IQs Corner Recent Literature of Interest 6-30-08

This weeks (actually two weeks worth) recent literature of interest can be found by clicking here and here.


Technorati tags: teaching tool. psychology. educational psychology. school psychology.

WMF Human Cognitive Abilities (HCA) archive project update 6-28-08

The free on-line WMF Human Cognitive Abilities (HCA) archive project was updated today. The major updates included the following:

• A number of new datasets (correlation matrices analyzed in Carroll's 1993 factor analysis meta-analysis) and original journal articles were added to the archive

• An on-line "working" inventory and bibliography of the John "Jack" Carroll correlation matrices being archived is now available. This inventory indicates the status of the archiving of the various datasets.

• A Request for Assistance section has been added.
  

• The HCA project needs help tracking down copies of old journal articles, dissertations, etc. for a number of datasets being archive. Please visit the "master bibliography/inventory" section of this archive and visit the on-line dataset/reference file. When viewing the on-line working inventory, manuscripts/references featured in the color red are those we are currently having trouble locating. If you have access to either a paper or e-copy of any of the designated "fugitive" documents, and would be willing to provide them to WMF to copy/scan (we would cover the costs), please contact Dr. Kevin McGrew at the email address listed at the site.

As of today, 57 of Jack Carroll's original correlation matrices are "in process" for archiving. 27 of the archived datasets are complete - both the correlation matrices and original publications have been posted. 28 other datasets are in various stages of readiness (e.g., either correlation matrix or original publication has been archived--but not both; dataset has been assigned for data entry; etc.).

Please join the WMF HCA listserv to receive routine email updates regarding the WMF HCA project.Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, cognitive, cognition, intelligence, neuropsychology, IQ, IQ tests, IQ scores, HCA, Human Cognitive Abilities, Woodcock-Munoz-Foundation, WMF, John Carroll, CHC, Cattell-Horn-Carroll, HCA project, correlation matrices

CHC g+specific abilities and math ach study published

Another CHC g+specific abilities research study has been published (School Psychology Quarterly) by the research team of Taub, Floyd, Keith and McGrew (that be me, the blogmaster). This study was listed as "in press" in a prior posting announcing the latest CHC g+specific abilities reading publication from our little group. The abstract is below. A copy can be viewed by clicking the "study" link above. [Conflict of interest note - I'm a coauthor of the WJ III, the norm database analyzed for the study]

This program of research continues to suggest that certain specific CHC (Gf-Gc) abilities are important in understanding school achievement above and beyond the effect of g (general intelligence). This study is already included in the ongoing CHC Cognitive Abilities-Achievement Meta-Analysis Project.

Abstract

• This study investigated the direct and indirect effects of general intelligence and 7 broad cognitive abilities on mathematics achievement. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate the simultaneous effects of both general and broad cognitive abilities on students’ mathematics achievement. A hierarchical model of intelligence derived from the Cattell–Horn–Carroll (CHC) taxonomy of intelligence was used for all analyses. The participants consisted of 4 age-differentiated subsamples (ranging from ages 5 to 19) from the standardization sample of the Woodcock–Johnson III (WJ III; Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2001). Data from each of the 4 age-differentiated subsamples were divided into 2 data sets. At each age level, one data set was used for model testing and modification, and a second data set was used for model validation. The following CHC broad cognitive ability factors demonstrated statistically significant direct effects on the mathematics achievement variables: Fluid Reasoning, Crystallized Intelligence, and Processing Speed. In contrast, across all age levels, the general intelligence factor demonstrated indirect effects on the mathematics achievement variable.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, education, school psychology, neuropsychology, WJ III, CHC, Cattell-Horn-Carroll, g+specific, general intelligence, IQ, IQ tests, IQ scores, mathematics, math, Gq

Excercise and brain health

The best blog on brain fitness (SharpBrains) has a post today on
physical excercise and brain fitness. Click link below.

http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2008/06/26/physical-exercise-and-brain-health/

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Lower IQ linked to later dementia

PsychCentral has a news report of a new study linking IQ level and
education and dementia in adulthood.

