Journal of Intelligence

16 pages, 364 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Do Religiosity and Spirituality Differ in Their Relationship with Crystallized Intelligence? Evidence from the General Social Survey

by Florian Dürlinger, Thomas Goetz and Jakob Pietschnig

J. Intell. 2024, 12(7), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12070065 - 7 Jul 2024

Abstract

Negative associations of religiosity and intelligence are well established in psychological research. However, past studies have shown a substantial heterogeneity in reported effect strengths. Causes that may be able to explain the identified inconsistencies pertain to differing religiosity measurement modalities, participant ages, or [...] Read more.

Negative associations of religiosity and intelligence are well established in psychological research. However, past studies have shown a substantial heterogeneity in reported effect strengths. Causes that may be able to explain the identified inconsistencies pertain to differing religiosity measurement modalities, participant ages, or possibly cohort effects due to changing societal values in terms of being religious. Moreover, little is known about intelligence associations with the religiosity-related yet distinct construct of spirituality. Here, we provide evidence for religiosity and crystallized intelligence, as well as spirituality and crystallized intelligence associations, in 14 cohorts from 1988 to 2022 (N = 35,093) in the General Social Survey data by means of primary data analyses and meta-analytical approaches. As expected, religiosity was non-trivially negatively associated (r = −0.13, p < .001), but spirituality showed no meaningful association with crystallized intelligence (r = 0.03, p < .001). Our results broadly generalized across age groups, cohorts, and analytical approaches, thus suggesting that religiosity and intelligence may possibly be functionally equivalent to a certain extent whilst spirituality represents a distinct construct that is not functionally equivalent. Full article

3 pages, 226 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Learning and Instruction: How to Use Technology to Enhance Students’ Learning Efficacy

by Gyöngyvér Molnár

J. Intell. 2024, 12(7), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12070064 - 28 Jun 2024

Abstract

Due to the rapid development of technology (see, e [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Learning and Instruction)

25 pages, 885 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perceptions of Skills Needed for STEM Jobs: Links to Academic Self-Concepts, Job Interests, Job Gender Stereotypes, and Spatial Ability in Young Adults

by Margaret L. Signorella and Lynn S. Liben

J. Intell. 2024, 12(7), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12070063 - 27 Jun 2024

Abstract

Gender gaps in spatial skills—a domain relevant to STEM jobs—have been hypothesized to contribute to women’s underrepresentation in STEM fields. To study emerging adults’ beliefs about skill sets and jobs, we asked college students (N = 300) about the relevance of spatial, [...] Read more.

Gender gaps in spatial skills—a domain relevant to STEM jobs—have been hypothesized to contribute to women’s underrepresentation in STEM fields. To study emerging adults’ beliefs about skill sets and jobs, we asked college students (N = 300) about the relevance of spatial, mathematical, science and verbal skills for each of 82 jobs. Analyses of responses revealed four job clusters—quantitative, basic & applied science, spatial, and verbal. Students’ ratings of individual jobs and job clusters were similar to judgments of professional job analysts (O*NET). Both groups connected STEM jobs to science, math, and spatial skills. To investigate whether students’ interests in STEM and other jobs are related to their own self-concepts, beliefs about jobs, and spatial performance, we asked students in another sample (N = 292) to rate their self-concepts in various academic domains, rate personal interest in each of the 82 jobs, judge cultural gender stereotypes of those jobs, and complete a spatial task. Consistent with prior research, jobs judged to draw on math, science, or spatial skills were rated as more strongly culturally stereotyped for men than women; jobs judged to draw on verbal skills were more strongly culturally stereotyped for women than men. Structural equation modeling showed that for both women and men, spatial task scores directly (and indirectly through spatial self-concept) related to greater interest in the job cluster closest to the one O*NET labeled “STEM”. Findings suggest that pre-college interventions that improve spatial skills might be effective for increasing spatial self-concepts and the pursuit of STEM careers among students from traditionally under-represented groups, including women. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatial Intelligence and Learning)

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21 pages, 2810 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Overturning Children’s Misconceptions about Ruler Measurement: The Power of Disconfirming Evidence

by Mee-Kyoung Kwon, Eliza Congdon, Raedy Ping and Susan C. Levine

J. Intell. 2024, 12(7), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12070062 - 22 Jun 2024

Abstract

Children have persistent difficulty with foundational measurement concepts, which may be linked to the instruction they receive. Here, we focus on testing various ways to support their understanding that rulers comprise spatial interval units. We examined whether evidence-based learning tools—disconfirming evidence and/or structural [...] Read more.

