Gender Aspect of Fluid Intelligence Diagnostics

367

Abstract

The study of fluid intelligence has a long history. The term “fluid intelligence” was proposed by R. Cattell in the 40s of the last century. According Cattell, fluid intelligence, along with crystallized intelligence, were fundamental factors in the structure of intelligence. With the further development of psychological science and the improvement of data analysis methods, other schemes of cognitive abilities were proposed, however, almost all of them included fluid intelligence as one of the main factor. In many studies the connection of fluid intelligence, working memory and the prefrontal cortex was demonstrated, the influence of fluid intelligence on the success of learning was proved. However, the question about gender differences in fluid intelligence is still open. In the presented study, two tests were selected for the diagnosis of fluid intelligence – Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – 5th edition – WISC–V and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children – 2nd edition KABC–II. Both of these tests contain fluid intelligence scales. In the WISC–V, the Fluid Reasoning Index includes two subtests: Matrix Reasoning, Figure Weights; in the KABC–II, the Gf Scale also consists of two subtests: Story Completion and Pattern Reasoning. The sample include 48 children. The average age was 9,5 years, 52% were boys. All children passed both intelligence tests completely. Comparison of the test results did not reveal gender differences in the fluid intelligence index. However, the correlation structure of the results of both tests was different in the group of boys compared with the group of girls (in the group of boys, significantly more relationships were found out than in the group of girls), which confirms the hypothesis that the structure of fluid intelligence is dependent on gender.

General Information

Keywords: fluid intelligence, WISC–V, KABC–II, gender

Journal rubric: Empirical Research

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/cpse.2020090405

Funding. This work was supported by grant RFBR № 18-013-01179

For citation: Nikolaeva A.Yu., Burdukova Y.A., Alekseeva O.S., Rzhanova I.E., Britova V.S. Gender Aspect of Fluid Intelligence Diagnostics [Elektronnyi resurs]. Klinicheskaia i spetsial'naia psikhologiia = Clinical Psychology and Special Education, 2020. Vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 99–114. DOI: 10.17759/cpse.2020090405. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

