Intelligence in action – Effective strategic behaviors while solving complex problems

Abstract

Intelligence and complex problem solving (CPS) are two strongly overlapping constructs. In contrast to conventional intelligence tests, CPS-assessments provide process data concerning the interactions between the problem solver and the task. Despite the availability of this data, theory-driven research on students' strategic behaviors during the CPS exploration phase is limited. Consequently, this study investigated how N=495 high-school students applied and adapted two domain-general strategic behaviors, VOTAT (vary-one-thing-at-a-time; Tschirgi, 1980) and NOTAT (vary no-thing-at-a-time), across a set of nine CPS-tasks with different demands (i.e., identifying direct and dynamic effects). Moreover, we examined how intelligence facilitated more effective strategy use. Results of discontinuous latent growth curve modeling showed that (1) students used VOTAT and NOTAT with a higher and increasing relative frequency when these strategic behaviors were effective. In contrast, when the behaviors were ineffective, students used them with a lower and decreasing relative frequency. (2) More intelligent students used VOTAT and NOTAT more often and with a steeper increasing gradient when these behaviors were effective. When the behaviors were ineffective, more intelligent students showed a lower relative frequency, but no steeper gradient decrease. We discuss these findings from the perspective of how intelligence manifests itself in effective strategy use.