Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices Research Articles

Types of Overexcitability in Intellectually Gifted Adolescent Students in Slovakia

The aim of the study was the comparison of intellectually gifted secondary grammar school students with students from the average population of secondary grammar school students, in the level of overexcitability and prediction of intellectual giftedness through the various types of overexcitability. The research sample consisted of 88 secondary grammar school students aged 16-17 years. The target group, who were identified as intellectually gifted students, consisted of 44 students, whereas the control group consisted of 44 students from an average population of secondary grammar school students. We used tests of intellectual ability, Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices Test, Intelligence Structure Analysis, and Urban's Figural Test of Creative Thinking to identify intellectually gifted secondary grammar school students. Types of overexcitability were assessed by means of the Overexcitability Questionnaire. Statistical analysis showed significant differences in the level of overexcitabilities between intellectually gifted secondary grammar school students and students from the average population of secondary grammar school students. Significant predictive power of intellectual and emotional overexcitability was found in relation to intellectual giftedness.

Alpha oscillatory evidence for shared underlying mechanisms of creativity and fluid intelligence above and beyond working memory-related activity

Although the relationship between creativity and fluid intelligence has been studied extensively with divergent and convergent thinking tasks, the underlying neural mechanisms of this relationship are still under debate. As both have been associated to working memory (WM), the question arises if there are shared underlying mechanisms for creativity and fluid intelligence other than WM-related activity. The present study examined how creativity and fluid intelligence, as measured by the creative reasoning task (CRT) and Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM), respectively, are characterized by modulations in the upper alpha band (10–12 Hz) and if they share common mechanisms beyond the requirement to maintain information in WM. Hence, we subtracted WM-related activity, measured within the same knowledge domain and by using highly comparable stimulus material, from both divergent and convergent thinking activity. Furthermore, to account for the temporal variability in the creative process, we investigated divergent and convergent thinking at early, intermediate and late stages. By introducing this methodological approach, we provide evidence for a higher fronto-parietal alpha synchronization in divergent relative to convergent thinking, especially towards the end of the thinking phase. Furthermore, we provide evidence that creativity and fluid intelligence share underlying mechanisms above and beyond task demands that rely on WM processes.

Strategy use moderates the relation between working memory capacity and fluid intelligence: A combined approach

This study investigated whether the strength of the link between working memory capacity and fluid intelligence differs as people use different strategies to solve fluid intelligence problems. A sample of 214 university students completed three complex span tasks measuring working memory capacity and Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) assessing fluid intelligence. Strategic behavior was measured by both the strategy questionnaire and the eye-tracking technique. Latent profile analysis yielded three groups of participants using constructive matching, response elimination, and a third strategy, respectively. Participants adopting constructive matching spent proportionally more time on the matrix area but less time on the response bank, and exhibited longer latency to first toggle and higher rate of toggling than those using response elimination and the other strategy, consistent with the results obtained from the questionnaire data. Furthermore, strategy use moderated the relationship between working memory capacity and APM performance. The link between working memory capacity and APM scores was significantly higher for participants using eliminative strategies including response elimination (r = 0.63) and the other strategy (r = 0.54) than that for those using constructive matching (r = 0.27). Our findings suggest that the extent to which working memory relates to performance on APM varies as a function of strategy use.

Process differences as a function of test modifications: Construct validity of Raven's advanced progressive matrices under standard, abbreviated and/or speeded conditions – A meta-analysis

Historically, there has been substantial disagreement about the importance of speed vs. level in determining individual differences in intelligence – a disagreement that persists across various different modern assessment measures of intellectual abilities. The current investigation considers whether changes to the administration constraints (time limitations or speededness, and total test length) of the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices test – which has been identified as a measure highly saturated with general intelligence – results in differences to the underlying ability determinants of test performance. A review of empirical studies was conducted, where versions of Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices Tests were administered under various time constraints and item lengths. Meta-analytic techniques were used to determine whether introducing speed constraints or shortening the length of the test changes the construct validity of the tests (as indicated by differences in convergent and discriminant correlations with other ability traits). The meta-analysis combined results from 142 studies composed of a total of 26,848 participants. Substantial differences were found for correlations of Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices and Spatial Visualization (as large as ρ̂ = 0.26), Memory (as large as ρ̂ = 0.08), and Perceptual Speed (as large as ρ̂ = 0.34) abilities under speeded conditions and shorter test lengths. Examinees may draw on different strategies for test performance, that in turn, draw on different combinations of abilities, when the test is abbreviated or significant time constraints are introduced. Implications for using this test under different conditions are discussed.

