Within-person structures of daily cognitive performance differ from between-person structures of cognitive abilities

Over a century of research on between-person differences has resulted in the consensus that human cognitive abilities are hierarchically organized, with a general factor, termed general intelligence or “g,” uppermost. Surprisingly, it is unknown whether this body of evidence is informative about how cognition is structured within individuals. Using data from 101 young adults performing nine cognitive tasks on 100 occasions distributed over six months, we find that the structures of individuals’ cognitive abilities vary among each other, and deviate greatly from the modal between-person structure. Working memory contributes the largest share of common variance to both between- and within-person structures, but the g factor is much less prominent within than between persons. We conclude that between-person structures of cognitive abilities cannot serve as a surrogate for within-person structures. To reveal the development and organization of human intelligence, individuals need to be studied over time.

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Within-person structures of daily cognitive performance cannot be inferred from between-person structures of cognitive abilities

10.7287/peerj.preprints.27576v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Florian Schmiedek ◽

Martin Lövdén ◽

Timo von Oertzen ◽

Ulman Lindenberger

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Young Adults ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Cognitive Tasks ◽

Human Intelligence ◽

General Factor ◽

General Intelligence ◽

Common Variance ◽

Using Data ◽

Over Time

Over a century of research on between-person differences has resulted in the consensus that human cognitive abilities are hierarchically organized, with a general factor, termed general intelligence or “g,” uppermost. Surprisingly, it is unknown whether this body of evidence is informative about how cognition is structured within individuals. Using data from 101 young adults performing nine cognitive tasks on 100 occasions distributed over six months, we find that the structures of individuals’ cognitive abilities vary among each other, and deviate greatly from the modal between-person structure. Working memory contributes the largest share of common variance to both between- and within-person structures, but the g factor is much less prominent within than between persons. We conclude that between-person structures of cognitive abilities cannot serve as a surrogate for within-person structures. To reveal the development and organization of human intelligence, individuals need to be studied over time.

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Is there an effect of diglossia on cognition? An investigation of the relationship between diglossia and Executive Functions in young adults.

10.31234/osf.io/rv3n5 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

najla alrwaita ◽

Lotte Meteyard ◽

Carmel Houston-price ◽

Christos Pliatsikas

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Young Adults ◽

Executive Functions ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Mixed Models ◽

Cognitive Tasks ◽

Language Variety ◽

Limited Opportunity ◽

Control Hypothesis ◽

The Relationship

Recent studies investigating whether bilingualism has effects on cognitive abilities beyond language have produced mixed results, with evidence from young adults typically showing no effects. These inconclusive patterns have been attributed to many uncontrolled factors, including linguistic similarity and the conversational contexts the bilinguals find themselves in, including the opportunities they get to switch between their languages. In this study, we focus on the effects on cognition of diglossia, a linguistic situation where two varieties of the same language are spoken in different and clearly separable contexts. We used linear mixed models to compare 32 Arabic diglossic young adults, and 38 English monolinguals on cognitive tasks assessing the Executive Functions domains of inhibition, switching and working memory. Results revealed that, despite both groups performing as expected on all tasks, there were no effects of diglossia on their performance in any of these domains. These results are discussed in relation to the Adaptive Control Hypothesis. Considering that this is the first study to investigate the diglossic advantages in Arabic, we propose that any effects on Executive Functions that may be attributed to the use of more than one language or language variety should not be expected when the two are used in exclusive contexts with limited opportunity to switch between them.

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Effects of urban noise variability on cognitive abilities in indoor spaces: Gender differences

Noise & Vibration Worldwide ◽

10.1177/09574565211030703 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 095745652110307

Author(s):

Massimiliano Masullo ◽

Gennaro Ruggiero ◽

Daniel Alvarez Fernandez ◽

Tina Iachini ◽

Luigi Maffei

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Verbal Memory ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Cognitive Domain ◽

