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How useful are specific cognitive ability scores? An investigation of their stability and incremental validity beyond general intelligence

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  • Breit, Moritz
  • Scherrer, Vsevolod
  • Preckel, Franzis

Abstract

Many intelligence tests measure multiple specific cognitive abilities. Practitioners use these specific ability scores, which encompass both specific ability and general intelligence variance, and the resulting intelligence profiles to make counseling and intervention decisions. In the present study, we investigated the temporal stability of eight specific abilities and their profiles over one school year, as well as their incremental validity in the prediction of school grades with German grade 7 to 9 students (N = 326 at T1; N = 311 at T2; N = 257 with IQ data at both times of measurement). The mean rank-order stability was 0.80 and ranged from 0.71 to 0.85. Intelligence profiles replicated significantly above chance levels (Mdnκ = 0.31). The incremental validity coefficients were mostly small, but the Reasoning score substantially contributed to the prediction of math grades (ΔR2 = 0.07–0.09), the Verbal Ability score to the prediction of German grades (ΔR2 = 0.05–0.09), and the Crystallized Intelligence score to the prediction of geography grades (ΔR2 = 0.03–0.08) beyond the general intelligence score. Our study of specific ability scores indicated moderate to high rank-order stability, fair to moderate profile stability, and substantial incremental validity for some specific ability scores.

Suggested Citation

  • Breit, Moritz & Scherrer, Vsevolod & Preckel, Franzis, 2024. "How useful are specific cognitive ability scores? An investigation of their stability and incremental validity beyond general intelligence," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intell:v:103:y:2024:i:c:s0160289624000102
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2024.101816
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John Schmid & John Leiman, 1957. "The development of hierarchical factor solutions," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 22(1), pages 53-61, March.
    2. Moritz Breit & Franzis Preckel, 2020. "Incremental validity of specific cognitive abilities beyond general intelligence for the explanation of students’ school achievement," Gifted and Talented International, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(2), pages 73-85, July.
    3. Jing Luo & Bo Zhang & Emily C Willroth & Daniel K Mroczek & Brent W Roberts, 2022. "The Roles of General and Domain-Specific Perceived Stress in Healthy Aging," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 77(3), pages 536-549.
    4. Breit, Moritz & Scherrer, Vsevolod & Preckel, Franzis, 2021. "Temporal stability of specific ability scores and intelligence profiles in high ability students," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
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    1. Edwards, Tobias & Dawes, Christopher T. & Willoughby, Emily A. & McGue, Matt & Lee, James J., 2025. "More than g: Verbal and performance IQ as predictors of socio-political attitudes," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).

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