Children have persistent difficulty with foundational measurement concepts, which may be linked to the instruction they receive. Here, we focus on testing various ways to support their understanding that rulers comprise spatial interval units. We examined whether evidence-based learning tools—disconfirming evidence and/or structural alignment—enhance their understanding of ruler units. Disconfirming evidence, in this context, involves having children count the spatial interval units under an object that is not aligned with the origin of a ruler. Structural alignment, in this context, involves highlighting what a ruler unit is by overlaying plastic unit chips on top of ruler units when an object is aligned with the origin of a ruler. In three experiments employing a pre-test/training/post-test design, a total of 120 second graders were randomly assigned to one of six training conditions (two training conditions per experiment). The training conditions included different evidence-based learning principles or “business-as-usual” instruction (control), with equal allocation to each (N = 20 for each condition). In each experiment, children who did not perform above chance level on the pre-test were selected to continue with training, which resulted in a total of 88 students for the analysis of improvement. The children showed significant improvement in training conditions that included disconfirming evidence, but not in the structural alignment or control conditions. However, an exploratory analysis suggests that improvement occurred more rapidly and was retained better when structural alignment was combined with disconfirming evidence compared to disconfirming evidence alone. Full article

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28 pages, 2324 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Novel Approach to Measuring an Old Construct: Aligning the Conceptualisation and Operationalisation of Cognitive Flexibility

by Jens F. Beckmann, Damian P. Birney and Robert J. Sternberg

J. Intell. 2024, 12(6), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12060061 - 11 Jun 2024

Abstract

A successful adjustment to dynamic changes in one’s environment requires contingent adaptive behaviour. Such behaviour is underpinned by cognitive flexibility, which conceptually is part of fluid intelligence. We argue, however, that conventional approaches to measuring fluid intelligence are insufficient in capturing cognitive flexibility. [...] Read more.

A successful adjustment to dynamic changes in one’s environment requires contingent adaptive behaviour. Such behaviour is underpinned by cognitive flexibility, which conceptually is part of fluid intelligence. We argue, however, that conventional approaches to measuring fluid intelligence are insufficient in capturing cognitive flexibility. We address the discrepancy between conceptualisation and operationalisation by introducing two newly developed tasks that aim at capturing within-person processes of dealing with novelty. In an exploratory proof-of-concept study, the two flexibility tasks were administered to 307 university students, together with a battery of conventional measures of fluid intelligence. Participants also provided information about their Grade Point Averages obtained in high school and in their first year at university. We tested (1) whether an experimental manipulation of a requirement for cognitive inhibition resulted in systematic differences in difficulty, (2) whether these complexity differences reflect psychometrically differentiable effects, and (3) whether these newly developed flexibility tasks show incremental value in predicting success in the transition from high school to university over conventional operationalisations of fluid intelligence. Our findings support the notion that cognitive flexibility, when conceptualised and operationalised as individual differences in within-person processes of dealing with novelty, more appropriately reflects the dynamics of individuals’ behaviour when attempting to cope with changing demands. Full article

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3 pages, 208 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Emotional Competency in Education: Special Issue on Emotional Intelligence and Creativity

by Macarena-Paz Celume and Franck Zenasni

J. Intell. 2024, 12(6), 60; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12060060 - 7 Jun 2024

Abstract

According to Salovey and Mayer (1990), having high EI allows individuals to think clearly, supports intuition and insight, and ultimately enhances creative thinking [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emotional Intelligence and Creativity)

13 pages, 879 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Does Active Learning Pedagogy Shape Learner Curiosity? A Multi-Site Mediator Study of Learner Engagement among 45,972 Children

by Ji Liu, Dahman Tahri and Faying Qiang

J. Intell. 2024, 12(6), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12060059 - 5 Jun 2024

Abstract

Curiosity is one of the most fundamental biological drives that stimulates individuals’ intense desire to explore, learn, and create. Yet, mechanisms of how curiosity is influenced by instructional pedagogy remain unclear. To shed light on this gap, the present study sets out to [...] Read more.

