A Randomness Perspective on Intelligence Processes

We study intelligence processes using a diffusion IRT model with random variability in cognitive model parameters: variability in drift rate (the trend of information accumulation toward a correct or incorrect response) and variability in starting point (from where the information accumulation starts). The random variation concerns randomness across person-item pairs and cannot be accounted for by individual and inter-item differences. Interestingly, the models explain the conditional dependencies between response accuracy and response time that are found in previous studies on cognitive ability tests, leading us to the formulation of a randomness perspective on intelligence processes. For an empirical test, we have analyzed verbal analogies data and matrix reasoning data using diffusion IRT models with different variability assumptions. The results indicate that 1) models with random variability fit better than models without, with implications for the conditional dependencies in both types of tasks; 2) for verbal analogies, random variation in drift rate seems to exist, which can be explained by person-by-item word knowledge differences; and 3) for both types of tasks, the starting point variation was also established, in line with the inductive nature of the tasks, requiring a sequential hypothesis testing process. Finally, the correlation of individual differences in drift rate and SAT suggests a meta-strategic choice of respondents to focus on accuracy rather than speed when they have a higher cognitive capacity and when the task is one for which investing in time pays off. This seems primarily the case for matrix reasoning and less so for verbal analogies.

Indirect Analogical Reasoning Components

If using different instruments obtained a different analogical reasoning component. With use people-piece analogies, verbal analogies, and geometric analogies, have analogical reasoning component consists of encoding, inferring, mapping, and application. Meanwhile, with use analogical problems (algebra, source problem and target problem is equal), have analogical reasoning components consist of structuring, mapping, applying, and verifying. The instrument used was analogical problems consisting of two problems where the source problem was symbolic quadratic equation problem and the target problems were trigonometric equation problem and a word problem. This study aims to provide information analogical reasoning process in solving indirect analogical problems. in addition, to identify the analogical reasoning components in solving indirect analogical problems. Using a qualitative design approach, the study was conducted at two schools in Mataram city of Nusa Tenggara Barat, Indonesia. The results of the study provide an overview of analogical reasoning of the students in solving indirect analogical problems and there is a component the representation and mathematical model in solving indirect analogical problems. So the analogical reasoning component in solving indirect analogical problems is the representation and mathematical modeling, structuring, mapping, applying, and verifying. This means that there are additional components of analogical reasoning developed by Ruppert. Analogical reasoning components in problem-solving depend on the analogical problem is given.

Developing instrument of academic potential test analogy verbal ability for undergraduate students

The paper aims to develop the instrument about analogy test to measure the level of intelligence of undergraduate students. Determination of the number of samples is done by purposive sampling technique. This instrument is analyzed by factor analysis. Of the 15 items that will be used to develop the academic potential test instrument for verbal analogies, 4 analysis factors. The formation of these 4 factors is from Eigenvalues greater than 1 so that there are only 4 factors that fulfill the requirements. Furthermore, 15 items of the tested instrument to 91 undergraduate student respondents obtained 2 items of invalid instrument with correlation coefficient ≤0.3, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett's test amounted to 0.785 with p 0.05. Trial results from the results of the trial results obtained that the average validity of the questions is 96.8%. Test reliability was analyzed using the Alpha (α) formula of Cronbach. The calculation is done using the help of the IBM SPSS version 22.0 Windows program and the coefficient of 0.806 is obtained. Based on the results of the research, it can be concluded that the quality of the developed instrument items has been valid and reliable.

Multiple Chronic Condition Combinations and Cognitive Task Performance

A growing body of literature describes important advances in the study of chronic conditions, most notably a paradigm shift from the study of individual chronic conditions to the study of multiple chronic conditions (MCCs). Despite these advances, little research has explored MCC combinations, and almost no published research has explored how MCC combinations are related to cognitive outcomes in older adult populations. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we categorized 17,349 older adults into one of 32 groups using self-reports of five of the most commonly diagnosed conditions. These included arthritis, diabetes, heart problems, hypertension, and respiratory problems. We utilized ANOVA to examine the associations between combinations of MCCs and performance on two cognitive tasks associated with executive function and fluid intelligence: verbal fluency and verbal analogies. Results demonstrated that older adults with a greater number of health conditions performed more poorly on both the verbal fluency (p<.0001) and analogies (p<.0001) tasks than those with fewer conditions. Some MCC combinations were associated with poorer cognitive task performance than other combinations: for example, older adults in the Heart-Hypertension-Respiratory group had an average score of 488.73 (SD=24.96) on the verbal analogies task and 14.06 (SD=7.06) on the verbal fluency task. Conversely, adults in the Arthritis-Heart-Respiratory group had average scores of 503.69 (SD=27.89) and 16.45 (SD=7.03), respectively, suggesting differential additive effects of MCCs. These findings demonstrate the complex associations of specific MCC combinations with cognitive performance and highlight the importance of better understanding the unique needs of older people with MCCs.

Analogies in physics textbooks for the final grade of primary school

The introductory part of the paper discusses some of the issues related to use of analogies in education and provides an overview of the basic foundations of the Structure- mapping theory - the theory that describes the way the analogies function. The second part of the paper presents the results of the analysis of the use of analogies in eighth-grade physics textbooks that are used in primary schools in Serbia. The results have shown that the frequency of using analogies is in the range usual for the textbooks of this type. Verbal analogies are dominant compared to the image and verbal and image analogies. Analogies are, proportionally, used most for the most abstract contents and the contents that are farthest from everyday students? experience. When it comes to complexity, enriched analogies prevail, while the number of simple and extended analogies is significantly smaller. Textbook authors are sensitive towards the demand that the field which is the basis of analogy has to be well-known to students. In almost half of analogies the source domain was taken from everyday life experience of students.

Gender differences on tests of crystallized intelligence

This study aimed to determine whether performance on tests of crystallized intelligence is affected by gender and to ascertain whether differential item parameters could account for the gender disparities. The sample comprised 1.191 individuals (55% women) between the ages of 16 and 77 years old (M=22; SD=9.5). The participants were primarily college students (58.3%) living in four Brazilian states. Four verbal tests measuring crystallized intelligence (vocabulary, synonyms, antonyms and verbal analogies) were constructed and administered in a group setting. An analysis of variance revealed no significant differences in the overall performance between men and women. However, a differential item functioning analysis indicated significant differences on 8.7% of the items, which indicates the existence of gender bias. Because bias can limit women’s access to social opportunities, the results obtained indicate the importance of reducing item bias in cognitive measures to ensure the accuracy of test results.