On the relationships between processing speed, intra-subject variability, working memory, and fluid intelligence – A cross-sectional study

Abstract

The developmental cascade model, elaborated by Fry and Hale (2000) emphasizes the role of age-related increases in processing speed and working memory for the development of fluid intelligence. Given the intimate relationships between intra-subject variability and the aforementioned constructs, the present study set out to determine the role of intra-subject variability within the pathways outlined in the developmental cascade model, postulating a fundamental role of intra-subject variability for the development of processing speed, working memory and fluid intelligence. To that end, N = 403 participants aged 8–18 years took a testing battery including choice reaction time tasks to measure processing speed and intra-subject variability as well as span, operation span and coordination tasks to measure working memory within the empirical framework of Oberauer et al. (2003). Cattell's Culture Fair Test (CFT-20 R) was used to measure fluid intelligence. Our results confirm the well-known close relationships between processing speed, working memory, and fluid intelligence, and show that intra-subject variability is also closely related to these constructs. The results of the present study suggest the extension of the developmental cascade model by the inclusion of intra-subject variability as a fundamental construct.