Task sequencing does not systematically affect the factor structure of cognitive abilities

Latent variable analyses of cognitive abilities are among the major means by which cognitive psychologists test theories regarding the structure of human cognition. Models are fit to observed variance-covariance structures, and the fit of those models are compared to assess the merits of competing t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychonomic bulletin & review 2024-04, Vol.31 (2), p.670-685
Main Authors: Robison, Matthew K., Celaya, Xavier, Ball, B. Hunter, Brewer, Gene A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aptitude - physiology
Attention - physiology
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Brief Report
Cognition - physiology
Cognitive Psychology
Female
Humans
Intelligence - physiology
Male
Memory, Long-Term - physiology
Memory, Short-Term - physiology
Middle Aged
Psychology
Young Adult
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Summary:Latent variable analyses of cognitive abilities are among the major means by which cognitive psychologists test theories regarding the structure of human cognition. Models are fit to observed variance-covariance structures, and the fit of those models are compared to assess the merits of competing theories. However, an often unconsidered and potentially important methodological issue is the precise sequence in which tasks are delivered to participants. Here we empirically tested whether differences in task sequences systematically affect the observed factor structure. A large sample ( N = 587) completed a battery of 12 cognitive tasks measuring four constructs: working memory, long-term memory, attention control, and fluid intelligence. Participants were assigned to complete the assessment in one of three sequences: fixed and grouped by construct vs. fixed and interleaved across constructs vs. random by participant. We generated and tested two hypotheses: grouping task sequences by construct (i.e., administering clusters of tasks measuring a cognitive construct consecutively) would (1) systematically increase factor loadings and (2) systematically decrease interfactor correlations. Neither hypothesis was supported. The measurement models were largely invariant across the three conditions, suggesting that latent variable analyses are robust to such subtle methodological differences as task sequencing.
ISSN:1069-9384
1531-5320
DOI:10.3758/s13423-023-02369-0