Curiosity is one of the most fundamental biological drives that stimulates individuals’ intense desire to explore, learn, and create. Yet, mechanisms of how curiosity is influenced by instructional pedagogy remain unclear. To shed light on this gap, the present study sets out to investigate the underlying channels linking active learning pedagogy, learner engagement, and learner curiosity, employing a partial least-squares structural equation model leveraging the Social and Emotional Skills Survey dataset across ten sites (N = 45,972). Findings indicate that active learning pedagogy is positively associated with learner engagement (std. β = 0.016, p = 0.005), but there lacks a significant direct effect on learner curiosity (std. β = −0.001, p = 0.738). Structural mediation results show that learner engagement is a key mediating channel linking active learning pedagogy and learner curiosity (std. β = 0.013, p = 0.005). Full article

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20 pages, 3139 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Personality Traits and Family SES Moderate the Relationship between Media Multitasking and Reasoning Performance

by Yuning Ma, Jinrong Yin, Hongzhou Xuan, Xuezhu Ren, Jie He and Tengfei Wang

J. Intell. 2024, 12(6), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12060058 - 3 Jun 2024

Abstract

The prevalence of media multitasking has raised concerns regarding its potential impact on cognitive abilities. Despite increasing attention given to this topic, there remains no consensus on how media multitasking is related to cognitive performance. This study aims to shed light on this [...] Read more.

The prevalence of media multitasking has raised concerns regarding its potential impact on cognitive abilities. Despite increasing attention given to this topic, there remains no consensus on how media multitasking is related to cognitive performance. This study aims to shed light on this issue by examining whether and how personality traits and family socioeconomic status (SES) moderate the relationship between media multitasking and reasoning performance. To this end, a large sample of university students (n = 777) completed a battery of measures, including the Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices, the Media Multitasking Inventory, the Big Five Inventory, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, the Grit Scale, and the Family SES Questionnaire. Results revealed a negative correlation between media multitasking and reasoning performance. However, this relationship was substantially moderated by conscientiousness, extraversion, openness, and family SES. Specifically, media multitasking was more detrimental to reasoning performance among individuals with lower levels of conscientiousness, extraversion, openness, and family SES, whereas it was less detrimental to counterparts with higher levels of these personality traits and family SES. The proposed moderation model, for the first time, not only offers novel insights into the theoretical accounts regarding how media multitasking relates to cognitive abilities, but also identifies the protective factors that may buffer the negative impacts of media multitasking. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personality and Individual Differences)

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10 pages, 292 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Social, Demographic, and Psychological Factors Associated with Middle-Aged Mother’s Vocabulary: Findings from the Millennium Cohort Study

by Helen Cheng and Adrian Furnham

J. Intell. 2024, 12(6), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12060057 - 31 May 2024

Abstract

Based on a sample of 8271 mothers, this study explored a set of psychological and sociodemographic factors associated with their vocabulary, drawing on data from a large, nationally representative sample of children born in 2000. The dependent variable was maternal vocabulary assessed when [...] Read more.