Occupational Depression, Cognitive Performance, and Task Appreciation: A Study Based on Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices

The Occupational Depression Inventory (ODI) was recently developed to assess depressive symptoms that individuals specifically attribute to their work. Research on the criterion validity of the instrument is still in its infancy. In this study, we examined whether the ODI predicted performance on, and appreciation of, a cognitively challenging test. In light of the link established between clinical depression and neuropsychological impairment, and considering that individuals with depressive symptoms are more likely to feel helpless under challenging circumstances, we hypothesized that occupational depression would be associated with poorer cognitive performance and a darkened appreciation of the task undertaken. We relied on a sample of 1,359 educational staff members. We used an abridged version of Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPMs) as a cognitively challenging task and measure of cognitive performance. RAPMs assess so-called eductive ability (meaning-making and problem-solving abilities) through items of various degrees of difficulty. Transient mood was assessed with a three-item measure before RAPMs were administered. Task appreciation was assessed with a single-item measure after the completion of RAPMs. We found occupational depression to be negatively linked to cognitive performance. A two-step cluster analysis, in which ODI and RAPMs scores were used as classifiers, revealed two profiles of respondents. The first profile was characterized by relatively low levels of depressive symptoms and high levels of cognitive performance; the second profile, by relatively high levels of depressive symptoms and low levels of cognitive performance. The two profiles differed strongly from one another, as indexed by Cohen’s ds of 2.492 regarding depressive symptoms and 1.263 regarding cognitive performance. As anticipated, occupational depression predicted a darkened appreciation of the test. The association remained statistically significant, and largely unchanged, controlling for pretest mood and test performance. The highest levels of depressive symptoms were observed among individuals evaluating the task as “frustrating” and “discouraging.” Our study suggests that occupational depression predicts poorer cognitive performance and a negativized experience of cognitive challenge. Such features may be part of a self-sustaining loop fostering the maintenance of depressive symptoms. The extent to which the ODI predicts performance in the work context needs to be investigated.

Cognitive Characteristics of Skilled Badminton Players

Study of the cognitive characteristics of qualified badminton players. 34 qualified badminton players, 12 men and 22 women were test subjects. Testing was carried out individually. Analysis of scientific and methodological liter- ature and world experience shows that the study of psychophysiological characteristics provides additional infor- mation about an athlete’s functional state during training and competitive activities. It is known that sports results largely depend on the individual typological characteristics of a person, as well as on the extent to which these fea- tures are used to realize the entire spectrum of the athlete's capabilities. Activation of higher nervous processes is present in almost all components of sports activity and provides a quick reaction, perception and processing of in- formation, the speed of mastering technical elements and quick switching from one type of activity to another. The study of the cognitive characteristics of badminton players was organized using the hardware-software computer complex "Multipsychometer-05". In our research, the first part of Raven's advanced progressive matrices was ap- plied. It is an express version of the test, consisting of 12 tasks and covers the entire range of possibilities diagnosed by the full test. The main informative indicator of the test is performance − the total number of correctly completed tasks for the entire time of the test (the total number of correct answers). The test execution speed, accuracy, effi- ciency are also determined. The analysis of Raven's progressive matrices showed that qualified badminton players have an average level of productivity, speed and accuracy, a level below the average of test performance. The study of cognitive abilities, taking into account sexual dimorphism, showed that, in terms of speed and quality indicators of cognitive tests, women demonstrate significantly better values in relation to men. General cognitive abilities can be used as diagnostic and prognostic criteria in the selection process for qualified badminton players.

