The Impact of Symmetry: Explaining Contradictory Results Concerning Working Memory, Reasoning, and Complex Problem Solving
Findings of studies on the unique effects of reasoning and working memory regarding complex problem solving are inconsistent. To find out if these inconsistencies are due to a lack of symmetry between the studies, we reconsidered the findings of three published studies on this issue, which resulted...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2017-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Intelligence |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/5/2/22 |
| _version_ | 1818320062971379712 |
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| author | Alexandra Zech Markus Bühner Stephan Kröner Moritz Heene Sven Hilbert |
| author_facet | Alexandra Zech Markus Bühner Stephan Kröner Moritz Heene Sven Hilbert |
| author_sort | Alexandra Zech |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Findings of studies on the unique effects of reasoning and working memory regarding complex problem solving are inconsistent. To find out if these inconsistencies are due to a lack of symmetry between the studies, we reconsidered the findings of three published studies on this issue, which resulted in conflicting conclusions regarding the inter-relations between reasoning, working memory, and complex problem solving. This was achieved by analysing so far unpublished problem solving data from the study of Bühner, Krumm, Ziegler, and Plücken (2006) (N= 124). One of the three published studies indicated unique effects of working memory and reasoning on complex problem solving using aggregated scores, a second study found no unique contribution of working memory using only figural scores, and a third study reported a unique influence only for reasoning using only numerical scores. Our data featured an evaluation of differences across content facets and levels of aggregation of the working memory scores. Path models showed that the results of the first study could not be replicated using content aggregated scores; the results of the second study could be replicated if only figural scores were used, and the results of the third study could be obtained by using only numerical scores. For verbal content, none of the published results could be replicated. This leads to the assumption that not only symmetry is an issue when correlating non-symmetrical data, but that content also has to be taken into account when comparing different studies on the same topic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T10:19:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-87a87c942c314083892ef953dcc42059 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-3200 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T10:19:03Z |
| publishDate | 2017-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Intelligence |
| spelling | doaj.art-87a87c942c314083892ef953dcc420592022-12-21T23:51:14ZengMDPI AGJournal of Intelligence2079-32002017-05-01522210.3390/jintelligence5020022jintelligence5020022The Impact of Symmetry: Explaining Contradictory Results Concerning Working Memory, Reasoning, and Complex Problem SolvingAlexandra Zech0Markus Bühner1Stephan Kröner2Moritz Heene3Sven Hilbert4Institut für Notfallmedizin und Medizinmanagement, Klinikum der Universität München, LMU München, 80336 Munich, GermanyDepartment of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80802 Munich, GermanyDepartment of Education, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, 90478 Nuremberg, GermanyDepartment of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80802 Munich, GermanyFaculty of Psychology, Educational Science, and Sport Science, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, GermanyFindings of studies on the unique effects of reasoning and working memory regarding complex problem solving are inconsistent. To find out if these inconsistencies are due to a lack of symmetry between the studies, we reconsidered the findings of three published studies on this issue, which resulted in conflicting conclusions regarding the inter-relations between reasoning, working memory, and complex problem solving. This was achieved by analysing so far unpublished problem solving data from the study of Bühner, Krumm, Ziegler, and Plücken (2006) (N= 124). One of the three published studies indicated unique effects of working memory and reasoning on complex problem solving using aggregated scores, a second study found no unique contribution of working memory using only figural scores, and a third study reported a unique influence only for reasoning using only numerical scores. Our data featured an evaluation of differences across content facets and levels of aggregation of the working memory scores. Path models showed that the results of the first study could not be replicated using content aggregated scores; the results of the second study could be replicated if only figural scores were used, and the results of the third study could be obtained by using only numerical scores. For verbal content, none of the published results could be replicated. This leads to the assumption that not only symmetry is an issue when correlating non-symmetrical data, but that content also has to be taken into account when comparing different studies on the same topic.http://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/5/2/22symmetrycontentworking memoryreasoningcomplex problem solvingMultiFlux |
| spellingShingle | Alexandra Zech Markus Bühner Stephan Kröner Moritz Heene Sven Hilbert The Impact of Symmetry: Explaining Contradictory Results Concerning Working Memory, Reasoning, and Complex Problem Solving Journal of Intelligence symmetry content working memory reasoning complex problem solving MultiFlux |
| title | The Impact of Symmetry: Explaining Contradictory Results Concerning Working Memory, Reasoning, and Complex Problem Solving |
| title_full | The Impact of Symmetry: Explaining Contradictory Results Concerning Working Memory, Reasoning, and Complex Problem Solving |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of Symmetry: Explaining Contradictory Results Concerning Working Memory, Reasoning, and Complex Problem Solving |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of Symmetry: Explaining Contradictory Results Concerning Working Memory, Reasoning, and Complex Problem Solving |
| title_short | The Impact of Symmetry: Explaining Contradictory Results Concerning Working Memory, Reasoning, and Complex Problem Solving |
| title_sort | impact of symmetry explaining contradictory results concerning working memory reasoning and complex problem solving |
| topic | symmetry content working memory reasoning complex problem solving MultiFlux |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/5/2/22 |
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