Based on a sample of 8271 mothers, this study explored a set of psychological and sociodemographic factors associated with their vocabulary, drawing on data from a large, nationally representative sample of children born in 2000. The dependent variable was maternal vocabulary assessed when cohort members were at fourteen years of age, and the mothers were in their mid-forties. Data were also collected when cohort members were at birth, 9 months old, and at ages 3, 7, 11 and 14 years. Correlational analysis showed that family income at birth, parent–child relationship quality at age 3, maternal educational qualifications at age 11, and maternal personality trait Openness at age 14 were significantly and positively associated with maternal vocabulary. It also showed maternal malaise at 9 months and children’s behavioral adjustment at age 7, and maternal traits Neuroticism and Agreeableness at age 14 were significantly and negatively associated with maternal vocabulary. Maternal age was also significantly and positively associated with vocabulary. Regression analysis showed that maternal age, malaise, parent–child relationship quality, children’s behavioral adjustment, maternal educational qualifications, and traits Openness and Agreeableness were significant predictors of maternal vocabulary, accounting for 33% of total variance. The implications and limitations are discussed. Full article

22 pages, 3729 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mapping the Memory Structure of High-Knowledge Students: A Longitudinal Semantic Network Analysis

by Simone A. Luchini, Shuyao Wang, Yoed N. Kenett and Roger E. Beaty

J. Intell. 2024, 12(6), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12060056 - 31 May 2024

Abstract

Standard learning assessments like multiple-choice questions measure what students know but not how their knowledge is organized. Recent advances in cognitive network science provide quantitative tools for modeling the structure of semantic memory, revealing key learning mechanisms. In two studies, we examined the [...] Read more.

Standard learning assessments like multiple-choice questions measure what students know but not how their knowledge is organized. Recent advances in cognitive network science provide quantitative tools for modeling the structure of semantic memory, revealing key learning mechanisms. In two studies, we examined the semantic memory networks of undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory psychology course. In Study 1, we administered a cumulative multiple-choice test of psychology knowledge, the Intro Psych Test, at the end of the course. To estimate semantic memory networks, we administered two verbal fluency tasks: domain-specific fluency (naming psychology concepts) and domain-general fluency (naming animals). Based on their performance on the Intro Psych Test, we categorized students into a high-knowledge or low-knowledge group, and compared their semantic memory networks. Study 1 (N = 213) found that the high-knowledge group had semantic memory networks that were more clustered, with shorter distances between concepts—across both the domain-specific (psychology) and domain-general (animal) categories—compared to the low-knowledge group. In Study 2 (N = 145), we replicated and extended these findings in a longitudinal study, collecting data near the start and end of the semester. In addition to replicating Study 1, we found the semantic memory networks of high-knowledge students became more interconnected over time, across both domain-general and domain-specific categories. These findings suggest that successful learners show a distinct semantic memory organization—characterized by high connectivity and short path distances between concepts—highlighting the utility of cognitive network science for studying variation in student learning. Full article

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18 pages, 1580 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Metacognition and Mathematical Modeling Skills: The Mediating Roles of Computational Thinking in High School Students

by Jing Zhang, Yu Zhou, Bin Jing, Zhongling Pi and Hongliang Ma

J. Intell. 2024, 12(6), 55; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12060055 - 31 May 2024

Abstract

This study was to investigate the relationship between metacognition and the mathematical modeling skills of high school students, as well as the mediating role of computational thinking. A cluster sampling method was adopted to investigate 661 high school students, using the metacognition scale, [...] Read more.

This study was to investigate the relationship between metacognition and the mathematical modeling skills of high school students, as well as the mediating role of computational thinking. A cluster sampling method was adopted to investigate 661 high school students, using the metacognition scale, computational thinking scale, and mathematical modeling skill test questions. The results showed that metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive monitoring had a direct and positive correlation with high school students’ mathematical modeling skills. Additionally, the critical thinking dimension of computational thinking mediated the relationship between metacognitive knowledge, experience, monitoring, and mathematical modeling skills. These findings indicated that sufficient metacognition could improve the critical thinking of high school students’ computational thinking and enhance their mathematical modeling skills. Full article

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17 pages, 1690 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Can Brief Listening to Mozart’s Music Improve Visual Working Memory? An Update on the Role of Cognitive and Emotional Factors

by Vaitsa Giannouli, Juliana Yordanova and Vasil Kolev

J. Intell. 2024, 12(6), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12060054 - 23 May 2024

Abstract

The aim of this research was to enhance understanding of the relationship between brief music listening and working memory (WM) functions. The study extends a previous large-scale experiment in which the effects of brief exposure to music on verbal WM were explored. In [...] Read more.