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/06/26/iq-linked-to-later-life-dementia/2510.html

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FMRI taking stock article

No doubt that fMRI research has become a very sexy topic these days,
especially in the popular press. Mind Hacks has a very good post on
the limits of this brain technology and questions that are being
asked. Click link and think.

http://www.mindhacks.com/blog/2008/06/the_fmri_smackdown_c.html

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US troops to receive cognitive screening

A good idea although a bit late for many of our troops.

http://www.psycport.com/showArticle.cfm?xmlFile=knightridder%5F2008%5F06%5F25%5F%5F0000%2D3651%2DHC%2DU%2DS%2DTroops%2DTo%2DGet%2DCognitive%2DScreening%2D0625%2Exml&provider=The%20Hartford%20Courant%2C%20Connecticut

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IQs Corner APA book nook 6-23-08

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A new issue of PsycCRITIQUES is available online. If you would like subscription information, please go to http://www.apa.org/psyccritiques. If you have a subscription to the product and experience any access problems, please go to http://members1.apa.org/memhelp1.html. June 25, 2008 Volume 53, Issue 26 Book Reviews 1. Developing Clinical Skills in Suicide Assessment, Prevention, and Treatment Author: Jason M. McGlothlin Reviewer: Robert A. Bischoff 2. Beyond Bullets and Bombs: Grassroots Peacebuilding Between Israelis and Palestinians Author: Judy Kuriansky (Ed.) Reviewer: Iris Fodor 3. Robert Schumann: Life and Death of a Musician Author: John Worthen Reviewer: Aaron Kozbelt 4. The Cambridge Companion to Vygotsky Authors: Harry Daniels, Michael Cole, and James V. Wertsch (Eds.) Reviewers: Janet E. Kuebli and Accalia R. Kusto 5. Detoxing Childhood: What Parents Need to Know to Raise Happy, Successful Children Author: Sue Palmer Reviewer: Tanya Telfair Sharpe Toxic Childhood: How the Modern World Is Damaging Our Children and What We Can Do About It Author: Sue Palmer Reviewer: Tanya Telfair Sharpe 6. Neoliberalism, Globalization and Inequalities: Consequences for Health and Quality of Life Author: Vicente Navarro (Ed.) Reviewer: Chris E. Stout 7. Brain, Mind, and Medicine: Essays in Eighteenth-Century Neuroscience Authors: Harry Whitaker, C. U. M. Smith, and Stanley Finger (Eds.) Reviewer: Simon Boag 8. Developmental Science and Psychoanalysis: Integration and Innovation Authors: Linda Mayes, Peter Fonagy, and Mary Target (Eds.) Reviewer: David Elkind 9. Poor People Author: William T. Vollmann Reviewer: Helena M. Carlson 10. School Counseling to Close the Achievement Gap: A Social Justice Framework for Success Author: Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy Reviewer: Mike Bonner Video Review 11. Problems of Eating and Weight Management with G. Terence Wilson Reviewers: Christopher L. Edwards and Katie Rickel Film Review 12. Juno Director: Jason Reitman Reviewers: Jacqueline Remondet Wall and David G. Wall

Vocabulary test performance by age

Interesting study that suggests that measured vocabulary in adulthood
may vary as a function of test format interacting with age. Click
link to read abstract.

http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=search.displayRecord&uid=2008-07367-012

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Math and cognitive/intellectual abilities: Special Dev Neuropsych issue

Too much to read...not enough time. The journal Developmental Neuropsychology (rapidly becoming one of my favorite journals) just published a special issue on math and cognitive abilities. The titles make my mouth water....I wish I had time to read them all. The Table of Contents can be viewed by clicking here...as well as the editors introduction.

