The development of cognitive complexity: Cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence

This research investigates whether (1) a cognitive complexity factor exists that is developmentally stable, and (2) whether the relationships that this factor has to other cognitive variables are also stable. Using a cross-sectional adult sample it is shown that there is a common factor structure that describes cognitive complexity in three cohorts spanning the age range from 18 to 70. The relationship of cognitive complexity to memory performance is age-independent also. Cognitive complexity enhances reproduction of texts. In a longitudinal study involving adolescents it is shown that, across four observation points, indicators of cognitive complexity can be explained from a time-independent second order cognitive complexity factor. An autoregressive structure of cognitive complexity does not seem to exist in this age bracket. In contrast, visual-cognitive performance does possess an autoregressive structure. In addition, cognitive complexity predicts visual-cognitive performance. Developmental implications are discussed.