Cognitive Tasks ◽

Indoor Environments ◽

Urban Noise ◽

Male And Female ◽

Open Window ◽

Indoor Spaces

Previous evidence has shown that exposure to urban noise negatively influences some cognitive abilities (i.e. verbal fluency and delayed recall of prose memory) of people in indoor spaces. However, long-standing literature in the cognitive domain has reported that men and women can show different performance on cognitive tasks. Here, we aimed to investigate if and how different patterns of perceived urban noises in indoor environments could affect male and female participants’ cognitive abilities. Ambisonic sound recordings representing scenarios with varying noise patterns (low, medium and high variability) were acquired with an open window at three dwellings in a southern Italian city. As a control condition, the recordings were caught inside a quiet room. While exposed to theses four auditory conditions, participants had to perform cognitive tasks assessing free verbal memory recall, auditory–verbal recognition and working memory. The results show that male and female participants have a different tolerance to noise patterns. Women overperform men on verbal tasks, while the contrary effect emerges with men outperforming women on visuospatial working memory tasks.

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Movies About Intelligence

Current Directions in Psychological Science ◽

10.1111/1467-8721.01238 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 95-99 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

James R. Flynn

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Cognitive Tasks ◽

Strong Tendency ◽

General Intelligence ◽

Nature Versus Nurture ◽

Wide Range ◽

Trends Over Time ◽

Over Time ◽

Iq Tests

There is a strong tendency for the same people to do better or worse on a wide variety of IQ tests. On this basis, some psychologists posit the concept of g, or a general intelligence factor. Does g show that performance on a wide range of cognitive tasks is influenced by individual differences in brain quality? It may, but if so, g lacks a sociological dimension and cannot explain cognitive trends over time or assess their significance. It also encourages a paradox about nature versus nurture and oversimplifies the causes of the Black-White IQ gap.

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Cognitive Abilities and Their Interplay

Journal of Individual Differences ◽

10.1027/1614-0001.27.2.57 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 57-72 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Markus Buehner ◽

Stefan Krumm ◽

Matthias Ziegler ◽

Tonja Pluecken

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Sustained Attention ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Latent Variables ◽

Common Variance ◽

Crystallized Intelligence ◽

The Common ◽

Highly Correlated ◽

Almost All ◽

And Storage

The aim of this study was to confirm that coordination and storage in the context of processing are significant predictors of reasoning even if crystallized intelligence is controlled for. It was also expected that sustained attention and coordination would be highly correlated. Therefore, 20 working memory tests, 2 attention tests, and 18 intelligence subtests were administered to 121 students. We were able to replicate results indicating that storage in the context of processing and coordination are significant predictors of reasoning. Controlling for crystallized intelligence did not decrease the common variance between working memory and reasoning. The study also revealed that the factors coordination and sustained attention were highly correlated. Finally, a model is presented with the latent variables speed and g, which can explain almost all of the common variance of the applied aggregates. A detailed discussion of the results supports the view that working memory and intelligence share about 70% of the common variance.

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Are inconsistent bilingual-monolingual cognitive differences the result of population miscategorization?

10.31234/osf.io/r2c7n ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kelly Kendro

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Cognitive Control ◽

Recent Work ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Cognitive Tasks ◽

Psycholinguistic Research ◽

Cognitive Differences ◽

Heritage Speakers ◽

Bilingual Advantage ◽

Multiple Tasks

Decades of psycholinguistic research have attempted to determine whether a “bilingualadvantage” exists for cognitive abilities (e.g., Bialystok & Craik, 2010; Cummins, 1977; for a metaanalysis,see Grundy & Timmer, 2017). More recent work has shifted away from investigating thebroader matter of cognition and working memory to focus on specific domains within those capacities(e.g., Linck et al., 2014). Despite countless studies, however, the existence of thisphenomenon remains unconfirmed. This paper examines evidence for and against the presence of a“bilingual advantage” in multiple tasks of working memory and cognitive control, reviewing studies thatcompare monolingual and bilingual performance. It further looks at populations that are understudied inrelation to these questions (i.e., L2 learners and heritage speakers). Finally, the topic of L2 attrition isdiscussed, alongside a novel perspective that may explain the inconsistencies in bilingual-monolingualcomparisons of performance on cognitive tasks.

