What does the term "g factor" refer to in intelligence research?

The "g factor," or general intelligence factor, refers to a theoretical construct in psychology that suggests a single underlying ability influences performance on a variety of cognitive tasks. This concept emerged from the work of Charles Spearman, who observed that individuals who perform well in one area of cognitive functioning, such as reasoning or problem-solving, tend to perform well in other areas as well. The idea is that there is a common thread among different intellectual abilities, which Spearman designated as "g."

This general intelligence is thought to account for the correlation across various mental tasks, implying that those who exhibit high performance in one cognitive domain are likely to show similar levels of prowess in another. The g factor serves as a unifying measure that captures an individual's overall cognitive capacity, differentiating it from specific skills or talents that may relate more to specialized knowledge or practice in certain areas.

Other options refer to more specific abilities or distinct intelligence forms. For instance, a specific learned skill set and distinct cognitive abilities imply isolated competencies rather than a pervasive intelligence factor. Emotional intelligence, while an important aspect of overall intelligence, is best understood as a separate dimension that does not directly relate to the overarching g factor. Hence, the concept of the g factor effectively sums up the notion that general