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Individual Differences in Strategy and the Item-Position Effect in Reasoning Ability Measures
Helene M von Gugelberg1, Stefan J Troche1
1Department of Psychology, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
Journal of Intelligence
|July 25, 2025
Summary
Individuals use different reasoning strategies, like constructive matching, which correlates with higher reasoning ability. Strategy shifts during tests are linked to item position, not just ability, suggesting nuanced problem-solving behavior.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Individuals employ distinct strategies (response elimination, constructive matching) when solving reasoning problems, despite item similarity.
- Constructive matching, a systematic approach to problem matrices before evaluating alternatives, often correlates positively with reasoning ability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate individual differences in strategy use during cognitive tests using eye-tracking.
- To examine the relationship between reasoning ability, strategy selection, and item position effects in Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM).
Main Methods:
- Employed eye-tracking metrics (toggle rate, proportional time to first fixation, proportional time on problem matrix) in 210 participants solving the APM.
- Utilized a fixed-links modeling approach and bifactor models to analyze latent model data.
Main Results:
- Confirmed a positive correlation between reasoning ability and constructive matching.
- Demonstrated that changes in strategy use were associated with the item-position effect, not solely reasoning ability.
- Observed diverging effects of item position on strategy use across different eye-tracking metrics, indicating complex problem-solving behavior.
Conclusions:
- Problem-solving behavior is more nuanced than previously assumed, influenced by factors beyond inherent reasoning ability.
- Incorporating the item-position effect is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of individual differences in problem-solving.
- Eye-tracking metrics provide valuable insights into the dynamic nature of strategy shifts during complex cognitive tasks.
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