In Spearman's two-factor theory of intelligence, what does "g" represent?

In Spearman's two-factor theory of intelligence, "g" represents general intelligence. This concept is foundational within the field of psychology, particularly when discussing cognitive abilities. Spearman proposed that intelligence can be understood as a combination of a general factor (the "g" factor) and specific factors (denoted as "s"). The "g" factor encompasses a broad range of cognitive skills, suggesting that individuals who perform well in one area of intelligence tend to perform well in others as well. This general intelligence is thought to reflect an underlying ability that contributes to various intellectual tasks, making it a central aspect of understanding human cognitive function.

The other terms listed, such as specialized intelligence, global intelligence, and gradual intelligence, do not accurately depict Spearman's framework. Specialized intelligence might refer to particular skills in specific domains, but Spearman emphasized the idea of a unifying factor (the "g" factor) that applies across different types of reasoning and problem-solving tasks.