Matrices Plus Research Articles

The role of fluid intelligence in creativity: The case of bio-inspired design

Improving creativity by learning bio-inspired design (BID) requires fluid intelligence to deeper comprehend biological phenomena. Biological phenomena abstraction is a primary part of BID to comprehend structures and principles of the phenomena. However, direct research on the role of fluid intelligence in the understanding stage in BID processes is relatively scarce. We observed forty-one design students’ pictorial and textual representations of the abstract structures and principles in a BID task. Participants’ fluid intelligence was assessed using Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices Plus (SPM+). At the same time, their biological phenomena abstraction in pictorial and textual representations were rated based on a five-point scale of form, behavior, and principle. Results showed that fluid intelligence had a limited effect on biological phenomena abstraction. Participants with low fluid intelligence had a disadvantage on biological phenomena abstraction while participants with medium and high fluid intelligence had equally good performance. The results suggested that medium fluid intelligence was the minimal requirement of biological phenomena abstraction for male participants. We argue that future work should consider multiple intelligence in biological phenomena abstraction of BID.

Beta-band network modularity in resting-state EEG negatively correlates with level of intelligence

IntroductionRecent studies mostly focus on the links between measures of alpha-band EEG networks and intelligence. However, associations between wide frequency range EEG networks and general intelligence level remain underresearched.ObjectivesIn this study in a student sample we aimed to correlate the intelligence level and graph metrics of the sensors/sources-level networks constructed in different frequency EEG bands.MethodsWe recorded eyes-closed resting-state EEG in 28 healthy participants (21.4±2.1 y.o., 18 females, 1 left-handed). The Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices Plus (‘SPM Plus’, 60 figures) was used as an intelligence measure. We constructed networks for all possible combinations of sensors/sources-level and 4-8, 8-13, 13-30, or 4-30 Hz frequency bands using Weighted Phase-Lag Index (wPLI), and calculated four graph metrics (Characteristic Path Length, Clustering Coefficient, Modularity, and Small World Index) for each network. Spearman correlation (with Holm-Sidak correction) was applied to characterize the relations between the SPM Plus scores and all the network metrics.ResultsSPM Plus scores varied from 35 to 57 (mean 45.3±4.2), and the intelligence level negatively correlated with Modularity in beta-band (r = -0.63, pcorr = 0.0253).ConclusionsHigh modularity may reflect relatively high segregation, but not integration, of networks (Girn, Mills, Christoff, 2019). Accordingly, our findings may shed light on the neural mechanisms of the general inefficiency of global cognitive processing in the case of intellectual decline related to different mental disorders. Funding: This research has been supported by the Interdisciplinary Scientific and Educational School of Lomonosov Moscow State University ‘Brain, Cognitive Systems, Artificial Intelligence’.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Factor structure in Raven’s Progressive Matrices Plus in sub-Saharan Africa – Benin and Djibouti

A recent meta-analysis identified factor structures in IQ-test results from non-western nations similar to those found in samples from western countries, with mostly strong loadings on a general factor. In this study, we identified the factor structure on Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices Plus (SPM+) in two samples of school children from Benin (n = 3 560) and Djibouti (n = 2 768). The SPM+ gained good overall reliabilities in both countries (Cronbach’s α = 0.87 for the total samples). However, although Raven’s Matrices are assumed by many authors as a good instrument of “g”, neither exploratory nor confirmatory factor analyses were able to identify a general factor explaining more than 30% of the total variance. In contrast, our results suggest a three or more factors solution. Doubt regarding the suitability of this test for determining intelligence in sub-Saharan African countries is caused by three factors: (i) decreasing reliability; (ii) increasing number of identified factors when including items with a higher level of difficulty; and (iii) a lack of factor congruence between the two samples.

