In Guilford's structure of intellect, how are the 180 factors organized?

• A. They are organized into a single dimension of abilities
• B. They are organized into four separate cognitive domains
• C. They are organized around three dimensions: mental operations, content areas, and products
• D. They are organized by general versus specific factor

Answer: (C)

Guilford’s approach treats intelligence as a multi-dimensional system created by cross-classifying three distinct elements: mental operations (the ways we think), content areas (what we think about), and products (the form in which we express or produce knowledge). When you combine multiple options in each dimension, you get a large number of factors; with the standard Guilford setup, that adds up to 180 distinct factors. This is why the 180 factors aren’t laid out along a single scale or limited to a few domains—they come from multiplying the choices in each dimension to yield many specific abilities, like performing a certain operation on a certain type of content and producing a particular kind of product.

Why the other ideas don’t fit: organizing intelligence along a single dimension implies a single overall ability, which Guilford’s model rejects. Saying there are four separate cognitive domains doesn’t align with the cross-classification across three dimensions. And tying factors to a general versus specific factor aligns more with g-focused theories, not Guilford’s three-way structure.