I'll make my "copies-in-exchange-for-blog-posts-offer." If anyone would like to read a copy of one of the articles, I'll provide a pdf copy off-line in exchange for a guest blog post re: the article.

I think this issue may be important to us who continue to try to link contemporary research on human cognitive abilities and school learning...this time in math.Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, developmental, developmental neuropsychology, neuroscience, math, Gq, LD, learning disabilities, dyscalculia

More on brain fitness field

Another news report on the buzz in the field of brain fitness. Check
link below.

http://www.openeducation.net/2008/06/15/experts-state-brain-exercise-as-important-as-physical-activity/

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God and IQ

Richard Lynn is again publishing controversial research on the
relations between intelligence and other variables--this time belief
in God. I'll wait to read the published article. His conclusion--
those with higher intelligence believe less in God. This is sure to
be "hot" in the popular press. Lynn is a highly respected scholar on
human intelligence. See news report at link.

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=402381

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Jensen's Clocking the Mind: Another book review

I've previously posted two reviews of Arthur Jensen's "Clocking the Mind" book. I just found a third review (click here to view). Readers now have three different reviews of this high profile book in the field of intelligence research.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, IQ, intelligence, g, general intelligence, reaction time, Clocking the Mind, chronometry, Arthur Jensen

Intelligence (IQ) and work

I just stumbled across a very nice review article (by Linda Gottfredson in the Journal of Career Assessment, 2003) that provides an overview of the state-of-the art of cognitive ability assessment in vocational psychology. Vocational/career assessment is not my cup of tea, but I have high regard for the work of Gottfredson, a top scholar in the field of intelligence (see link to her web page under "IQ Scholars" section of blog). Below is the abstract, followed by a few featured conclusions.

Abstract

• Abilities are as important as interests in career choice and development. Reviving cognitive assessment in career counseling promises to help counselees better understand their career options and how to enhance their competitiveness for the ones they prefer. Nearly a century of research on human cognitive abilities and jobs’ aptitude demands in the U.S. economy reveals that the two domains are structured in essentially the same way. The author describes that common structure and how it can be used in assessing person-job match in terms of general ability level and ability profile. She also suggests ways of resolving various technical and professional questions, such as which cognitive abilities to assess, how to assess them, what the most useful aptitude-based occupational classification would be, and how to use cognitive assessments in a broader “reality-based exploration” process intended to expand people’s career opportunities.

What I particularly liked was Gottfredson's use of the Carroll tri-stratum model (aka, CHC theory) as the preferred model for understanding cognitive abilities in a vocational/career setting. The literature review is a nice overview of the major conclusions re: the effectiveness/utility of general, broad, and narrow cognitive abilities in vocational and career assessment research. A few interesting tidbits from her article related to utility of cognitive abilities as a function of breadth (stratum level) are noted below. There is much more to the article, so I'm only featuring a few points I found of interest as it relates to my interest and research in CHC theory. Gottfredson provides an excellent overview of the role of non-cognitive traits (personality, interests, emotional intelligence, etc.), but I'll let the reader decide if they want to read this information (space constraints of this blog format). In most cases the statements below are direct quotes.


Narrow abilities: The more specific or narrow an ability is, the more trainable and subject to shared family influences it seems to be. These facts are exceedingly important. They mean that there may be much scope for changing our narrower skills but that we must work with (rather than expect to change) our most general abilities.

General intellignece (g): The most general abilities are the best overall predictors of job performance... Meta-analyses have shown that the most general ability, g, predicts performance to some extent in all jobs In contrast, Stratum II (broad) abilities add little to the prediction of performance above and beyond g and then only in selected groups of jobs (e.g., spatial ability in certain technical and artistic jobs, speeded tests of clerical ability in clerical jobs). Stratum II abilities tend to predict job performance fairly well but generally only to the extent that they also reflect g...only that more general abilities are more broadly useful across the great variety of tasks and settings that we encounter in the workplace....low
general abilities greatly constrain the range of a person’s options in the workplace.

