Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 22, 2026
RBDT: A Computerized Task System based in Transposition for the Continuous Analysis of Relational Behavior Dynamics in Humans
Published on: July 17, 2021
Comparing the effects of derived relational training and computer coding on intellectual potential in school-age
1School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Background:
Previous research found that pre-teenage ability to derive arbitrary 'same', 'opposite', 'more', and 'less' relations correlated with measured intelligence quotient (IQ) and that training this derived relational responding (DRR) skill produced substantial IQ rises.
Aims:
This study extended previous work by comparing the effects of DRR training (using strengthening mental abilities with relational training [SMART], an automated online training protocol) with the effects of a similar quantity of training in 'Scratch' computer coding.
Sample:
Twenty-eight children (13 girls) aged 10-11 (M = 10.34) participated, all members of the same class in a primary school in Co. Limerick, Ireland.
Methods:
Participants were tested before and after training for DRR ability as well as on standardized tests of IQ and academic attainment. Training time was limited to 29 hrs over two academic semesters in twice-weekly 1-hr instalments.
Results:
Significant improvements were seen in measures of overall intellectual performance; in digit span and letter/number sequencing; and in academic attainment, including spelling, reading, and numerical operations, in the SMART/DRR group alone, and there was significantly more improvement on these measures in the SMART/DRR group than in the Scratch group.
Conclusions:
These findings extend the evidence that training DRR can produce improvements in intellectual and academic ability.
More Related Videos
08:05Measuring Statistical Learning Across Modalities and Domains in School-Aged Children Via an Online Platform and Neuroimaging Techniques
Published on: June 30, 2020
09:00Author Spotlight: Validation of SICOLE-R for Assessing Cognitive and Reading Skills in Spanish-Speaking Children and Its Role in Personalized Education
Published on: August 16, 2024
Related Concept Videos
01:30Information Processing Approach
01:21Cognitive Learning
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...