Which theory includes 180 unique intellectual factors organized around three dimensions: mental operations, content areas, and products; AND who created it?

• A. Guilford structure of intelligence theory
• B. Spearman's two-factor theory
• C. Thurstone's seven primary mental abilities
• D. Vernon’s hierarchical model

Answer: (A)

Think about how intelligence can be broken into many distinct cognitive abilities rather than a single overall score. Guilford’s Structure of Intellect describes three dimensions: mental operations (the ways the mind acts), content areas (the kinds of material processed), and products (the forms in which ideas are organized). When you cross five operations, four contents, and nine products, you get 5 × 4 × 9 = 180 unique intellectual factors. This large, structured map is the hallmark of the model, which was created by Joy Paul Guilford to capture a wide range of abilities beyond a single IQ measure.