Broad abilities: Stratum II abilities are highly correlated among individuals of below average IQ (g), but the correlations weaken in higher IQ populations. In other words, brighter individuals tend to have more jagged Stratum II ability profiles. This suggests that profile shape may add more to the prediction of performance, beyond profile level, in higher IQ populations.....The broad cognitive abilities tend not to correlate much with either vocational interests or personality (e.g., Ackerman &Heggestad, 1997). The relative independence of the cognitive and noncognitive domains means that cognitive assessments provide useful information that cannot be obtained from the noncognitive inventories of personal traits. There are important points of overlap, as we shall see, but they are fairly localized.

Why cognitive tests are useful: Contrary to initial expectation, mental tests predict performance to some extent in all jobs, best in the most cognitively complex jobs, best when performance is measured objectively and relates to the most core technical duties of a job, and almost always better than any other type of predictor. Moreover, specifically tailored cognitive test batteries do little better than a lone measure of g. Tests of spatial and clerical aptitudes add slightly to variance predicted but only in certain groups of occupations. Assessments of less cognitive traits (temperament, interests, and the like) also add little to the prediction of core job performance, although they do outpredict g when organizational “citizenship” (helpful to coworkers, professional demeanor, and such) is the performance criterion. Psychomotor abilities and length of experience in a job predict performance best where g predicts it least, namely, in the lowest level, most routine jobs. The advantages of relatively greater experience fade at higher average levels of experience, but the advantages of higher g do not.

Broad and g relative importance: Thus, when we look across the full landscape of occupations, two features of ability requirements stand out. First, the single Stratum III ability, g, is relevant to all jobs but especially so in the most cognitively demanding and prestigious ones. Second, differences in ability profiles at the Stratum II level also matter, but they are secondary in importance. Their effects are smaller and more narrowly
targeted.

Figure 2 (Occupational aptitude patterns map) is a neat way to demonstrate the relations between cognitive ability and 12 clusters of work. Check it out. I love "big picture" summary charts and figures.

I'd have to examine the research studies reviewed by Gottfredson, but I wonder if the power of "g" may be overestimated in this literature due to the same type of methodological limitations that, for years, tended to suggest the same "g"-dominance in understanding school achievement. More recent g+specific abilities school achievement research which has used comprehensive measures of the major CHC abilities and employed SEM methods have suggested that more specific (broad or narrow abilities) are important "above and beyond" the influence of "g" and that the influence of "g" may be more of an indirect effect mediated via broad and narrow abilities. I'd like to see similarly designed studies in this field.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, vocationnal psychology, careers, career assessment, IQ, intelligence, IQ scores, general intelligence, CHC, CHC theory, Cattell-Horn-Carroll, interests

Announcement of ADDA Conference

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Begin forwarded message:

The 2008 National Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) Conference this July 10-13 in Minneapolis

                                   "Adult AD/HD: People, Purpose & Passion – Pathways for Success"

The conference features some of the biggest names in AD/HD, including keynote presentations by:

Sari Solden , MS, LMFT, on " A 'Whole' New View of Success – Aiming for Wholeness Instead of Perfection"

Ned Hallowell , MD, on "Finding the Buried Treasure in ADD"

John Ratey , MD, on "The Spark for Success"

  Other topics include:

  ·         Medical Management and Treatment

·         Science and Research

·         College Challenges and Success

·         Workplace and Career Issues

·         Life Skills

·         ADHD and Addictions

·         Family and Relationship Issues

·         Non-AD/HD Spouses

·         Time Management and Organization

·         Women's and Men's Issues

·         Coaching       ………and much, much more!      Check it out on www.add.org    

  CEU's are available!

Please contact Beverly Rohman with questions:

Beverly H. Rohman
ADDA Board member and Conference Co-Chair
Learning Consultant & Senior Certified ADHD Coach
The Learning Connections, LLC
Easton , MD 21601
Phone: 410-763-7097

E-mail: Beverly@thelearningconnections.net

IQs Corner APA book nook reviews 6-18-08

A new issue of PsycCRITIQUES is available online.