Relationships between cognitive abilities and prosocial behavior are entirely explained by shared genetic influences: A Nigerian twin study

The relationship between prosocial behavior (PB) and cognitive abilities has been well documented. This study explored genetic and environmental overlaps in the relationship between PB and verbal and non-verbal abilities. Participants included 3179 twins attending public secondary schools in Lagos State in Nigeria (mean age = 14.6 years, SD = 1.7 years). The PB scale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used to measure PB. The set B of the Mill-Hill Vocabulary test (MHV) and Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices Plus (SPM) were used to measure verbal and non-verbal ability, respectively. The MHV-PB and the SPM-PB correlations were 0.29 (95%CI = 0.26, 0.32) and 0.19 (95%CI = 0.15, 0.23), respectively, indicating that PB is more strongly related to verbal than to non-verbal ability at the phenotypic level. Bivariate model-fitting analyses revealed that additive genetic correlations were 0.73 (95%CI = 0.59, 0.92) for MHV-PB and 0.55 (95%CI = 0.40, 0.82) for SPM-PB, respectively. Neither shared nor non-shared environmental correlations were significant. Bivariate heritability was estimated at 1.0 (95%CI = 0.65, 1.00 for MHV- PB and 95%CI = 0.60, 1.00 for SPM-PB), indicating that the relationships between PB and two cognitive measures were mediated entirely by common genes. Multivariate Cholesky model-fitting analysis showed that while MHV explained 10% of additional additive genetic variance of PB above and beyond the common genetic variance, SPM became non-significant after the common genetic variance was controlled. These results suggested that the relationship between cognitive abilities and PB may be largely driven by verbal ability.

Differential Item Functioning on Raven’s SPM+ Amongst Two Convenience Samples of Yakuts and Russians

National IQ estimates are based on psychometric measurements carried out in a variety of cultural contexts and are often obtained from Raven’s Progressive Matrices tests. In a series of studies, J. Philippe Rushton et al. have argued that these tests are not biased with respect to ethnicity or race. Critics claimed their methods were inappropriate and suggested differential item functioning (DIF) analysis as a more suitable alternative. In the present study, we conduct a DIF analysis on Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices Plus (SPM+) tests administered to convenience samples of Yakuts and ethnic Russians. The Yakuts scored lower than the Russians by 4.8 IQ points, a difference that can be attributed to the selectiveness of the Russian sample. Data from the Yakut (n = 518) and Russian (n = 956) samples were analyzed for DIF using logistic regression. Although items B9, B10, B11, B12, and C11 were identified as having uniform DIF, all of these DIF effects can be regarded as negligible (R2 <0.13). This is consistent with Rushton et al.’s arguments that the Raven’s Progressive Matrices tests are ethnically unbiased.

A Study of the Standard Progressive Matrices Plus in Cambodia

Data are reported for the Standard Progressive Matrices Plus, applied to a sample of 1641 male and 1441 female school students aged 6 to 18 years old in Cambodia. Scores were higher than those recorded in earlier studies of non-verbal intelligence in Cambodia, indicating an average IQ near 100. There were no consistent gender differences. In addition to age and school grade, numbers of brothers and sisters were associated with test scores. Family income had virtually no relationship with test scores.

A New Study of Intelligence in Sri Lanka

The Standard Progressive Matrices Plus (SPM+) was administered in Sri Lanka in 2017 to a sample of 302 school students aged 11 to 16 years. The mean score of the test was 29.2 and is equivalent to a British-scaled IQ of 83. The boys scored significantly higher than the girls.

Testing Lynn’s Theory of Sex Differences in Intelligence in a Large Sample of Nigerian School-Aged Children and Adolescents (N>11,000) using Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices Plus

Sex differences in intelligence have been much disputed for many decades. The present study examined the issues of whether sex differences in intelligence change during development. In total, 11,164 children (mean age = 13.5 years; SD = 2.6 years) completed the Standard Progressive Matrices Plus (SPM+). From age 8 to 19 years, sex differences in the total score of the SPM+ increased from -0.06d (favoring females) to 0.46d (favoring males), with an average of 0.23d. Our findings support Lynn’s developmental theory of sex differences in cognitive abilities.

A Study of Sex Differences in Intelligence of Somali Refugees in Kenya

Scores of a sample of 2,440 male and female Somalian school students aged 8 through 18 years on the Standard Progressive Matrices Plus (SPM+) are reported. The sample obtained a British-scaled IQ of 68. There was no statistically significant difference between the scores of the males and females. The variance was greater among the females than among the males.

