Cattell–Horn–Carroll Theory of Intelligence

26/10/2025 15 min

Listen "Cattell–Horn–Carroll Theory of Intelligence"

Episode Synopsis

We review the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) used in recent AI papers on the definition of what AGI could be. The provided sources offer a comprehensive overview of the **Cattell–Horn–Carroll (CHC) theory of human cognitive abilities**, a widely accepted psychological model of intelligence. The first source, a Wikipedia excerpt, explains that the **CHC theory** synthesizes two prior models, Cattell and Horn's Gf–Gc model and Carroll's three-stratum theory, to structure cognitive abilities hierarchically into three strata: **narrow abilities**, **broad abilities**, and a single **general ability** or *g*. The second source, a visual tour and summary from the Institute for Applied Psychometrics, provides an extensive visual chart and detailed definitions of the numerous **broad and narrow abilities** within the **CHC framework**, including categories like Fluid Reasoning (*Gf*), Comprehension-Knowledge (*Gc*), and various sensory and psychomotor abilities. Both documents emphasize the empirical basis of the **CHC theory** and its relevance in modern psychoeducational assessment, particularly for the development and classification of IQ tests.Sources:http://www.iapsych.com/chcv2.pdfhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattell%E2%80%93Horn%E2%80%93Carroll_theory