Editing G factor (psychometrics) (section)

====Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences====
More recently, [[Howard Gardner]] has developed the [[theory of multiple intelligences]]. He posits the existence of nine different and independent domains of intelligence, such as mathematical, linguistic, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, meta-cognitive, and existential intelligences, and contends that individuals who fail in some of them may excel in others. According to Gardner, tests and schools traditionally emphasize only linguistic and logical abilities while neglecting other forms of intelligence.

While popular among [[educationalist]]s, Gardner's theory has been much criticized by psychologists and psychometricians. One criticism is that the theory contradicts both scientific and everyday usages of the word ''intelligence''. Several researchers have argued that not all of Gardner's ''intelligences'' fall within the cognitive sphere. For example, Gardner contends that a successful career in professional sports or popular music reflects bodily-kinesthetic ''intelligence'' and musical ''intelligence'', respectively, even though one might usually talk of athletic and musical ''skills'', ''talents'', or ''abilities'' instead.

Another criticism of Gardner's theory is that many of his purportedly independent domains of intelligence are in fact correlated with each other. Responding to empirical analyses showing correlations between the domains, Gardner has argued that the correlations exist because of the [[Common-method variance|common format]] of tests and because all tests require linguistic and logical skills. His critics have in turn pointed out that not all IQ tests are administered in the paper-and-pencil format, that aside from linguistic and logical abilities, IQ test batteries contain also measures of, for example, spatial abilities, and that elementary cognitive tasks (for example, inspection time and reaction time) that do not involve linguistic or logical reasoning correlate with conventional IQ batteries, too.<ref name="brody2006"/><ref>Jensen 1998, 128–132</ref><ref>Deary 2001, 15–16</ref><ref>Mackintosh 2011, 236–237</ref>