Is executive control related to working memory capacity and fluid intelligence?

Area of Science:

• Cognitive psychology
• Psychometrics
• Individual differences research

Background:

• Three cognitive constructs, executive control, working memory capacity (WMC), and fluid intelligence (gF), are central to individual-differences research.
• Previous studies suggest a close relationship between these constructs, but empirical evidence for executive control's correlation with WMC and gF is weak.
• Measurement discrepancies, particularly executive control via reaction times versus WMC/gF via accuracy, may hinder establishing executive control as a latent variable.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the psychometric properties of executive control by measuring it through accuracy.
• To re-examine the relationship between executive control, WMC, and gF using a novel measurement approach for executive control.
• To determine if measuring executive control via accuracy resolves previous difficulties in establishing it as a distinct latent variable.

Main Methods:

• Employed structural equation modeling to analyze data from cognitive tasks.
• Measured executive control using accuracy-based metrics.
• Assessed working memory capacity (WMC) and fluid intelligence (gF) using established accuracy-based measures.

Main Results:

• Structural equation modeling failed to identify a coherent latent factor for executive control, despite good reliability of measures.
• Working memory capacity (WMC) and fluid intelligence (gF), modeled as distinct factors, showed no significant relationship with the individual measures of executive control.
• The attempt to measure executive control through accuracy did not resolve prior challenges in establishing it as a psychometric construct.

Conclusions:

• The findings challenge the existence of executive control as a distinct psychometric construct.
• The assumed close relationship between WMC, gF, and the ability to monitor and control thoughts and actions is questioned.
• Current measurement paradigms may not adequately capture the construct of executive control.