Coping with novelty and automatization of information processing: An empirical test of Sternberg's two-facet subtheory of intelligence

Abstract

R.J. Sternberg's two-facet subtheory of his triarchic theory of intelligence postulates two abilities: coping with novelty and automatization of information processing. This theory was empirically investigated in 61 university students by means of an inductive reasoning ability task. First, subjects had to identify a conceptual rule in a computerized concept identification task (designed to measure the ability of coping with novelty). Subsequently the conceptual rule had to be applied in a reaction time test, which accounts for automatization of information processing. This procedure was repeated for five different conceptual rules. Intelligence was measured by means of Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM). Correlations between identification and automatization task were low to moderate. Correlations of the two tasks with intelligence were low to moderate (but significant), with the relationships being higher for the automatization task. This finding, however, was probably due to lower reliability of parameters in the identification task. Moreover, differences in correlations with Set I vs Set II of the APM were observed. Multiple regression analyses showed that Set I performance was predicted by both abilities, whereas Set II performance was predicted only by parameters of the automatization task. Implications for future research are discussed.