Lifespan Development Complete Practice Test 2026

General intelligence is the idea that a single underlying cognitive ability, often called g, drives performance across a wide range of intellectual tasks. This concept comes from research showing that scores on different cognitive tests tend to move together, suggesting a common source for how well people perform overall. Fluid intelligence refers to solving novel problems and reasoning in new situations, crystallized intelligence involves knowledge and skills accumulated over time, and executive function covers control processes like working memory, planning, and inhibition. While those abilities matter and relate to overall performance, they describe more specific skills rather than a single overarching factor. So, the notion that intelligence stems from one general ability that influences performance across tasks best fits the idea of general intelligence.