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g's little helpers – VOTAT and NOTAT mediate the relation between intelligence and complex problem solving

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  • Lotz, Christin
  • Scherer, Ronny
  • Greiff, Samuel
  • Sparfeldt, Jörn R.

Abstract

Intelligence and complex problem solving (CPS) correlate closely, but little is known about the mechanism that translates intelligence into successful CPS. Therefore, this study considered the strategic exploration behaviors VOTAT (vary-one-thing-at-a-time) and NOTAT (vary no-thing-at-a-time) as possible mediators. A sample of 495 high-school students worked on nine CPS tasks, six of which with solely direct effects and three with direct and eigendynamic effects. We expected substantial mediation effects if the applied strategic behaviors were optimal to identify the particular underlying effect types (i.e., direct effects: VOTAT; direct and eigendynamic effects: VOTAT and NOTAT). The model for tasks with only direct effects revealed VOTAT and NOTAT to be substantial mediators: Whereas VOTAT showed substantial positive relations to intelligence and CPS performance, NOTAT unexpectedly showed substantial negative relations. Both VOTAT and NOTAT resulted in significant indirect mediation effects. The model for tasks with direct and eigendynamic effects showed substantial positive relations of VOTAT and NOTAT to intelligence and CPS-performance and resulted in significant and positive indirect mediation effects. Moreover, the indirect effects differed between VOTAT and NOTAT and across the two facets of CPS performance. Overall, strategic exploration behaviors are relevant for explaining the g-CPS-relation.

Suggested Citation

  • Lotz, Christin & Scherer, Ronny & Greiff, Samuel & Sparfeldt, Jörn R., 2022. "g's little helpers – VOTAT and NOTAT mediate the relation between intelligence and complex problem solving," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intell:v:95:y:2022:i:c:s0160289622000666
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2022.101685
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Demetriou, Andreas & Golino, Hudson & Spanoudis, George & Makris, Nikolaos & Greiff, Samuel, 2021. "The future of intelligence: The central meaning-making unit of intelligence in the mind, the brain, and artificial intelligence," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    2. Weise, Julius J. & Greiff, Samuel & Sparfeldt, Jörn R., 2020. "The moderating effect of prior knowledge on the relationship between intelligence and complex problem solving – Testing the Elshout-Raaheim hypothesis," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    3. Stadler, Matthias & Niepel, Christoph & Greiff, Samuel, 2019. "Differentiating between static and complex problems: A theoretical framework and its empirical validation," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 1-12.
    4. Lasker, Jordan, 2022. "Are Piagetian scales just intelligence tests?," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    5. Christ, Alexander & Becker, Nicolas & Kröner, Stephan, 2020. "Multiple complex problem-solving scenarios: The incremental validity of ability self-concept beyond reasoning in adults," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    6. Lotz, Christin & Scherer, Ronny & Greiff, Samuel & Sparfeldt, Jörn R., 2017. "Intelligence in action – Effective strategic behaviors while solving complex problems," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 98-112.
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