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A Factor-Analytic Study of Reasoning Abilities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2025

Russel F. Green ,
J. P. Guilford ,
Paul R. Christensen  and
Andrew L. Comrey
Russel F. Green
Affiliation:
University of Rochester
J. P. Guilford
Affiliation:
University of Southern California
Paul R. Christensen
Affiliation:
University of Southern California
Andrew L. Comrey
Affiliation:
University of California at Los Angeles
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Abstract

A battery of 32 tests was administered to a sample including 144 Air Force Officer Candidates and 139 Air Cadets. The factor analysis, using Thurstone's complete centroid method and Zimmerman's graphic method of orthogonal rotations, revealed 12 interpretable factors. The non-reasoning factors were interpreted as verbal comprehension, numerical facility, perceptual speed, visualization, and spatial orientation. The factors derived from reasoning tests were identified as general reasoning, logical reasoning, education of perceptual relations, education of conceptual relations, education of conceptual patterns, education of correlates, and symbol substitution. The logical-reasoning factor corresponds to what has been called deduction, but eduction of correlates is perhaps closer to an ability actually to make deductions. The area called induction appears to resolve into three eduction-of-relations factors. Reasoning factors do not appear always to transcend the type of test material used.

Information

Type
Original Paper
Information
Psychometrika , Volume 18 , Issue 2 , June 1953 , pp. 135 - 160
Copyright
Copyright © 1953 The Psychometric Society

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Footnotes

*

Under Contract N6onr-23810 with the Office of Naval Research. The views expressed here are not nesessarily shared by the Office of Naval Research. These studies are under the general direction of J. P. Guilford. P. R. Christensen is assistant director. A. L. Comrey was in direct charge of this study during its early stages and R. F. Green during most of its progress.

†

Lack of space prevents our reporting all phases of this study in detail here. For more detailed information see (2, 4, 5).

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