General Intelligence Is Associated with Working Memory-Related Functional Connectivity Change: Evidence from a Large-Sample Study.

Background/Purpose: Psychometric intelligence is closely related to working memory (WM) and the associated brain activity. We aimed to clarify the associations between psychometric intelligence and WM-induced functional connectivity changes. Materials and Methods: Here we determined the associations between psychometric intelligence measured by nonverbal reasoning (using the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices) and WM-induced changes in functional connectivity during the N-back paradigm, in a large cohort of 1221 young adults. Results: We observed that the measures of general intelligence showed a significant positive correlation with WM-induced changes in the functional connectivity with the key nodes of the frontoparietal network, such as the bilateral premotor cortices and the presupplementary motor area. Those significant correlations were observed for (1) areas showing a WM-induced increase of the functional connectivity with the abovementioned key nodes, such as the lateral parietal cortex; (2) areas showing a WM-induced decrease of the functional connectivity with the abovementioned key nodes (2-a) such as left perisylvian areas and cuneus, the fusiform gyrus, and the lingual gyrus, which play key roles in language processing, (2-b) hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus, which play key roles in memory processing, and (2-c) the key node of the default mode network such as the medial prefrontal cortex; as well as (3) the border areas between (1) and (2). Conclusion: Psychometric intelligence is associated with WM-induced changes in functional connectivity, influencing the way in which WM key nodes dynamically modulate the interaction with other brain nodes in response to WM.

Individual Differences in Reward-Based Learning Predict Fluid Reasoning Abilities.

The ability to reason and problem-solve in novel situations, as measured by the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPM), is highly predictive of both cognitive task performance and real-world outcomes. Here we provide evidence that RAPM performance depends on the ability to reallocate attention in response to self-generated feedback about progress. We propose that such an ability is underpinned by the basal ganglia nuclei, which are critically tied to both reward processing and cognitive control. This hypothesis was implemented in a neurocomputational model of the RAPM task, which was used to derive novel predictions at the behavioral and neural levels. These predictions were then verified in one neuroimaging and two behavioral experiments. Furthermore, an effective connectivity analysis of the neuroimaging data confirmed a role for the basal ganglia in modulating attention. Taken together, these results suggest that individual differences in a neural circuit related to reward processing underpin human fluid reasoning abilities.

How Do People Perform an Inspection Time Task? An Examination of Visual Illusions, Task Experience, and Blinking.

In the inspection time (IT) paradigm, participants view two lines of unequal length (called the Pi-figure) for a short exposure time, and then judge which of the two lines was longer. Early research has interpreted IT as a simple index of mental speed, which does not involve motor activity. However, more recent studies have associated IT with higher-level cognitive mechanisms, including focused attention, task experience, and the strategic use of visual illusions. The extent to which these factors affect IT is still a source of debate. We used an eye-tracker to capture participants’ (N = 147) visual attention while performing IT trials. Results showed that blinking was time-dependent, with participants blinking less when the Pi-figure was visible as compared to before and after. Blinking during the presentation of the Pi-figure correlated negatively with response accuracy. Also, participants who reported seeing a brightness illusion had a higher response accuracy than those who did not. The first experiment was repeated with new participants (N = 159), enhanced task instructions, and the inclusion of practice trials. Results showed substantially improved response accuracy compared to the first experiment, and no significant difference in response accuracy between those who did and did not report illusions. IT response accuracy correlated modestly (r = 0.18) with performance on a short Raven’s advanced progressive matrices task. In conclusion, performance at the IT task is affected by task familiarity and involves motor activity in the form of blinking. Visual illusions may be an epiphenomenon of understanding the IT task.

Looking with the (computer) mouse: How to unveil problem-solving strategies in matrix reasoning without eye-tracking.

