Working memory, visual-spatial-intelligence and their relationship to problem-solving

• Published in: Intelligence (Norwood) Vol. 36; no. 6; pp. 672 - 680
• Main Authors: Bühner, Markus, Kröner, Stephan, Ziegler, Matthias
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Orlando, FL Elsevier Inc 01.11.2008; Elsevier; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Arbeitsgedächtnis; Biological and medical sciences; Cognition. Intelligence; Cognitive Ability; Cognitive Measurement; College students; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human; Individual differences; Intellectual and cognitive abilities; Intelligence; Intelligenz (Psy); Learning. Memory; Memory; Predictor Variables; Problem Solving; Problemlösen; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Reasoning; Schüler; Short Term Memory; Simulation; Spatial Ability; Structural Equation Models; Symmetry; Test; Thinking Skills; Undergraduate Students; Visual Perception; Working memory; Working memory; Intelligence; Problem-solving; Reasoning; Human; Problem solving; Spatial ability; Cognition; Intellectual ability
• ISSN: 0160-2896; 1873-7935
• DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2008.03.008

The relationship between working memory, intelligence and problem-solving is explored. Wittmann and Süß showed that working memory shares unique variance with problem-solving beyond intelligence. [The authors] used measures of visuo-spatial intelligence (Gv) and working memory to predict performance in the simulation-based problem-solving test MultiFlux in a sample of N = 144 undergraduate students. SEM analyses showed that while there was no unique contribution of Gv, working memory was a significant predictor of MultiFlux rule knowledge and rule application. This result is not in line with findings by Wittmann and Süß. It is discussed that task content (verbal, figural, numerical) might play an important role in explaining the relationship between intelligence and problem-solving. (Verlag).