Raymond Cattell, John Horn, John Carroll

Model of Psychometric abilities

Psychometrics is a specialist area of psychology that focuses on the measurement (metric) of psychological abilities (psycho) Cattell, Horn and Carroll believed that intelligence was best represented as a hierarchy, with different cognitive abilities arranged in separate levels.
Cognitive abilities in the upper part of the hierarchy are described as broad which they were then made up of narrower or more specific abilities.

Cattell and Horn worked together and developed a theory of intelligence called the Gf-Gc theory. This theory is made up of 10 broad abilities and includes fluid and crystallised intelligence and eight other broad abilities (visual and auditory processing, processing speed etc.)

These broad abilities are then broken down into 69 specific or narrow abilities, for example, speed of reasoning, language development and communication

Fluid intelligence Gf involves the use of reasoning for problem solving. It depends minimally on skills and knowledge gained through formal education or cultural experience.

Biologically based and a natural cognitive ability Assessed using tasks not dependant on language or specific knowledge, for example tasks requiring you to identify a missing piece in a pattern

Crystallised intelligence Gc involves the use of knowledge and skills we acquire through informal and formal education. It also involves the ability to reason, using information previously learnt.

Assessed through tests of vocabulary and general knowledge, for example, tasks asking you to define a word or name the Prime Minister of Australia.

 Carroll

developed a theory of intelligence called the Three-Stratum Theory.

The top stratum consists of a single cognitive ability which is called the general intelligence g. The second stratum consists of 8 broad abilities (most are similar to the theories in Cattell and Horns theory). The lower stratum consists of 69 narrow abilities (as identified in the Gf-Gc Theory)

Cattell, Horn and Carrolls theories were combined to form the Model of Psychometric Abilities. It consists of fluid and crystallised intelligence from Cattell and Horns theory but excludes the general intelligence from Carroll's theory.
It is also referred to as the CHC model and describes intelligence as consisting of cognitive abilities arranged in a hierarchical structure of two strata called broad and narrow abilities (as shown on the following page)

Stratum I has 76 narrow abilities, which combine in groups to form the 10 broad abilities in Stratum II