The aim of this research was to enhance understanding of the relationship between brief music listening and working memory (WM) functions. The study extends a previous large-scale experiment in which the effects of brief exposure to music on verbal WM were explored. In the present second phase of the experiment, these effects were assessed for the visuospatial subcomponent of WM. For that aim, visuospatial WM was measured using the Corsi blocks task-backwards and Visual Patterns Test in a large sample of 311 young and older adults after being exposed to musical excerpts coming from different music composers (Mozart, Vivaldi, Glass). To account for possible effects of arousal, a silence condition was used. Individual preference for music excerpts and emotional reactions to each condition were also subjectively rated using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) to account for the role of emotional reactions in shaping subsequent cognitive performance. Results showed that music affected the visuospatial sketchpad of WM. In line with the previously described Mozart effect, only Mozart’s music had a significant positive impact on visuospatial WM in the two age groups, regardless of preferences, and on overall age-related WM decline in older adults. The Mozart effect was more prominent for the VPT than the Corsi task and was also expressed for the prevailing positive effect. These observations are in contrast to the selective influence of Vivaldi’s music on verbal WM that was detected in our first study. Together, the results demonstrate a differential music influence on the phonological loop and on the visuospatial sketchpad. They thus contribute to the debate of whether music has the potential to affect distinct processes within working memory in an excerpt- or composer-specific manner. Also, they suggest that emotional activation and central executive attention are essentially involved in modulating the influence of music on subsequent cognition. These findings can assist in the selection of music excerpts used in cognitive rehabilitation programs that focus on visuospatial skills. Full article

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18 pages, 566 KiB

Open AccessReview

Looking Ahead: Advancing Measurement and Analysis of the Block Design Test Using Technology and Artificial Intelligence

by Kiley McKee, Danielle Rothschild, Stephanie Ruth Young and David H. Uttal

J. Intell. 2024, 12(6), 53; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12060053 - 22 May 2024

Abstract

The block design test (BDT) has been used for over a century in research and clinical contexts as a measure of spatial cognition, both as a singular ability and as part of more comprehensive intelligence assessment. Traditionally, the BDT has been scored using [...] Read more.

The block design test (BDT) has been used for over a century in research and clinical contexts as a measure of spatial cognition, both as a singular ability and as part of more comprehensive intelligence assessment. Traditionally, the BDT has been scored using methods that do not reflect the full potential of individual differences that could be measured by the test. Recent advancements in technology, including eye-tracking, embedded sensor systems, and artificial intelligence, have provided new opportunities to measure and analyze data from the BDT. In this methodological review, we outline the information that BDT can assess, review several recent advancements in measurement and analytic methods, discuss potential future uses of these methods, and advocate for further research using these methods. Full article

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11 pages, 608 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relationship between Thinking Dispositions, Working Memory, and Critical Thinking Ability in Adolescents: A Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Analysis

by Shuangshuang Li, Ziyue Wang and Yijia Sun

J. Intell. 2024, 12(6), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12060052 - 21 May 2024

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that thinking dispositions and working memory are closely related to students’ critical thinking ability. However, little is known about whether bidirectionality between thinking dispositions, working memory, and critical thinking ability exists in adolescence. This study, therefore, explored this aspect [...] Read more.

Previous studies have demonstrated that thinking dispositions and working memory are closely related to students’ critical thinking ability. However, little is known about whether bidirectionality between thinking dispositions, working memory, and critical thinking ability exists in adolescence. This study, therefore, explored this aspect across two time points. Participants were 509 Chinese adolescents (mean age at Time 1 = 14.09 years; 59.7% girls). At Time 1, adolescents were administered the measures of thinking dispositions, working memory, and critical thinking ability. They were reassessed using these measures at Time 2 one year later. The results revealed a bidirectional longitudinal relationship between adolescents’ thinking dispositions and critical thinking ability, suggesting that thinking dispositions at Time 1 predicted critical thinking ability at Time 2; critical thinking ability at Time 1 also predicted subsequent thinking dispositions in adolescents. Furthermore, working memory at Time 1 showed a larger predictive effect on critical thinking ability at Time 2 compared with thinking dispositions at Time 1. These findings underscore the role of early thinking dispositions and working memory in promoting adolescents’ critical thinking ability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personality and Individual Differences)

