A factor-analytic study of reasoning abilities

A battery of 32 tests was administered to a sample including 144 Air Force Officer Candidates and 139 Air Cadets. The factor analysis, using Thurstone's complete centroid method and Zimmerman's graphic method of orthogonal rotations, revealed 12 interpretable factors. The non-reasoning factors were interpreted asverbal comprehension, numerical facility, perceptual speed, visualization, andspatial orientation. The factors derived from reasoning tests were identified asgeneral reasoning, logical reasoning, education of perceptual relations, education of conceptual relations, education of conceptual patterns, education of correlates, andsymbol substitution. The logical-reasoning factor corresponds to what has been called deduction, but eduction of correlates is perhaps closer to an ability actually to make deductions. The area called induction appears to resolve into three eduction-of-relations factors. Reasoning factors do not appear always to transcend the type of test material used.Under Contract N6onr-23810 with the Office of Naval Research. The views expressed here are not nesessarily shared by the Office of Naval Research. These studies are under the general direction of J. P. Guilford. P. R. Christensen is assistant director. A. L. Comrey was in direct charge of this study during its early stages and R. F. Green during most of its progress.