Planning, Attention-arousal, and Simultaneous-successive (PASS) Model of Intelligence

The PASS model was developed by J.P. Das, Jack Naglieri, and Kirby in 1994. It takes an information-processing approach to intelligence, meaning it focuses on how the mind handles information rather than just measuring what it knows. The core idea is that intellectual activity depends on three interconnected neurological systems, which the model calls the functional units of the brain. These three units are responsible for: (1) arousal and attention, (2) coding or processing (simultaneous and successive), and (3) planning.

Arousal/Attention

A state of arousal is the foundation of any behaviour because it allows us to attend to stimuli. Without arousal, you cannot focus. Arousal and attention together enable a person to process information. The key point is that an optimal level of arousal is necessary — too much or too little arousal interferes with attention. For example, when your teacher announces a test, that announcement arouses you. This arousal forces you to focus your attention on reading, learning, and revising the specific chapters. The arousal is what gets you to attend to the task.

Simultaneous and Successive Processing

Once you are aroused and attending, you need to integrate the information into your existing knowledge system. This can happen in two distinct ways:

• Simultaneous processing occurs when you perceive the relations among various concepts and integrate them into a meaningful pattern for comprehension. You grasp the whole picture at once by seeing how the parts relate. A classic example is the Raven’s Progressive Matrices (RPM) Test. In that test, a design is presented with a part removed, and you must choose the option that best completes the design. Simultaneous processing is what helps you grasp the meaning and relationship between the given abstract figures.

• Successive processing occurs when you remember information serially, so that recalling one item leads to the recall of the next. It is linear and sequential. Learning digits, alphabets, and multiplication tables are all examples of successive processing.

Planning

Planning is described as an essential feature of intelligence. After information has been attended to and processed, planning is activated. It allows you to think of possible courses of action, implement them to reach a target, and then evaluate how effective those actions were. If a plan does not work, it is modified to suit the requirements of the task or situation. For instance, to take the test scheduled by your teacher, you would set goals, plan a study schedule, get clarifications when you face problems, and if you cannot tackle the assigned chapters, you think of other ways (like giving more time or studying with a friend) to meet your goals.

The Knowledge Base and the Nature of the PASS Processes

All three PASS processes operate on a knowledge base. This knowledge base can be developed either formally (through reading, writing, and experimenting) or informally (from the environment). The processes themselves are interactive and dynamic — they work together and influence each other — yet each has its own distinctive function. …