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14 pages, 368 KiB

Open AccessOpinion

Ability-Related Emotional Intelligence: An Introduction

by Michael D. Robinson

J. Intell. 2024, 12(5), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12050051 - 19 May 2024

Abstract

Emotionally intelligent people are thought to be more skilled in recognizing, thinking about, using, and regulating emotions. This construct has garnered considerable interest, but initial enthusiasm has faded and it is time to take stock. There is consensus that ability-related measures of emotional [...] Read more.

Emotionally intelligent people are thought to be more skilled in recognizing, thinking about, using, and regulating emotions. This construct has garnered considerable interest, but initial enthusiasm has faded and it is time to take stock. There is consensus that ability-related measures of emotional intelligence (EI) can be favored to self-report tests, in part because the resulting scores cannot be equated with personality traits. However, there are questions surrounding measurement as well as predictive value. Experts in the field were encouraged to chart new directions, with the idea that these new directions could reinvigorate EI scholarship. Special Issue papers speak to theory, mechanism, measurement, and training. In addition, these papers seek to forge links with research traditions focused on interpersonal perception, emotional awareness, and emotion regulation. As a result of these efforts, new insights into what EI is and how it works can be anticipated in upcoming years. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ability-Related Emotional Intelligence: Knowns, Unknowns, and Future Directions)

45 pages, 6442 KiB

Open AccessTutorial

Seeing without a Scene: Neurological Observations on the Origin and Function of the Dorsal Visual Stream

by Robert D. Rafal

J. Intell. 2024, 12(5), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12050050 - 11 May 2024

Abstract

In all vertebrates, visual signals from each visual field project to the opposite midbrain tectum (called the superior colliculus in mammals). The tectum/colliculus computes visual salience to select targets for context-contingent visually guided behavior: a frog will orient toward a small, moving stimulus [...] Read more.

In all vertebrates, visual signals from each visual field project to the opposite midbrain tectum (called the superior colliculus in mammals). The tectum/colliculus computes visual salience to select targets for context-contingent visually guided behavior: a frog will orient toward a small, moving stimulus (insect prey) but away from a large, looming stimulus (a predator). In mammals, visual signals competing for behavioral salience are also transmitted to the visual cortex, where they are integrated with collicular signals and then projected via the dorsal visual stream to the parietal and frontal cortices. To control visually guided behavior, visual signals must be encoded in body-centered (egocentric) coordinates, and so visual signals must be integrated with information encoding eye position in the orbit—where the individual is looking. Eye position information is derived from copies of eye movement signals transmitted from the colliculus to the frontal and parietal cortices. In the intraparietal cortex of the dorsal stream, eye movement signals from the colliculus are used to predict the sensory consequences of action. These eye position signals are integrated with retinotopic visual signals to generate scaffolding for a visual scene that contains goal-relevant objects that are seen to have spatial relationships with each other and with the observer. Patients with degeneration of the superior colliculus, although they can see, behave as though they are blind. Bilateral damage to the intraparietal cortex of the dorsal stream causes the visual scene to disappear, leaving awareness of only one object that is lost in space. This tutorial considers what we have learned from patients with damage to the colliculus, or to the intraparietal cortex, about how the phylogenetically older midbrain and the newer mammalian dorsal cortical visual stream jointly coordinate the experience of a spatially and temporally coherent visual scene. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue On the Origins and Development of Attention Networks)

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31 pages, 1407 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Empirical Test of the Concept of the Adaptively Intelligent Attitude

by Robert J. Sternberg, Arezoo Soleimani Dashtaki and Banu Baydil

J. Intell. 2024, 12(5), 49; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12050049 - 30 Apr 2024

Abstract

This study provides an empirical test of a previously proposed assertion that intelligence as adaptation has an attitudinal as well as an ability component. The ability component deals with what the basic knowledge and skills are that underlie intelligence, and how much of [...] Read more.