• If you would like subscription information, please go to http://www.apa.org/psyccritiques.
• If you have a subscription to the product and experience any access problems, please go to http://members1.apa.org/memhelp1.html.

---

June 18, 2008
Volume 53, Issue 25

Book Reviews
1.	Multiculturalism and Intergroup Relations: Psychological Implications for Democracy in Global Context Author: Fathali M. Moghaddam Reviewers: Ying-yi Hong and Jennifer L. Rosner
2.	Culture and Identity in a Muslim Society Author: Gary S. Gregg Reviewer: Judith L. Gibbons
3.	The Averaged American: Surveys, Citizens, and the Making of a Mass Public Author: Sarah E. Igo Reviewer: James H. Capshew
4.	ACT for Depression: A Clinician's Guide to Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Treating Depression Author: Robert D. Zettle Reviewer: Dolores E. McCarthy
5.	Bipolar Expeditions: Mania and Depression in American Culture Author: Emily Martin Reviewer: Henderikus J. Stam
6.	Touching Your Lifethread and Revaluing the Feminine: A Process of Psychospiritual Change Author: Patricia M. Berliner Reviewer: Brent Dean Robbins
7.	Narrating Social Order: Agoraphobia and the Politics of Classification Author: Shelley Z. Reuter Reviewer: Tracy A. Knight
8.	Functional Behavioral Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment: A Complete System for Education and Mental Health Settings Authors: Ennio Cipani and Keven M. Schock Reviewers: Craig Marker and Beverly Jean-Jacques
9.	“If You Turned into a Monster”: Transformation through Play: A Body-Centered Approach to Play Therapy Author: Dennis McCarthy Reviewer: Alice Sterling Honig
Retrospective Review
10.	Knowledge for What? The Place of Social Science in American Culture Author: Robert Lynd Reviewer: David L. Krantz
Video Review
11.	Counseling Clients Who Have Trouble Conceiving with Susan H. McDaniel Reviewer: Robert J. Edelmann Counseling Clients Who Have Difficulty Getting Pregnant Again with Susan H. McDaniel Reviewer: Robert J. Edelmann
Film Review
12.	Gone Baby Gone Director: Ben Affleck Reviewer: Kimberly Kirkland

More on brain fitness revolution

Another news article on the growing brain fitness movement.

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SharpBrains Update: Emerging Tools, Not Magic Pills

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Begin forwarded message:

