Final answer:
Though initially suggested to be independent by Louis Thurstone, the seven primary mental abilities are now understood to be interconnected and part of a hierarchical structure of intelligence, as seen in the Cattell-Horn-Carroll theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
Are Thurstone's Seven Primary Abilities Independent?
Louis Thurstone's theory of intelligence proposed that there are seven primary mental abilities, each one being independent of the others. These abilities are verbal comprehension, word fluency, number facility, spatial visualization, associative memory, perceptual speed, and reasoning.
Thurstone's theory was revolutionary at the time because it challenged the single intelligence concept proposed by Charles Spearman, who believed in a general intelligence factor, known as g, that was responsible for all cognitive abilities.
However, subsequent research, including the comprehensive Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory of cognitive abilities, suggests that cognitive abilities are interrelated and arranged hierarchically.
In the CHC theory, at the top of this hierarchy is general intelligence, with broad abilities in the middle, and narrow abilities—those that can be directly measured—at the bottom. This implies that while certain abilities can be distinct, they are also interconnected within a larger framework of cognitive function.
In contrast to Thurstone, other theories such as Robert J. Sternberg's triarchic theory of intelligence and Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences also argue for various independent intelligences but approach the concept with different models and classifications.
Overall, considering modern theories of intelligence, it can be said that Thurstone's primary abilities are not entirely independent as they might relate and contribute to broader constructs of intelligence.