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Jensen provides a comprehensive treatment of one of the major constructs of behavioral science—general mental ability—labeled the g factor by its discoverer, Charles Spearman. The g factor is about individual differences in mental abilities. In factor analyses of any and every large and diverse collection of measures of mental abilities, however varied the content of knowledge and skills they call upon, g emerges as the largest, most general source of differences between individuals and between certain subpopulations.
Jensen fully and clearly explains the psychometric, statistical, genetic, and physiological basis of g, as well as the major theoretical challenges to the concept. For decades a key construct in differential psychology, the g factor's significance for scholars and researchers in the brain sciences as well as education, sociology, anthropology, evolutionary psychology, economics, and public policy is clearly evident in this, the most comprehensive treatment of g ever published.
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THE g FACTOR The Science of Mental Ability Arthur R. Jensen Human Evolution, Behavior, and Intelligence Seymour W. Itzkoff, Series Editor PRAEGER Westport, Connecticut London Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Jensen, Arthur Robert. The g factor : the science of mental ability / Arthur R. Jensen, p. cm.— (Human evolution, behavior, and intelligence, ISSN 1063-2158) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-275-96103-6 (alk. paper) I. General factor (Psychology) 2. Intellect. 3. Nature and nurture. I. Title. II. Series. BF433.G45J46 1998 153.9— dc21 97-22815 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available. Copyright © 1998 by Arthur R. Jensen All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, by any process or technique, without the express written consent of the publisher. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 97-22815 ISBN: 0-275-96103-6 ISSN: 1063-2158 First published in 1998 Praeger Publishers, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881 An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. Printed in the United States of America The paper used in this book complies with the Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National Information Standards Organization (Z39.48-1984). Every reasonable effort has been made to trace the owners of copyright materials in this book, but in some instances this has proven impossible. The author and publisher will be glad to receive information leading to more complete acknowledgments in subsequent printings of the book and in the meantime extend their apologies for any omissions. Quote from Charles Murray on the jacket reprinted with permission of National Review, 215 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10016. P In order to keep this title in print and available to the academ ic comm unity, this edition was produced using digital reprint technology in a relatively short print run. T his would not have been attainable using traditional m ethods. Although the cover has been changed from its original appearance, the text rem ains the sam e and all m aterials and m ethods used still conform to the highest book-m aking standards. D edicated to the m em ory of CH A R LES ED W A RD SPEA RM A N the discoverer of g Contents Preface Acknowledgments C hapter 1. A Little History The Discovery of g C hapter 2. C hapter 3. The Trouble with “ Intelligence” C hapter 4. Models and Characteristics of g C hapter S. Challenges to g C hapter 6. Biological Correlates of g C hapter 7. The Heritability of g C hapter 8. Information Processing and g C hapter 9. The Practical Validity of g C hapter 10. Construct, Vehicles, and Measurements C hapter 11. Population Differences in g C hapter 12. Population Differences in g: Causal Hypotheses Sex Differences in g C hapte