-level theory of mental abilities and Cattell's theory of fluid and crystalized intelligence.

Level I and Level II Abilities in Three Ethnic Groups

A large battery of various tests of intelligence, scholastic achievement, and short-term memory was administered to some 2,000 white, Negro and Mexican-American pupils in grades, 4,5, and 6 in a largely agricultural school district in the central valley of California. The three grades were used as separate replications of the study. Factor analysis (i.e., principal components) with oblique rotation yielded three main factors, identified as fluid (gf) and crystalized (gc) intelligence (both are aspects of Level II ability in Jensen's theory) and a memory factor (a Level I ability). Mean factor scores for the three ethnic groups differed significantly and showed significant interactions with ethnicity largely in accord with expectations from Jensen's two-level theory of abilities. The white and Negro groups differed markedly in gc and gf but not in memory; the white and Mexican groups differed markedly in gc, and much less in gf and memory. The Negro and Mexican groups differed the most in gf but only slightly in gc. There were also systematic ethnic group differences in the pattern of intercorrelations among factor scores, and in the correlations of the factor scores with an index of socioeconomic status. The results are discussed in relation to Jensen's two-level theory of mental abilities and Cattell's theory of fluid and crystalized intelligence.

The assessment of brain damage from a psychometric point of view

Guilford's model of personality is briefly outlined, stressing the fact that personality is more than the sum-total of its parts, because the various elements comprising it interact with one another, giving it a unique character. The organization of human abilities is discussed with reference to Cattell's theory of fluid and crystallized intelligence, and Ferguson's theory of learning and human ability. The implications of Cattell's theory for studies of brain damage are outlined. The integrative functions of the cerebral cortex are briefly described, and various problems in diagnosing brain damage are indicated. The metric requirements of well-constructed measuring devices are discussed, and the various criteria that tests must normally meet before they can be released as usable instruments are detailed. The psychometric approach to the assessment of brain damage is given. The published literature on psychological deficit and brain damage of the past twenty years is reviewed, and the findings are systematized. The validity of Ertl's average evoked potential of the brain as a measure of fluid intelligence is questioned in the light of recent studies regarding the lateralization of brain damage in relation to test scores. In conclusion, a strategy for assessing change in the effective ability of a person, from the pre-traumatic to the post-traumatic state, is given. The importance of work performance criteria in this regard, is stressed.

Stereotypic desirability profiles for the 16 P.F. questionnaire.

The study investigated the effects of instructional conditions on 16 P.F. performance. Instructions focusing on the positive and negative desirability of item alternatives were compared with results obtained under standard administration conditions. Two divergent “images” emerged in a college sample and indicated that the poles of the 16 P.F. are not equally attractive. Findings were discussed with reference to Cattell's theory of perturbations, and a clinical application of the stereotype profiles was explored.