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Assessment of Executive Functions in Children

10.1093/oso/9780198863564.003.0004 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 79-102

Author(s):

Helen St Clair-Thompson ◽

Yunhong Wen

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Executive Function ◽

Executive Functions ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Functional Outcomes ◽

Reliability And Validity ◽

Measurement Properties ◽

Cognitive Tasks ◽

Different Ages

Executive functions (EFs) are a range of goal-directed cognitive abilities. According to one approach, suggested by according to one approach, there are three main EFs; inhibition, shifting, and updating of working memory. EFs are important, in part because of their ability to predict clinical, educational, and functional outcomes. However, EFs have been assessed using a range of cognitive tasks and behavioural rating measures. This chapter will provide an overview of a range of executive function assessments used to assess EFs in childhood, with a focus on inhibition, shifting, and updating of working memory. It will consider the measurement properties of these tools, including data relating to reliability and validity. The measures will then be considered in terms of their suitability for different purposes and in relation to their use with children of different ages and abilities.

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Binding Costs in Processing Efficiency as Determinants of Cognitive Ability

Journal of Intelligence ◽

10.3390/jintelligence9020018 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 18

Author(s):

Benjamin Goecke ◽

Florian Schmitz ◽

Oliver Wilhelm

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Reaction Time ◽

Fluid Intelligence ◽

Task Complexity ◽

Working Memory Capacity ◽

Memory Capacity ◽

Cognitive Tasks ◽

General Factor ◽

Elementary Cognitive Tasks

Performance in elementary cognitive tasks is moderately correlated with fluid intelligence and working memory capacity. These correlations are higher for more complex tasks, presumably due to increased demands on working memory capacity. In accordance with the binding hypothesis, which states that working memory capacity reflects the limit of a person’s ability to establish and maintain temporary bindings (e.g., relations between items or relations between items and their context), we manipulated binding requirements (i.e., 2, 4, and 6 relations) in three choice reaction time paradigms (i.e., two comparison tasks, two change detection tasks, and two substitution tasks) measuring mental speed. Response time distributions of 115 participants were analyzed with the diffusion model. Higher binding requirements resulted in generally reduced efficiency of information processing, as indicated by lower drift rates. Additionally, we fitted bi-factor confirmatory factor analysis to the elementary cognitive tasks to separate basal speed and binding requirements of the employed tasks to quantify their specific contributions to working memory capacity, as measured by Recall−1-Back tasks. A latent factor capturing individual differences in binding was incrementally predictive of working memory capacity, over and above a general factor capturing speed. These results indicate that the relation between reaction time tasks and working memory capacity hinges on the complexity of the reaction time tasks. We conclude that binding requirements and, therefore, demands on working memory capacity offer a satisfactory account of task complexity that accounts for a large portion of individual differences in ability.

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Differential and Experimental Approaches to Studying Intelligence in Humans and Non-Human Animals

10.31219/osf.io/ta468 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Alexander P. Burgoyne ◽

Jason S. Tsukahara ◽

Christopher Draheim ◽

Randall W Engle

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Fluid Intelligence ◽

Relevant Information ◽

Attention Control ◽

Cognitive Tasks ◽

General Factor ◽

Albino Rat ◽

General Ability

Why do some individuals learn more quickly than others, or perform better in complex cognitive tasks? In this article, we describe how differential and experimental research methods can be used to study intelligence in humans and non-human animals. More than one hundred years ago, Spearman (1904) discovered a general factor underpinning performance across cognitive domains in humans. Shortly thereafter, Thorndike (1935) discovered positive correlations between cognitive performance measures in the albino rat. Today, research continues to shed light on the underpinnings of the positive manifold observed among ability measures. In this review, we focus on the relationship between cognitive performance and attention control: the domain-general ability to maintain focus on task-relevant information while preventing attentional capture by task-irrelevant thoughts and events. Recent work from our lab has revealed that individual differences in attention control can largely explain the positive associations between broad cognitive abilities such as working memory capacity and fluid intelligence. In research on mice, attention control has been closely linked to a general ability factor reflecting route learning and problem solving. Taken together, both lines of research suggest that individual differences in attention control underpin performance in a variety of complex cognitive tasks, helping to explain why measures of cognitive ability correlate positively. Efforts to find confirmatory and disconfirmatory evidence across species stands to improve not only our understanding of attention control, but cognition in general.

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