This study provides an empirical test of a previously proposed assertion that intelligence as adaptation has an attitudinal as well as an ability component. The ability component deals with what the basic knowledge and skills are that underlie intelligence, and how much of each one an individual has. The attitudinal component deals with how an individual chooses to deploy the abilities they have. In other words, to what use are the abilities put? It is argued that it is impossible fully to separate the measurement of the ability component from the attitudinal one. In a diverse population, even taking an intelligence test will show itself to involve an attitude toward the test, which may enhance or detract from performance, as when one sees the test as irrelevant or harmful to one’s life, or as a sociocultural misfit to one’s life experience. To succeed, people need not only to have abilities, but attitudes that put those abilities to effective use to accomplish individuals’ life goals. In the study, we found that intelligent attitudes are related, but non-identical, to germane constructs, such as wisdom, the need for cognition, creativity, and openness to experience. Scores on the attitudinal measure were not related to scores on tests of fluid intelligence and academic abilities/achievement. Thus, the range of attitudes regarding how to deploy intelligence can vary over ability levels. Full article

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31 pages, 792 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Parental Attitudes toward Gifted Students and Gifted Education: Attitude Profiles and Predictors

by Jae Yup Jung and Jihyun Lee

J. Intell. 2024, 12(5), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12050048 - 29 Apr 2024

Abstract

In this study, an investigation was conducted into the types of attitudes that parents may have of gifted students and gifted education, and the predictors of these attitudes. Using data collected from 331 parents of students enrolled in a Christian faith-based school system [...] Read more.

In this study, an investigation was conducted into the types of attitudes that parents may have of gifted students and gifted education, and the predictors of these attitudes. Using data collected from 331 parents of students enrolled in a Christian faith-based school system in one of the eight states/territories of Australia, multiple analyses, including exploratory factor analysis and latent profile analysis, were performed. The results revealed three subgroups of parents, each representing distinct attitude profiles (i.e., “strong”, “moderate” and “weak” supporters of gifted students and gifted education). Furthermore, we found nine variables to be potential predictors of parent attitudes, including perceptions of the giftedness of one’s child, and the anticipated socio-emotional and academic impacts of giftedness and gifted education. Some of the important contributions of the study to the research literature included the distinction made by parents between attitudes toward gifted education adaptations and attitudes toward special gifted education settings, and the comparatively large number of parents who are moderately (rather than strongly or weakly) supportive of gifted students and gifted education. Full article

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15 pages, 545 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thinking about Believing: Can Metacognitive Reflection Encourage Belief Updating?

by Allison P. O’Leary and Wesley Fletcher

J. Intell. 2024, 12(5), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12050047 - 28 Apr 2024

Abstract

People often cling to their beliefs even in the face of counterevidence. The current study explored metacognitive reflection as a potential driver for belief updating. In a randomized controlled experiment (n = 155), participants rated their degree of agreement with a statement [...] Read more.

People often cling to their beliefs even in the face of counterevidence. The current study explored metacognitive reflection as a potential driver for belief updating. In a randomized controlled experiment (n = 155), participants rated their degree of agreement with a statement regarding genetic modification in humans. Following this, participants were presented with a passage containing an argument counter to their indicated belief. Participants in the metacognition condition were asked to deeply reflect on the ways in which the passage was similar to or different from their current beliefs. Participants in the control condition were asked to engage in more shallow reflection on the composition of the passage. After reflecting on the counterevidence, participants were asked to again rate their agreement with the statement regarding human gene modification. Both groups updated their initial beliefs to be more consistent with the presented counterevidence. Although greater belief updating was observed in those who metacognitively reflected on the passage, this effect did not reach significance (p = .055). These findings suggest that reflecting on counterevidence has the potential to encourage belief updating, regardless of whether that reflection is metacognitive in nature, and provide promise for future work investigating the role of metacognition in belief updating. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Intersection of Metacognition and Intelligence)

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