Problem-solving strategies in visual reasoning tasks are often studied based on the analysis of eye movements, which yields high-quality data but is costly and difficult to implement on a large scale. We devised a new graphical user interface for matrix reasoning tasks where the analysis of computer mouse movements makes it possible to investigate item exploration and, in turn, problem-solving strategies. While relying on the same active perception principles underlying eye-tracking (ET) research, this approach has the additional advantages of being user-friendly and easy to implement in real-world testing conditions, and records only voluntary decisions. A pilot study confirmed that embedding items of Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) in the interface did not significantly alter its psychometric properties. Experiment 1 indicated that mouse-based exploration indices, when used to assess two major problem-solving strategies in the APM, are related to final performance-as has been found in past ET research. Experiment 2 suggested that constraining some features of the interface favored the adoption of the more efficient solving strategy for some participants. Overall, the findings support the relevance of the present methodology for accessing and manipulating problem-solving strategies.

Modulation of cortical activity in response to learning and long-term memory retrieval of 2D verses stereoscopic 3D educational contents: Evidence from an EEG study

Stereoscopic 3D (S3D) displays provide a very realistic visualization experience to the viewers through a sensation of depth perception. Despite the rapid growth of S3D technology (S3D) in education, very little has been known about the effects of S3D on human behavior and the corresponding brain's responses over traditional 2D display during conscious learning and Long-Term Memory (LTM) recall process. The present study aims to explore the effects of S3D technology on human behavior and the brain responses during learning and memory using an electroencephalography (EEG) technique. A sample of 68 participants between 18 and 30 years of age was recruited to perform three tasks: (1) Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPM) test to assess the fluid intelligence ability; (2) learning task to study the S3D or 2D based contents for learning; and (3) memory recall task to assess the memory recall and retention performance. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups―2D group and S3D group, in such a way that their fluid intelligence ability, age, and background knowledge about the learning material are controlled. The analysis of behavioral data suggested that responses of both groups in terms of reaction time after two months of retention were statistically significantly different, F(2.66,125.09) = 4.47, p = .007, ηp2 = 0.087. The differences between the S3D and 2D groups were identified by EEG analysis, i.e., the classifier correctly discriminated the EEG signals of both groups with more than 90% accuracy rate. The EEG source analysis showed statistically significant differences between the groups in the brain regions of BA 7, BA 10, BA 11, and BA 25, reflecting widespread neuronal networks involved in the S3D group as compared to the 2D group in the LTM recollection. In conclusion, it was experimentally showed that the human brain processed the S3D contents differently by utilizing more cortical regions and neuronal networks than the traditional 2D contents, which modulates the behavior of the participants by recollecting the LTM faster in the recall task.

Executive functions and intelligence- are there genetic difference?

The first aim of this study was to explore the aetiology of phenotypic relationships between different measures of executive functions. The second objective was to examine sources of the covariation between different measures of executive functions and the measure of general cognitive ability. The study sample consisted of 468 twins (154 pairs of monozygotic twins and 80 pairs of dizygotic twins) of the same and different gender who grew up together. Executive functions were evaluated by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Trail Making Test – form B, and verbal fluency tests. Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices were used as a measure of general cognitive ability. The study results suggest a primarily genetic origin of the mutual covariation of different executive measures and their covariation with the general cognitive ability construct. While the shared genetic variance primarily lies in the bases of similarity/unity of the used cognitive measures, their particularity/difference is determined by a specific unshared environment. The obtained result on the presence of a single general genetic factor, which can be singled out in the case of different executive measures, at least partially speaks in favor of the thesis about the unity of various executive measures and the existence of a common basic ability. Together with the specific unshared environment, the specific genetic influence speaks in favor of a difference between each of the individual measures.

Investigating operation-specific learning effects in the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices: A linear logistic test modeling approach

The present study aimed to investigate practice effects associated with the abstract rules involved in the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPM) under standard administration conditions. To that end, a linear logistic test modeling approach was used in combination with Carpenter, Just, and Shell's (1990) taxonomy of rules. Several operation-specific learning models were used in order to test different contingent and non-contingent learning hypotheses. The models were fitted to a sample of responses from 293 participants to Sets I and II of the RAPM. A Bayesian framework was adopted for model estimation and evaluation. The perceptual variables involved in the items were included in the analyses in order to control their influence on performance on the RAPM. The results did not provide evidence of rule learning during the RAPM. Instead, they suggested the existence of fatigue effects associated with each of the rules. Interestingly, the results revealed the existence of learning effects associated with the items' perceptual properties.