The Intelligence of Yakuts and Ethnic Russians in Yakutia

The intelligence of Yakuts and ethnic Russians in Yakutia was tested with Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices Plus. According to British norms, the average IQ was 97.0 for Yakuts and 97.9 for ethnic Russians. Urban samples scored higher than rural samples.

A Study of Intelligence in Tajikistan

The Standard Progressive Matrices Plus (SPM+) was administered in Tajikistan in 2016 to a sample of 674 13- to 15-year-olds. This is the first study reporting cognitive test results from this country. The mean British IQ of the sample was 88, which is comparable to results of similar studies in other countries of Central Asia. There were virtually no sex differences.

CORRELATIONS BETWEEN INTELLIGENCE, HEAD CIRCUMFERENCE AND HEIGHT: EVIDENCE FROM TWO SAMPLES IN SAUDI ARABIA.

This study was based on two independent studies which in total consisted of 1812 school pupils aged 6-12 years in Saudi Arabia. Study I consisted of 1591 school pupils (609 boys and 982 girls) attending state schools, and Study II consisted of 211 boys with learning disabilities. Intelligence (measured using the Standard Progressive Matrices Plus for Study I and the Standard Progressive Matrices for Study II), head size and height were measured for the two samples. The results showed that intelligence was statistically significantly correlated with head circumference (r=0.350, p<0.001 for Study I and r=0.168, p<0.05 for Study II) and height (r=0.271, p<0.001 for Study I and r=0.178, p<0.05 for Study II).

Spearman's hypothesis tested in Kazakhstan on the items of the Standard Progressive Matrices Plus

Spearman's hypothesis tested at the level of items states that differences between groups on the items of an IQ test are a function of the g loadings of these items, such that there are small differences between groups on items with low g loadings and large differences between groups on items with high g loadings. Empirical tests showed in one case no support, in some cases modest support, and in other cases strong support. In this study groups of Kazakh, Korean, Tatar, and Uzbek children from Kazakhstan were compared with a group of Russian children from Kazakhstan yielding outcomes of Spearman's hypothesis ranging from r=.24 to r=.78 with a Nharmonic-weighted average correlation of .67. We conclude that Spearman's hypothesis tested at the item level appears to be a more regular phenomenon than previously thought.

Sex Differences in the Intelligence of Students at Alexandria University, Egypt

Results are reported for intelligence assessed with the Standard Progressive Matrices Plus of a sample of 423 students at Alexandria University in Egypt. The men obtained a British IQ of 104 and the women a British IQ of 92, suggesting that the intelligence of university students in Egypt increased in recent years. The men students had greater variability than the women students. Key words: Intelligence; Standard Progressive Matrices Plus; Egypt; Sex differences

A Study of Intelligence in the Karakalpakstan Region of Uzbekistan

The Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices Plus was administered in Karakalpakstan in 2016 to a representative sample of 614 school children aged 11 to 13 years. The British-scaled IQ of the sample was 86. Key words: Karakalpakstan; intelligence; Progressive Matrices; sex differences

Self-esteem of physical education students: sex differences and relationships with intelligence

&lt;b&gt;Background&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The aim of the study was to determine the level of self-esteem of physical education and sport students, its diversification according to sex, as well as relationships between self-esteem and the following variables: fluid intelligence, emotional intelligence, social intelligence, and academic performance.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Participants and procedure&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt; A total of 385 first-year undergraduates aged 18-26 years studying physical education and sport at the University of Physical Education in Warsaw participated in the study. The following research tools were used: the Multidimensional Self-Esteem Inventory, Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices Plus, the Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, and the Social Competence Questionnaire. The average of marks obtained for all courses taken during the first year was adopted as an indicator of academic performance.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Results&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The obtained results attest to the high self-esteem of the first-year students. Male students gave higher ratings for their body appearance and body functioning, personal power and likeability, self-control, and competence. They also indicated a higher level of global self-esteem and identity integration. The highest number of significant positive correlations connected self-esteem and emotional intelligence; slightly fewer correlations existed between self-esteem and social competence. The lowest number of significant relationships was established for fluid intelligence. Only one positive predictor of average evaluations was established in male students (self-control) and female students (competence).&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conclusions&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The profile of self-esteem of physical education students demonstrates their high self-esteem, especially in areas related to their field of study. Some variations in the components of self-esteem of male and female students reflect the differences between sexes typical for the Polish adult population.

