The document discusses several influential theories and definitions of intelligence from prominent psychologists throughout history. It describes Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon's Binet-Simon Scale from the 1890s, which aimed to measure intellectual development in children. It also discusses Charles Spearman's two-factor theory distinguishing between general intelligence ("g") and specific abilities ("s"). Additionally, it outlines Lewis Terman's revision of the Binet-Simon test called the Stanford-Binet Individual Intelligence Test in 1906 and Edward Thorndike's stimulus response theory from 1903 measuring intelligence through completion, arithmetic, vocabulary, and direction tests.

1. Theories and Definitions
of Intelligence
Anne Jeanette M. Quilatan
III-10 BS Psychology

2. • Alfred Binet, French Psychologist (1857-1911)
- Modern approach to understand the concept of
intelligence began with his work together with
his colleague, Theodore Simon.
1. The Binet-Simon Scale (1890’s)

3. Why did they make it?
• A push for compulsory education
• To identify students with special education
• To measure the intellectual development of young children ages 3-12
• To measure the ability of children to think and reason

4. • The term IQ or Intelligence Quotient evolved.

6. 2. Spearman’s Two-Factor Theory of
Intelligence
Charles Spearman, a British Psychologist (1834-1945)
Advanced the “Two Factor Theory
of Intelligence “g” and “s”.

7. intelligence comprises both a single, pervasive
reasoning ability, a general factor, that is used on a
wide variety of tasks and a number of narrow
abilities, specific factors, involved in executing
particular tasks.

8. 3. Terman’s Stanford Binet Individual
Intelligence Test (1906)
Lewis Madison Terman,
American Cognitive Psychologist
-Published a revised Binet-Simon
Scale for American population in
1906 at Stanford University

9. The Stanford-Binet is designed to measure skills in four areas: verbal reasoning, abstract/visual
reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and short-term memory.

10. 4. Thorndike’s Stimulus Response Theory
• Edward Lee Thorndike, an American Psychologist and
his students used objective measurements of intelligence
on human subjects, 1903.
• Developed a multi factored test of intelligence:
completion, arithmetic, vocabulary, and directions test.
(CAVD)

11. • He drew an important distinction among three broad classes of intellectual
functioning: Abstract Intelligence, Mechanical intelligence, and Social Intelligence.
Abstract Intelligence has four dimensions:
 Altitude
 Width
 Area
 Speed
Thorndike's Law of Exercise
• Trial and error and Stimulus Response Association
“ Stimulus-response connections that are repeated are strengthened, and Stimulus -
response connections that are not used are weakened”