From: SharpBrains

June 2008 #1

SharpBrains Brain Fitness Newsletter Dear Friend Brain Fitness Webinar Series: Our first Brain Fitness Webinar Series was a success with several hundred participants and great feedback. If you could not participate, you can still review the presentation slides by clicking Here. A key message from the series: it is exciting that our brains remain more flexible, at all ages, than was once thought possible. The implications? Every single owner of a brain can benefit from learning more about how to maintain the "It" in "Use It or Lose It." And which tools, if any, can be helpful. But, remember, there are no magic pills for cognitive health and performance. Market News National Neurotechnology Initiative: Neurotech leaders ask for help to support a pending bill on funding for applications of brain research. Lumos Labs raises $3 m in venture capital: This website provides a stimulating user experience at a reasonable cost. However, there is no clinical validation showing the efficacy of their specific brain training program. If you are in the market for programs than make brain-related claims, please check out our 10-Question Evaluation Checklist. Click Here. Report for Brain Fitness Centers: We are happy to see more organizations, from retirement communities to health systems, benefit from our market report to navigate the brain fitness field and make better informed decisions. Research Executive Functions, Education and Alzheimer's Disease: What we find exciting is the growing amount of research showing how specific cognitive skills (attention, memory, etc....) can be improved. An important reason why the search for a "magic pill" will prove elusive is because there is a variety of brain structures and functions to care care of, not just one. An area that deserves more attention: our frontal lobes and so-called executive functions. Promising Cognitive Training Studies for ADHD: Dr. David Rabiner reports the results from two recent scientific studies highlighting that "cognitive training interventions may provide an important complement to traditional medication treatment and behavior therapy" to help children with attention deficits. Education Cognitive and Emotional Development Through Play: Enough about "exercise" and "training". Dr. David Elkind, author of The Power of Play: Learning That Comes Naturally, discusses the need to build a more "playful culture." Health and Wellness Physical or Mental Exercise for Brain Health?: Both are important. Advice for a couch potato: Be Active. For a teenager: Don't Drop Out of School, Go To College. For a middle age person: Make Sure you Have a Stimulating Job. For a retired person: Find and Try to Master A New Hobby Every Few Years. Professional Development Your Trading Brain: Expert or Novice: Information is power, yet, how often do we ask ourselves, "how does my brain work?". Trader and neuropsychologist Dr. Janice Dorn provides an in-depth discussion to help traders make better decisions and be more successful. Brain Teasers Brain Games: Spot the Difference. You can exercise your brain without spending a dime. In fact, you may well already be. We hope you enjoy this newsletter. Please stay tuned for the next one at the end of June. It will include a fascinating interview with Dr. Arthur Kramer on the cognitive benefits of physical exercise and his cutting-edge cognitive training work with the Navy and air controllers. Have a stimulating week! The SharpBrains Team email: afernandez@sharpbrains.com phone: (415) 318.3467 web: http://www.sharpbrains.com

Executive function training - does it transfer?

My recent FYI post regarding reported transfer effects (to Gf) from working memory (Gsm-MW) training tasks generated a number of posted comments (go to link and see original post plus comments). Today Developing Intelligence has a nice critique of another study dealing with potential transfer (or lack, thereof) from training on an executive function "updating" task and possible neurological changes based on neuroimaging data.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, executive function, working memory, fMRI

Schizophrenai and brain development video

Thanks to Deric Bownd's Mindblog for the FYI tip regarding an on-line instructional video demonstrating the differences between the brains of normal children and children with schizophrenia.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, intelligence, schizophrenia, instruction, neuropsychology, neuroscience

115 year old healthy brain

Just because a person gets old it doesn't mean your brain
deteriorates. Interesting story about the brain of the 115 year old
Dutch women who recently passed away. I'm not sure I want to use here
"secret"

http://www.psycport.com/showArticle.cfm?xmlFile=ap%5F2008%5F06%5F13%5Fap%2Eonline%2Eall%5FD91992CO0%5Fnews%5Fap%5Forg%2Eanpa%2Exml&provider=Associated%20Press

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IQs Corner Recent Literature of Interest 6-13-08

This weeks recent literature of interest can be found by clicking here.

Technorati tags: teaching tool. psychology. educational psychology. school psychology.

IQs Corner on the Wiki radar screen and under debate

Today I was flattered to learn that this humble blog (IQ's Corner) is a point of a spirited debate as a possible external reference link for the Intelligence page in Wikipedia. There is even a "request for comment on the inclusion of McGrew's blog" in the article discussion section.

I'm not going to make any comments regarding the various statements (pro or con), except to say that some of the commentators "get it"...that is, they understand what the primary purpose of the blog is, as stated in the header banner.

I take this current debate and request for comments as a compliment. It means that IQ's Corner is highly visible and is on the radar screen of serious scholars and others. It is obviously meeting some kind of need. I'm flattered and encouraged.

I want to thank all my regular readers for their support. I shall continue the blog "as is"...regardless of the Wiki debate.

WMF Human Cognitive Abilities Project Update: 4 more matrices available

Four more of John "Jack" Carroll's original 1993-analyzed correlation matrices have been added to the WMF Human Cognitive Abilities Archive Project . Click here for the original announcement and description of this project, as well as links to the project archive

The four correlation matrices added today are from the following studies included in Carroll's 1993 treatise.

