The three parts of the theory are analytical ability, the ability to analyze things to judge, to criticize. Creative, the ability to create, to invent and discover and practical, the ability to apply and use what you know.

The test provides scores on analytic synthetic automatization and practical abilities as well as verbal quantitative and figural processing abilities. People also need to perform these functions in their own thinking and working. He was formerly the Dean of Arts and Sciences at Tufts University IBM Professor of Psychology and Education at Yale University and the President of the American Psychological Association.

Gordon Bower was his PhD advisor. Among his major contributions to psychology are the Triarchic theory of intelligence several influential theories related to creativity wisdom thinking styles love and hate and is the author of over 1000 articles book chapters and books.