A Study of Means and Sex Differences on Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices Plus in Yemen

Yemen is one of the economically least developed countries in the Middle East, but information about intelligence in this country has been conflicting. In a recent study, the Standard Progressive Matrices-Plus was administered to a sample of 2012 6-13 year olds in a province of Yemen. The sample obtained a British IQ of 68.5. Girls obtained significantly higher average scores than boys at the ages of 7 and 10, and boys obtained a significantly higher average score than girls at age 13.

The Intelligence of the Evenk/Tungus of the Russian Far East

A sample of 28 Evenk/Tungus village children in the Russian Far East was tested with the Standard Progressive Matrices Plus and obtained a British IQ of 80. A sample of 13 ethnic Russian children growing up under similar conditions was tested with the same method and obtained a British IQ of 85. The results suggest that cognitive development of both groups is impeded by the isolated conditions under which the children in these villages grow up. Key Words: Intelligence; Evenk; Tungus; Progressive Matrices; Russia.

A study of the intelligence of Kazakhs, Russians and Uzbeks in Kazakhstan

Data are reported for intelligence measured by the Standard Progressive Matrices Plus of school students in Kazakhstan. Ethnic Kazakhs obtained a mean British IQ of 82.2, ethnic Russians obtained a mean British IQ of 103.2, and ethnic Uzbeks obtained a mean British IQ of 86.0. The IQ of Kazakhstan is estimated at 87.3.Factor analysis showed three factors identified as Gestalt Continuation, Verbal-Analytic Reasoning and Visuospatial Ability, replicating the analysis by Lynn, Allik, and Irwing (2004). The Russians performed significantly better than the Kazakhs in all age groups on Factor g and Factor 1 (Visuospatial Ability). There was no significant ethnic difference for Factor 2 (Gestalt Continuation) for ages 11, 12 and 13, although Russians performed significantly better than Kazakhs for age 10. The Russians scored significantly higher Factor 3 (Verbal-Analytical Reasoning) at ages 11, 12 and 13.

Relationship between errors on Raven’s Progressive Matrices (SPM plus and APM) and eductive ability

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between errors on Standard Progressive Matrices Plus (SPM Plus) and Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) and eductive ability. A large sample (n = 4535) of secondary school pupils aged 11 to 19 was used. For both SPM Plus and APM, the two-parameter logistic model which includes item difficulty (b) and discrimination (a) parameters was used for the eductive ability estimation. At first, analysis of responses to SPM Plus and APM items (including such response options as “a subject omitted an item” and “a subject didn’t reach an item”) was conducted using the Classical Test Theory (CTT) difficulty and discrimination power indices as well as the Item Response Theory (IRT) Option Characteristic Curves (OCCs). The analysis has confirmed that response alternatives lacking only one correct feature are more likely in the middle range of ability and from this range upward, whereas subjects of low ability often choose alternatives that are incorrect on more than one and / or more salient features. It has also been found that higher ability subjects are prone to omit an item that is too difficult for them instead of guessing an answer as opposed to lower ability subjects who may use a random guessing as a RPM solving strategy. The analysis has also shown that higher-scoring subjects have no time enough to finish all the RPM items more often than lower-scoring individuals. This finding suggests that higher-ability subjects invest more time in solving RPM items, and therefore a time limit is not suitable for assessing a high eductive ability. Next, the APM types of error analysis has revealed that the type of errors made on APM is related to the ability level of the subjects. Errors due to failure to attend to all relevant aspects of the item, i.e. incomplete correlate errors, were made by subjects of higher ability as compared to errors due to the confluence of ideas or repetition. This finding suggests that an answer of incomplete correlate type shows a relatively high eductive ability (as compared to the confluence of ideas or repetition type answer) since it requires a correct, although incomplete, reasoning.