• ALLE11: Allen, T.W., Rose, A.M., Kraner, L.J. (1978). An information processing approach to performance assessment: III. An elaboration and refinement of an information processing performance battery. Washington, D.C.: American Institutes for Research. (Technical Report No.3, AIR 58500-11/78-TR)

• ALLE12: Allen, T.W., Rose, A.M., Kraner, L.J. (1978). An information processing approach to performance assessment: III. An elaboration and refinement of an information processing performance battery. Washington, D.C.: American Institutes for Research. (Technical Report No.3, AIR 58500-11/78-TR)
  

• ANAS11: Anastasi, A. (1932). Further studies on the memory factor. Archives of Psychology (N.Y.), 22, No. 142

• ARLI01: Arlin, P. (1982). A multitrait-multimethod validity study of a test of formal reasoning. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 1982, 42, 1077-1088

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, intelligence, cognition, Human Cognitive Abilities, John Carroll, Woodcock-Munoz Foundation, WMF, CHC theory, Gf-Gc, IQ, factor analysis

IQ Research bytes # 3: Reading fluency and writing dispositions

A couple of interesting articles related to school learning in reading and writing.

First, there has been much recent interest (in the area of LD eligibility) in reading fluency. The following article identifies three different types of fluency....fluency at the word level, at the semantic level of phrases and sentences, and at the level of paragraph text comprehension. All three were found to be related to reading comprehension.

Klauda. S. & Guthrie, J. Relationships of Three Components of Reading Fluency to Reading Comprehension. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100 (2), 310–321 (click to view)

• Abstract: This study examined the relationships of 3 levels of reading fluency—the individual word, the syntactic unit, and the whole passage—to reading comprehension among 278 5th graders heterogeneous in reading ability. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that reading fluency at each level related uniquely to performance on a standardized reading comprehension test in a model including inferencing skill and background knowledge. The study supports an automaticity effect for word recognition speed and an automaticity-like effect related to syntactic processing skill. In addition, hierarchical regressions using longitudinal data suggest that fluency and reading comprehension have a bidirectional relationship. The discussion emphasizes the theoretical expansion of reading fluency to 3 levels of cognitive processes and the relations of these processes to reading comprehension.

Second, as I've written before, I have a strong belief in the importance of conative variables in school learning. I've outlined a suggested model (MACM - Model of Academic Competence)of such factors in the "Beyond IQ Project" . The following article touches on some of these variables in the development of a writing dispositions scale. As per the MACM model, I would consider the factors the authors identified as being similar to domains in the MACM model (persistence in writing = academic motivation; confidence in writing = academic self-efficacy and ability conception; passion toward writing = intrinsic motivation and academic interests/attitudes). An important finding from this study is that it is possible to develop empirical measures of MACM constructs.

Piazza, C. & Siebert, C. (2008). Development and Validation of a Writing Dispositions Scale for Elementary and Middle School Students. Journal of Educational Research, 101 (5), 275-285. (click to view)

• Abstract: The authors report the development and validationof the Writing Dispositions Scale (WDS), a self-report instrument for measuring affective stances toward writing. The authors collected survey data from 854 elementary and middle school students and randomly split the data to facilitate both an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The findings of the EFA demonstrated that an 11-item WDS has desirable internal and content reliability and discriminant validity. The CFA supported the item selection of the EFA and demonstrated excellent factorial validity and reliability. The analyses confirmed that writing dispositions are related to 3 affective stances: confidence, persistence, and passion toward writing.

Spot differences game: Parts of brain used

From Sharp Brains blog.

http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2008/06/11/brain-games-spot-the-difference/

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Journal feature: Intelligence

Below is the table of contents of the most recent issue of the journal Intelligence. If anyone is interested in reading a specific article and generating a guest blog post, contact me and let me know.

