Human
Human intelligence metrics
The major frameworks for measuring human intelligence, from psychometric g to the CHC model and modern multidimensional approaches.
Key takeaways
- g (general intelligence) is the most replicated single construct in psychology.
- CHC theory expands intelligence into 16+ narrow abilities under broad factors.
- IQ tests measure a real construct but are culturally and educationally entangled.
g and CHC
Charles Spearman's g — the shared variance across cognitive tasks — remains one of the most robust findings in psychometrics. The Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) model expanded g into broad abilities (fluid reasoning, crystallised knowledge, working memory, processing speed, etc.) and narrower sub-abilities.
Common instruments
Wechsler scales (WAIS, WISC), Stanford-Binet, Raven's Progressive Matrices, and educational tests like the SAT and TIMSS all sit somewhere on the CHC map.