Strategy use on the Ruff Figural Fluency Test

Although the popularity of including figural fluency tests in cognitive and neuropsychological test batteries has increased in recent years, the spontaneous use of strategies on these measures remains poorly understood. This study addressed three questions pertaining to strategy use on the Ruff Figural Fluency Test (RFFT): (i) how common is strategy use, (ii) what information does strategy use convey, and (iii) can examinees learn to use strategies. Findings revealed that nearly seven out of 10 healthy college students used a strategy at least once while taking the RFFT. The number of strategies used and the number of figures produced using a strategy had modest correlations with select executive function measures (D-KEFS Tower Test, Sorting, and Letter & Category Verbal Fluency) in hypothesized directions. When strategies were demonstrated for subjects who did not spontaneously use them, those subjects were able to subsequently use strategies. These findings suggest that although common, failure to spontaneously use a strategy is not unusual. Further, strategy use may reflect a cognitive asset, particularly regarding planning, reasoning, and cognitive flexibility.