Intelligence, elementary cognitive components, and cognitive styles as predictors of complex task performance

A laboratory study is reported in which individual differences underlying variations in the performance of a complex task are examined. Differences in fluid intelligence, elementary cognitive components (processing speed and working memory) and cognitive styles (tempo, planfulness and complexity) are measured, with a view to comparing between these three types of variable. It is found that fluid intelligence scores are more closely associated with measures of speed rather than accurate task performance; processing speed and working memory are both predictive of complex task performance; and differences in self-reported cognitive tempo co-vary with speed of problem-solving but not with speed of routine activity. In general, the inclusion of cognitive style variables does not increase the predictive power of intelligence and the elementary cognitive components. It is concluded that cognitive styles will be most reflected in task performance when the activities involved permit considerable variation in the style under investigation. Finally, an explanation is offered of why fluid intelligence is more predictive of some aspects of complex task performance than others, in terms of their degree of emphasis on speeded cognitive processes. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.