Direct and indirect effects of fluid intelligence on the retrieval practice effect.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Retrieval practice with feedback is a powerful learning strategy.
• Individual differences in fluid intelligence (gF) may modulate learning from retrieval practice.
• Previous research suggests gF interacts with item difficulty in retrieval practice effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To generalize findings on the interaction between gF, item difficulty, and retrieval practice effects.
• To investigate the relationship between gF and learning gains during the practice phase.
• To examine the mediating role of practice performance in the gF-retrieval practice effect relationship.

Main Methods:

• 144 participants studied word pairs, followed by restudy or retrieval practice with feedback.
• Cued-recall and fluid intelligence (gF) tests were administered.
• Analysis focused on retrieval practice effects, practice performance, and their relationship with gF.

Main Results:

• Findings on the interaction between gF and item difficulty in retrieval practice were generalized.
• Positive correlations were observed between gF and the number of items recalled during practice.
• Fluid intelligence indirectly influenced the retrieval practice effect, mediated by practice performance.

Conclusions:

• Fluid intelligence plays a significant role in optimizing learning from retrieval practice, particularly for challenging content.
• Individuals with higher gF may employ more effective cognitive strategies during learning and practice.
• Future research should explore mediator generation, retrieval opportunities, and criterion-based learning.