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J. Intell.
Special Issues
Skill Acquisition, Expertise, and Achievement
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Skill Acquisition, Expertise, and Achievement

A special issue of Journal of Intelligence (ISSN 2079-3200).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2024 | Viewed by 12754

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Alexander P. Burgoyne

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
Interests: individual differences; cognitive psychology; skill acquisition and expertise; intelligence; attention control; adverse impact; mindset

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Journal of Intelligence is pleased to offer a Special Issue on skill acquisition, expertise, and achievement. Researchers who study intelligence and its intersection with educational achievement, occupational success, sports, music, games, or other domains of skill are encouraged to submit manuscripts to this collection.

Research examining individual difference characteristics that are predictive of performance are welcome, as are experimental approaches aimed at uncovering the cognitive processes that support skill acquisition and expertise. Although we will consider literature reviews and theoretical position papers, priority will be given to reports containing original, empirical data. Contributions should attempt to address the multifactorial nature of expertise.

Possible topics for articles to be submitted to the Special Issue include:

  • Cognitive and non-cognitive predictors of individual differences in skill acquisition
  • The role of general intelligence vs. specific abilities
  • The relative contributions of cognitive ability, experience, and their interaction
  • Cognitive models of performance
  • Training and transfer of training

Please note that the “Planned Papers” Section on the webpage does not imply that these papers will eventually be accepted; all manuscripts will be subject to the journal’s normal and rigorous peer review process.

Dr. Alexander P. Burgoyne
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Intelligence is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

28 pages, 423 KiB  
Article
Individual Responses versus Aggregate Group-Level Results: Examining the Strength of Evidence for Growth Mindset Interventions on Academic Performance
by Mariel K. Barnett and Brooke N. Macnamara
J. Intell. 2023, 11(6), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11060104 - 30 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2314
Abstract
Mindset theory assumes that students’ beliefs about their intelligence—whether these are fixed or can grow—affects students’ academic performance. Based on this assumption, mindset theorists have developed growth mindset interventions to teach students that their intelligence or another attribute can be developed, with the [...] Read more.
Mindset theory assumes that students’ beliefs about their intelligence—whether these are fixed or can grow—affects students’ academic performance. Based on this assumption, mindset theorists have developed growth mindset interventions to teach students that their intelligence or another attribute can be developed, with the goal of improving academic outcomes. Though many papers have reported benefits from growth mindset interventions, others have reported no effects or even detrimental effects. Recently, proponents of mindset theory have called for a “heterogeneity revolution” to understand when growth mindset interventions are effective and when—and for whom—they are not. We sought to examine the whole picture of heterogeneity of treatment effects, including benefits, lack of impacts, and potential detriments of growth mindset interventions on academic performance. We used a recently proposed approach that considers persons as effect sizes; this approach can reveal individual-level heterogeneity often lost in aggregate data analyses. Across three papers, we find that this approach reveals substantial individual-level heterogeneity unobservable at the group level, with many students and teachers exhibiting mindset and performance outcomes that run counter to the authors’ claims. Understanding and reporting heterogeneity, including benefits, null effects, and detriments, will lead to better guidance for educators and policymakers considering the role of growth mindset interventions in schools. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Skill Acquisition, Expertise, and Achievement)
12 pages, 2320 KiB  
Article
Ability and Nonability Predictors of Real-World Skill Acquisition: The Case of Rubik’s Cube Solving
by Elizabeth J. Meinz, David Z. Hambrick, James J. Leach and Prairie J. Boschulte
J. Intell. 2023, 11(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11010018 - 16 Jan 2023
Viewed by 3373
Abstract
Most research on skilled performance is correlational, with skill and predictors measured at a single point in time, making it difficult to draw conclusions about the acquisition of skill. By contrast, in this study, we trained novice participants (N = 79) to [...] Read more.
Most research on skilled performance is correlational, with skill and predictors measured at a single point in time, making it difficult to draw conclusions about the acquisition of skill. By contrast, in this study, we trained novice participants (N = 79) to solve Rubik’s Cubes using a 7-step solution method. Participants also completed measures of fluid intelligence (Gf), working memory capacity (WMC), and nonability factors (grit, growth mindset, NFC, and the “big five”). Overall, higher Gf (but not WMC) was predictive of efficient and accurate Rubik’s cube skill. No nonability variables were associated with skill. Our results provide compelling evidence for the importance of intellectual talent (cognitive ability) in developing expertise in a complex task. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Skill Acquisition, Expertise, and Achievement)
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16 pages, 763 KiB  
Article
The ACT Predicts Academic Performance—But Why?
by Alexander P. Burgoyne, Kelly M. Stec, Kimberly M. Fenn and David Z. Hambrick
J. Intell. 2023, 11(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11010009 - 3 Jan 2023
Viewed by 2587
Abstract
Scores on the ACT college entrance exam predict college grades to a statistically and practically significant degree, but what explains this predictive validity? The most obvious possibility is general intelligence—or psychometric “g”. However, inconsistent with this hypothesis, even when independent measures [...] Read more.
Scores on the ACT college entrance exam predict college grades to a statistically and practically significant degree, but what explains this predictive validity? The most obvious possibility is general intelligence—or psychometric “g”. However, inconsistent with this hypothesis, even when independent measures of g are statistically controlled, ACT scores still positively predict college grades. Here, in a study of 182 students enrolled in two Introductory Psychology courses, we tested whether pre-course knowledge, motivation, interest, and/or personality characteristics such as grit and self-control could explain the relationship between ACT and course performance after controlling for g. Surprisingly, none could. We speculate about what other factors might explain the robust relationship between ACT scores and academic performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Skill Acquisition, Expertise, and Achievement)
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13 pages, 3923 KiB  
Article
Learning and Transfer in Problem Solving Progressions
by Jonathan S. Daniels, David Moreau and Brooke N. Macnamara
J. Intell. 2022, 10(4), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence10040085 - 12 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3019
Abstract
Do individuals learn more effectively when given progressive or variable problem-solving experience, relative to consistent problem-solving experience? We investigated this question using a Rubik’s Cube paradigm. Participants were randomly assigned to a progression-order condition, where they practiced solving three progressively more difficult Rubik’s [...] Read more.
Do individuals learn more effectively when given progressive or variable problem-solving experience, relative to consistent problem-solving experience? We investigated this question using a Rubik’s Cube paradigm. Participants were randomly assigned to a progression-order condition, where they practiced solving three progressively more difficult Rubik’s Cubes (i.e., 2 × 2 × 2 to 3 × 3 × 3 to 4 × 4 × 4), a variable-order condition, where they practiced solving three Rubik’s Cubes of varying difficulty (e.g., 3 × 3 × 3 to 2 × 2 × 2 to 4 × 4 × 4), or a consistent-order condition, where they consistently practiced on three 5 × 5 × 5 Rubik’s Cubes. All the participants then attempted a 5 × 5 × 5 Rubik’s Cube test. We tested whether variable training is as effective as progressive training for near transfer of spatial skills and whether progressive training is superior to consistent training. We found no significant differences in performance across conditions. Participants’ fluid reasoning predicted 5 × 5 × 5 Rubik’s Cube test performance regardless of training condition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Skill Acquisition, Expertise, and Achievement)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: The Consequences of Cognitive Ability for Acquisition of a Real-World Skill

