The 5 hierarchical theories of intelligence

Intelligence has long been a frequent object of study within Psychology, especially with regard to basic and differential psychology. This concept refers to the ability of the human being to adapt to the environment successfully and efficiently, being able to use cognitive resources available in order to establish action plans, grasp the relationships between different stimuli, reasoning and logic, reason and manage the conduct.

There are a large number of theories and conceptualizations regarding what intelligence is or how it is structured, a variety in which it has grown from a single, general capability to a relatively independent. One of these conceptualizations is that of hierarchical theories of intelligence.

• Related article: "Theories of human intelligence"

Hierarchical theories of intelligence

Hierarchical theories of intelligence are known as those that are based on the conception that intelligence is made up of a set of dependent skills one from the other, which establish a hierarchy among themselves in which an order is established according to which each factor includes several sub-factors.

Is about a type of theory based on a factorial model and in which there are capacities that dominate and allow the existence of others. For example, starting from one of the models (specifically the Vernon model) we can consider that the ability to write comes from the linguistic ability, which in turn is part of and depends on verbal ability, which together with motor skills is part of intelligence general.

In this way we would have very specific skills that would be in charge of specific behaviors or governing specific parts of them, and in turn these skills would depend on a higher order factor or cognitive ability that encompasses a whole set of these skills. In turn, this and other skills of the same sublevel would depend on another that influences all of them, and so on.

• Related article: "Intelligence: the G Factor and Spearman's Bifactorial Theory"

Main hierarchical models

exist different models derived from hierarchical theories of intelligence, which have established different ways of interpreting the hierarchical ordering between the factors or even the type of factors in question. The most well-known and relevant hierarchical theories are presented below.

1. Burt's Model: Hierarchical Model of Mental Levels

The model developed by Cyrill Burt focuses on the proposal of the existence of a structure formed by four primary factors and a general intelligence that subsumes them, organizing this structure in five levels that go from the capture of stimuli to their processing and connection with other cognitive elements.

Specifically, level one is that of sensation, which includes the different sensory and motor capacities that we have. This is the most basic and simple level. Later, at level two or of perception, Burt incorporates the set of processes that allow the passage to the cognition of the information captured, as well as the ability to coordinate movement.

Level three encompasses association skills, such as recognition, memory or habit, to later find in level four or relationship the different processes that allow coordinating and managing the different mental processes.

Finally, in the fifth level is general intelligence, which allows, influences and encompasses the previous levels.

2. Vernon's hierarchical factorial model

One of the best known hierarchical models is that of P.E. Vernon, who established the existence of a general intelligence from which arose educational-verbal and motor-spatial factors, from which in turn arose skills such as fluency, numerical, linguistic, creative, mechanical, spatial, psychomotor or induction capacity.

However, the most important thing about this model is the fact that Vernon would indicate the existence of three types of intelligence depending on the level of development of the biological potential in reality. I would name intelligence A as biological potential of the person in terms of their ability to develop and adapt to the environment, such as intelligence B at the skill level behaviorally demonstrated in reality and as intelligence C to that extractable as objective proof of intelligence B drawn in intelligence tests.

3. Gustafsson's HILI model

The model produced by Gustafsson is called the HILI model. This model includes e integrates aspects of Vernon and Cattell, and is based on a three-level structure in which at the simplest or lowest level are the primary skills such as rational ability, verbal fluency or memory, while at the intermediate level are the factors of fluid intelligence, crystallized, visual, resilience and cognitive speed and finally a higher level of intelligence general.

• You may be interested: "Raymond Cattell's theory of intelligence"

4. Guttman Radex Model

Another of the hierarchical theories of intelligence is that of Louis Guttman, who proposed a model in which the factors obtained in different psychometric tests and are organized into sections according to the similarity in complexity and contents.

It establishes a hierarchy in the form of concentric circles with three main factors that are the visual spatial ability, verbal ability and quantitative-numerical ability. From there, it establishes the level of closeness of the different tests with the intelligence G factor, the central and hierarchically highest point.

5. Carroll's strata model

This model divides cognitive abilities into three interlinked strata, the first being the most specific and the third being the most general.

In the first of the strata Carroll establishes concrete skills such as induction, visual memory, musical discrimination, writing or perceptual speed. It is a total of twenty specific factors necessary for the performance of various actions both mentally and behaviorally.

The second of the strata includes eight more general and broader factors that include those of the previous stratum. They include fluid, crystallized intelligence, memory and learning, visual perception, auditory perception, resilience, cognitive speed, and processing speed.

Finally, the third stratum refers to general intelligence, from which all the above processes and capabilities are derived.

And a mixed model: The Cattell and Horn model

Cattell's model, in which he divided intelligence into fluid and crystallized intelligence, is widely known worldwide. However this model was later expanded with the collaboration of John Horn, resulting in said collaboration in one of the hierarchical models or theories of intelligence.

Three levels can be observed in this model. In the first order factors we find the primary aptitudes (taken from Thurstone and Guilford), which are encompassed by the second order factors.

Finally, the third-order factors are a historical fluid intelligence (from which factors arise such as fluid intelligence as an element that allows the realization of links between elements by induction or deduction, visual intelligence, resilience and cognitive speed). In addition to this, next to the historical fluid intelligence is the common learning factor, which implies crystallized intelligence.

Bibliographic references:

• Love, P.J. and Sánchez-Elvira. TO. (2005). Introduction to the study of individual differences. 2nd Edition. Sanz and Torres: Madrid.

• Maureira, F. (2017). What is intelligence? Bubok Publishing S.L. Spain.