primary ability

any of the seven unitary factors revealed by factor analysis to be essential components of intelligence: verbal ability (V), word fluency (WF), numerical ability (N), spatial intelligence (S), memory (M), perceptual speed (P), and reasoning (R). These factors are measured by the Primary Mental Abilities Test. Also called primary mental ability. [proposed in about 1936 by Louis L. Thurstone]

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

November 16th 2024

social reform program

an intervention program developed and implemented to counter deleterious aspects of a social system, the primary objective being to reduce the effects of malfunctions in the system. Also called countermeasure-intervention program.