Abstract: We trained participants (N = 79) to solve Rubik’s Cubes in a single, 6-hour session to better understand predictors of skilled performance. Most research on skilled performance is correlational, with skill and predictors measured at a single point in time. In this study, novice participants were trained on the same 7-step Rubik’s Cube solution method. Participants also completed measures of cognitive ability (Gf), grit, mindset, and the “big five” personality facets. Overall, higher Gf was predictive of efficient and accurate Rubik’s cube skill. Furthermore, the relationship between Gf and performance was similar for each of the steps of Rubik’s Cube solution, suggesting that the role of Gf did not decrease as participants gained experience with the task. None of the personality measures were associated with skill, however. The results of this study provide compelling evidence for the importance of intellectual talent (cognitive ability) in developing expertise in a complex task.

Title: Executive functioning in different types of reading disabilities
Author: Cadime
Highlights: - Children with decoding problems had deficits in rapid naming, inhibition, working memory and shifting; - Deficits in those executive functioning skills were not found in children with comprehension problems only; - Children with comprehension problems did not differ in terms of executive functioning from the typical readers.

Title: Music is no Different

Abstract: In several meta-analyses, we have shown that cognitive training, including music training, does not lead to cognitive enhancement. A recent reanalysis (Bigand & Tillmann, 2022) suggests that music may be an exception. By employing different inclusion criteria, they reported a larger overall effect size than we did (g = 0.234 vs. g = 0). We argue that while manipulating inclusion criteria may serve as a sensitivity analysis, the evidence provided by Bigand and Tillmann is far from compelling. To begin with, even if their inclusion criteria were optimal, the overall effect size would be small at best. Also, their inclusion criteria lead to the discarding of some well-designed and adequately powered studies. The average quality design of the included studies is thus severely diminished compared to the original sample and, consequently, the reliability of the results is questionable. We here report a set of additional analyses that show that our original results are robust. The true overall effect size is 0. Technical aspects aside, two additional considerations lead us to think that music training has no impact on cognitive or academic performance. First, no satisfactory theoretical mechanism has ever been proposed, let alone corroborated. Second, a non-null outcome would contradict the broader corpus of evidence regarding music training and cognition. The most parsimonious explanation is that music training exerts no impact on domain-general cognitive skills. Alternative positions are legitimate. Nevertheless, assuming that further investigation is warranted, the way forward is to perform experiments with sound design rather than arguing about the details of meta-analyses.

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