Metacognitive experience on Raven\u2019s matrices versus insight problems

Participants rated Intuition, Suddenness, Pleasure, and Certainty accompanying their solutions to items of a popular fluid intelligence test – Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPM) – that varied from easy (around 80% correct) to difficult (around 20% correct). The same ratings were collected from four insight problems interleaved with RAPM. Suddenness and Certainty substantially decreased from easy to difficult matrices (Pleasure strongly overlapped with Certainty). In easy matrices, subjective experience matched that observed during insight problems, suggesting the highly fluent processing resulting in vivid and univocal solutions. By contrast, processing difficult matrices seemed to involve effortful incremental combination of complex information that yielded uncertain outcomes, resembling full-blown analytic problems. Only Intuition, generally rated low, was unaffected by RAPM difficulty. These results suggest that RAPM constitutes a heterogeneous test, with easy vs. difficult items involving relatively distinct types of processing. This novel knowledge can help in understanding the processes underlying solving Raven’s matrices. The study also contributes to the understanding of the validity of subjective ratings as measures of metacognition.

Time perspective and self-control: metacognitive management of time is important for efficient self-regulation of behavior

BackgroundThe way people perceive time is interesting in itself but also as a predictor of social, cognitive, and affective aspects of behavior. It is also a correlate of important psychological traits.Participants and procedureIn this study, we investigated associations between psychometrically assessed self-control and metacognitive processes involved in time perspective (TP). Time perspective is defined as the engagement of temporal frames for better understanding the flow of events and personal experiences. Executive control and fluid intelligence were assessed as possible mediators of the investigated relationship. Participants (N = 150) completed the Temporal MetaCognition Scale (TMCS), Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPM) and two inhibitory control tasks: the Stroop and Stop Signal Task (SST). Self-control was measured with three questionnaires: NAS-50, NAS-40, and the Self-Control Scale (SCS).ResultsTemporal metacognition was found to be associated with self-control, but not with executive control and fluid intelligence. Two TMCS dimensions (Goal-oriented Metatemporal Interconnectedness, Metacognitive Temporal Control) were important positive predictors of self-control, whereas the third dimension (Cognitive Reconstruction of the Past) was a weak negative predictor.ConclusionsThese findings support the hypothesis that metacognitive processes involved in time perspective may help to exert control over one’s own behavior. The most important predictor of self-control is the ability to consider situations from various time perspec-tives.

Intraindividual strategy shifts in Raven's matrices, and their dependence on working memory capacity and need for cognition.

Strategic behavior plays a key role in fluid intelligence tasks like Raven's matrices. Some participants solve items using the strategy of mentally constructing the answer (constructive matching), which is effective but costly for complex problems; other participants rely on the less accurate strategy of discarding potential answers (response elimination). While this process is relatively well-known, past research hints that intraindividual changes in strategy use may also take place as the task becomes increasingly difficult; however, intraindividual variability in Raven's matrices is poorly understood. The present study aimed to (a) test the hypothesis that participants dynamically shift between strategies during the course of Raven's matrices, as predicted by the literature, and (b) investigate the possibility that these shifts are moderated by individual differences in both ability and motivation. Two samples of 100 participants each completed Raven's advanced progressive matrices, and measures of working memory and need for cognition. The results confirmed that participants tended to turn to the less costly response elimination strategy as the difficulty of the task increased; this variability in strategy use predicted 78% of item-to-item variance in accuracy. Working memory capacity and need for cognition predicted strategy use, and working memory capacity additionally moderated the shift toward response elimination, so that only participants with both high working memory capacity and high need for cognition continued using constructive matching in the later part of the task. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Психолого-педагогические условия интеллектуального развития дошкольников с тяжелыми нарушениями речи

