Are Piagetian scales just intelligence tests?

Abstract

Abstract Previous research has noted the relationships between Piagetian and Psychometric tests. The literature on this topic has revealed consistent and moderate-to-high magnitude associations and largely unidimensional tests. However, most of this literature has not explicitly assessed whether Psychometric general intelligence corresponds to a similar factor measurable with Piagetian tests. This study did just that by fitting structural equation models to available data from administrations of Piagetian and Psychometric tests given to the same samples. The tests were modeled separately, and then in models where they were featured together so their general factors could be correlated. The results of those analyses were then subjected to a meta-analysis ( K = 8, N = 862) and the meta-analytic relationship between Piagetian and Psychometric general factors was found to be exceptionally high ( r = 0.847). Piagetian scales thus test intelligence, and intelligence tests assess Piagetian development. • Piagetian tasks are supposed to provide estimates of a person's development through stages of cognitive development. • When they are factor-analyzed, they have a general factor as large as the general factor in typical Psychometric tests. • Research has not established whether the general factor from Piagetian tasks is the same as the one from Psychometric tests. • Using a series of joint confirmatory factor analyses, the relationship between their general factors was tested. • Piagetian and Psychometric general factors were too strongly associated to be practically differentiated ( r = 0.847).