	1.	Editorial Board Intelligence, Volume 36, Issue 4, July-August 2008, Page ii
	2.	Delay discounting and intelligence: A meta-analysis Intelligence, Volume 36, Issue 4, July-August 2008, Pages 289-305 Noah A. Shamosh, Jeremy R. Gray
	3.	Relevance of education and intelligence for the political development of nations: Democracy, rule of law and political liberty Intelligence, Volume 36, Issue 4, July-August 2008, Pages 306-322 Heiner Rindermann
	4.	Black–White differences on IQ and grades: The mediating role of elementary cognitive tasks Intelligence, Volume 36, Issue 4, July-August 2008, Pages 323-329 Bryan J. Pesta, Peter J. Poznanski
	5.	Becoming an expert in the musical domain: It takes more than just practice Intelligence, Volume 36, Issue 4, July-August 2008, Pages 330-338 Joanne Ruthsatz, Douglas Detterman, William S. Griscom, Britney A. Cirullo
	6.	How does the strength of the relationships between cognitive abilities evolve over the life span for low-IQ vs high-IQ adults? Intelligence, Volume 36, Issue 4, July-August 2008, Pages 339-349 Bruno Facon
	7.	A cognitive cascade in infancy: Pathways from prematurity to later mental development Intelligence, Volume 36, Issue 4, July-August 2008, Pages 367-378 Susan A. Rose, Judith F. Feldman, Jeffery J. Jankowski, Ronan Van Rossem
	8.	Susan R. Homack and Cecil R. Reynolds Alan S. Kaufman and Nadeen L. Kaufman, Editors, Essentials of assessment with brief intelligence tests, Publisher: Wiley (2007) ISBN 978-0-471-26412-5 Paperback 189 pages, Reviewed by Gareth Hagger-Johnson. Intelligence, Volume 36, Issue 4, July-August 2008, Pages 379-380 Gareth Hagger Johnson
	9.	Stephen J. Ceci and Wendy M. Williams, Editors, Why aren't more women in science?, American Psychological Association, Washington, DC (2007) 13: 978-1-59147-485-2. Intelligence, Volume 36, Issue 4, July-August 2008, Pages 380-382 Richard Lynn

Dissertation dish: Temporal processing and early reading development

I just made a dissertation dish post at IQ's Corner sister blog, the IQ Brain Clock, re: a longitudinal study demonstrating the importance of temporal processing and reading.

ITEMS: Ed measurement/statistics web-based instructional modules

I just read about the ITEM project in the latest issue of Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice. All school-based assessment professionals might want to take a look and see....the materials may be useful in educating others about what scores mean, what they do and don't tell us, and what score differences mean.

Project Description from ITEMS web page (emphasis and links added by IQ's Corner blogmaster)

• In the current No Child Left Behind era, K-12 teachers and administrators are expected to have a sophisticated understanding of standardized test results, use them to improve instruction, and communicate them to others. Many educators, however, have never had the opportunity to acquire the "assessment literacy" required for these roles. The goal of the ITEMS project, directed by Rebecca Zwick of the University of California Santa Barbara, was to develop and evaluate three Web-based instructional modules in educational measurement and statistics to address this training gap. We created three 25-minute modules: "What's the Score?" (2005), "What Test Scores Do and Don't Tell Us" (2006), and "What's the Difference?" (2007). Overall, 250 K-12 teachers and administrators participated in our research, which demonstrated the effectiveness of the modules in communicating educational measurement and statistics concepts, especially for teacher education students. Our modules are now freely available on our website, http://items.education.ucsb.edu, in low- and high-bandwidth versions, with optional closed captioning. Also posted are supplementary materials, including glossaries, formulas, reference lists, and quizzes corresponding to each module. The provision of this training in a convenient and economical way is intended to assist schools with the successful implementation and interpretation of assessments. Several school districts have let us know they are using the materials, and at least one teacher education program has incorporated them into its curriculum.

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