The research featured peculiarities of the intellectual development of children with severe speech disorders. A set of experiments showed that such children have systemic underdevelopment of verbal and non-verbal functions. The empirical part of the research was based on two methods: a color version of Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices Test and Wechsler’s Pre-School & Primary Scale of Intelligence in M. N. Ilyina’s adaptation. The data were analyzed with the help of statistical methods. The article focuses on the system of psychological and pedagogical conditions of the intellectual development of preschoolers in the conditions of preschool educational organizations. The authors consider the sensory education as the basis of intellectual development aimed primarily at the development of feelings and perceptions. The content of the intellectual education includes speech development, development of elementary mathematical concepts, and productive activities (construction, modeling, drawing, application), which are considered as significant aspects of intellectual education. The authors compiled, tested, and evaluated a program of intellectual development of senior preschool children with severe speech disorders. The program was based on didactic games.

Differential associations between rumination and intelligence subtypes

Although prior theory suggests that rumination contributes to cognitive impairments associated with depression, recent work suggests that rumination is associated with higher levels of intelligence. The present study examined the relations between two ruminative subtypes (brooding and reflective pondering) and multiple measures and types of intelligence (verbal and performance) after controlling for rumination's overlapping variance with depression. Participants were 751 individuals from the Colorado Longitudinal Twin Study who completed the Ruminative Response Scale; the Center for Epidemiological Studies–Depression Scale and a fully structured clinical interview as measures of depression; and verbal and performance intelligence tasks at age 16 and the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices at age 23. Reflective pondering was positively associated with all measures of intelligence, whereas brooding was not associated with intelligence. Our findings indicate that any negative associations between rumination and intelligence are attributable to shared variance with depression, and that examination of rumination as a multifaceted construct may provide new insights into the relations between rumination and cognition.

Working memory capacity and strategy use on the RAPM

Despite many studies showing that high working memory capacity (WMC) individuals perform better on analytic reasoning and problem-solving tasks, the cognitive mechanisms underlying these relationships are still under debate. The present work explored the link between WMC and performance on a popular test of fluid intelligence (gF), the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPM; Raven, Raven, & Court, 1998), with the goal of assessing whether strategies might play a mediating role in the WMC and gF relationship. Using think-aloud protocols to assess strategies, it was determined that individual differences in strategy use on the RAPM partially mediated the relationship between WMC and performance. In addition, evidence suggested that participants decreased their use of constructive matching strategies as item difficulty increased. Finally, think-aloud protocols provided evidence for a third, hybrid strategy: isolate-and-eliminate. This new strategy goes beyond constructive matching and response elimination, utilizing aspects of each.

The Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices in Education Assessment with a Rasch Analysis

The study aimed to evaluate the Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) with a Rasch analysis to enhance the precision of the instrument. Accurate assessment of a student potential ability is essential for the timely provision of guidance and counseling support. The Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) is an ordinal measure possessing acceptable psychometric properties, but its ability to discriminate precisely between individual potential levels has not been rigorously investigated. The quantitative approach involved respondent of 12,343 students in West Java, Indonesia. The data analysis used the partial credit Rasch model. This study uses Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices instruments. The results of this study which are achieved through Initial analysis supported the use of the Rasch model and acceptable reliability (Alpha Cronbach= 0.85) was observed. Person reliability is 0.86, item reliability is 1.00. Local dependency between items through the creation of super-items increased model fit, person separation index = 2.35, and unidimensional. In fit and outfit statistics, all items satisfied the criterion for construct validity. Almost all items except 17, 21, and 36 had suitable point-measurement correlation, reflecting content validity. Item characteristic curves indicated that roughly 36 items were evenly distributed along the person ability continuum. The modified APM showed excellent reliability for a measure in assessing the overall potential ability of the students. The item would be added related to the person ability estimates. And several items should be omitted to ensure construct validity. Practically, APM is still relevant to assess the potential ability.