General intelligence and speed of enumeration

Abstract

A well-known in cognitive psychology trend of increasing enumeration time with an increase in the number of stimuli in a given set is analyzed. Relationships between individual differences in growth trajectories and general intelligence are examined (N = 209). An experimental task “Number of Dots” designed to study the speed of enumeration and a verbal reaction recording technique used for registration of individual response times are described in details. Different methods of analysis of individual growth trajectories such as non-linear regression analysis and structural equation modeling with fixed links between manifest and latent variables are demonstrated. Basic time of enumeration is shown to be weakly negatively correlated with general intelligence whereas a parameter describing intensity of response-time growth with an increase in the number of stimuli in a set is highly negatively correlated with general intelligence. Perspectives of studying of individual differences in the speed of quantity processing are discussed in context of the observed relationships between the enumeration speed and general intelligence.