References

  1. Rzhanova I.E., Britova V.S., Alekseeva O.S. et al Fljuidnyj intellekt: obzor zarubezhnyh issledovanij [Fluid Intelligence: Review of Foreign Studies]. Klinicheskaja i special'naja psihologija=Clinical Psychology and Special Education, 2018, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 19–43. DOI: 10.17759/psycljn.2018070402 (In Russ., abstr. In Engl.). (Accessed 20.12.2020).
  2. Bors D.A., Forrin B. Age, speed of information processing, recall, and fluid intelligence. Intelligence, 1995, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 229–248. DOI: 10.1016/0160-2896(95)90009-8
  3. Bugg J.M., Zook N.A., De Losh E.L. et al. Age differences in fluid intelligence: contributions of general slowing and frontal decline. Brain and Cognition, 2006, vol. 62, no. 1, pp. 9–16. DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2006.02.006
  4. Cattell R.B. Culture Free Intelligence Test. Champaign, IL: Institute of Personality and Ability Testing, 1949. 87 p.
  5. Cattell R.B. Intelligence: Its structure, growth and action. New York: Elsevier, 1987. 693 p.
  6. Cattell R.B. The theory of fluid and crystallized intelligence: A critical experiment. Journal of Educational Psychology, 1963, vol. 54, no. 1, pp. 1–22.
  7. Christoff K., Prabhakaran V., Dorfman J. et al. Rostrolateral prefrontal cortex involvement in relational integration during reasoning. Neuroimage, 2001, vol. 14, no. 5, pp. 1136–1149. DOI: 10.1006/nimg.2001.0922
  8. Christoff K., Ream J.M., Geddes L.P. et al. Evaluating self-generated information: anterior prefrontal contributions to human cognition. Behavioral Neuroscience, 2003, vol. 117, no. 6, pp. 1161–1168. DOI: 10.1037/0735-7044.117.6.1161
  9. Colom R., Garcı́a-López O. Sex differences in fluid intelligence among high school graduates. Personality and Individual Differences, 2002, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 445–451. DOI: 10.1016/S0191-8869(01)00040-X
  10. Dang C-P., Braeken J., Ferrer E. et al. Unitary or non-unitary nature of working memory? Evidence from its relation to general fluid and crystallized intelligence. Intelligence, 2012, vol. 40, no. 5, pp. 499–508.  DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2012.05.002
  11. Horn J.L., Blankson N. Foundations for a better understanding of cognitive abilities. In D.P. Flanagan, P.L. Harrison (eds.), Contemporary Intellectual Assessment: Theories, Tests, and Issues. New York: Guilford Press, 2005, pp. 41–68.
  12. Horn J.L., Cattell R.B. Age differences in fluid and crystallized intelligence. Acta Psychologica, 1967, vol. 26, pp. 107–129.  DOI: 10.1016/0001-6918(67)90011-X)
  13. Huang J. An investigation of gender differences in cognitive abilities among Chinese high school students. Personality and Individual Differences, 1993, vol. 15, no. 6, pp. 717–719. DOI: 10.1016/0191-8869(93)90012-R
  14. Kaufman A.S., Kaufman N.L. Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children. 2nd ed. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service, 2004. 153 p.
  15. Kimura D., Hampson E. Neural and hormonal mechanisms mediating sex differences in cognition. In P.A. Vernon (ed.), Biological Approaches to the Study of Human Intelligence. New Jersey: Ablex Publishing, 1993. 412 p.
  16. Kroger J.K., Sabb F.W., Fales C.L. et al. Recruitment of anterior dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in human reasoning: a parametric study of relational complexity. Cerebral Cortex, 2002, vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 477–485. DOI: 10.1093/cercor/12.5.477
  17. Lynn R. Sex differences in brain size and intelligence. A paradox resolved. Personality and Individual Differences, 1994, vol. 17, pp. 257–271. DOI: 10.1016/0191-8869(94)90030-2
  18. Lynn R., Allik J., Pullmann H. et al. Sex differences on the progressive matrices among adolescents: Some data from Estonia. Personality and Individual Differences, 2004, vol. 36, pp. 1249–1255. DOI: 10.1016/S0191-8869(02)00240-4
  19. MacCann C. Further examination of emotional intelligence as a standard intelligence: A latent variable analysis of fluid intelligence, crystallized intelligence, and emotional intelligence. Personality and Individual Differences, 2010, vol. 49, no 5, pp. 490–496. DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2010.05.010
  20. Maitland S.B., Intrieri R.C., Schaie K.W., et al. Gender differences and changes in cognitive abilities across the adult life span. Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 2000, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 32–53. DOI: 10.1076/anec.7.1.32.807
  21. McGrew K.S. CHC theory and the human cognitive abilities project: Standing on the shoulders of the giants of psychometric intelligence research. Intelligence, 2009, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 1–10. DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2008.08.004
  22. McGrew K.S. The Cattell–Horn–Carroll theory of cognitive abilities: Past, present, and future. In P.D. Flanagan, P.L. Harrison (eds.), Contemporary Intellectual Assessment: Theories, Tests, and Issues. New York: Guilford Press, 2005, pp. 136–181.
  23. Saucier D.M., Elias L.J., Nylen K. Are colours special? An examination of the female advantage for speeded colour naming. Personality and Individual Differences, 2002, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 27–35. DOI: 10.1016/S0191-8869(00)00234-8
  24. Smith R., Keramatian K., Christoff K. Localizing the rostrolateral prefrontal cortex at the individual level. Neuroimage, 2007, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 1387–1396. DOI: 10.1016/ j.neuroimage.2007.04.032
  25. Steinmayr R., Beauducel A., Spinath B. Do sex differences in a faceted model of fluid and crystallized intelligence depend on the method applied? Intelligence, 2010, vol. 38, pp. 101–110.  DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2009.08.001
  26. Verhaeghen P., Salthouse T.A. Meta-analyses of age–cognition relations in adulthood: Estimates of linear and nonlinear age effects and structural models. Psychological Bulletin, 1997, vol. 122, no. 3, pp. 231. DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.122.3.231
  27. Wechsler D. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. Fifth Edition. San Antonio, TX: Pearson, 2014. 267p.

Information About the Authors

Anastasiya Y. Nikolaeva, Research Associate, Centre of Neurocognitive Research (MEG Centre), Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7323-8528, e-mail: nikolaevaayu@mgppu.ru

Yulia A. Burdukova, PhD in Psychology, Assistant Professor? chair of Differential Psychology and Psychophysiology, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4827-2040, e-mail: julia_burd@inbox.ru

Olga S. Alekseeva, Research Fellow, Psychological Institute of the Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0794-2327, e-mail: olga__alexeeva@mail.ru

Irina E. Rzhanova, Research Fellow, Psychological Institute of the Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8100-8917, e-mail: irinarzhanova@mail.ru

Viktoriya S. Britova, student, Faculty of Clinical & Special Psychology, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0001-3576, e-mail: vsbritova@gmail.com

Metrics

Views

Total: 561
Previous month: 20
Current month: 9

Downloads

Total: 367
Previous month: 21
Current month: 8