can auditory tasks measure speed of processing? ian t. zajac 1, nicholas r. burns 1, ted nettelbeck...
TRANSCRIPT
Can Auditory Tasks Measure Speed of
Processing?
Ian T. Zajac1, Nicholas R. Burns1, Ted Nettelbeck1 & Vanessa Danthiir2
1School of Psychology, University of Adelaide, South Australia2CSIRO Human Nutrition
A Neglected Domain
• The Auditory modality is a neglected domain in intelligence models and tests
– 1971 – Lazar Stankov– 1993 – John B. Carroll– 2007 – Kristin Seidel
But, What Do We Know?
• A broad auditory factor (Ga) can be defined by certain auditory tasks
• Ga is relatively independent of other broad factors
• Two persistent factors of Speech abilities and Non-speech abilities
But, What Do We Know?
Sensory Processes
Perceptual Processes
ThinkingProcesses
Analogous to those required by intelligence tests
Speech Factors
Non-Speech Factors
Auditory abilities can be organised into three hierarchically organised layers
Can Auditory Tasks Measure Gs?
Visual Tasks Auditory Tasks
Visual RT Auditory RT
2-choice Visual RT 2-choice Auditory RT
3-choice Visual RT 3-choice Auditory RT
Chasing Digits – Visual Chasing Digits – Auditory
Symbol Digit Audio Code
Finding As Hearing As
Number Comparisons Tone Comparisons
Study 1 N=96 Undergraduates (69 Females; 27 Males). Aged M=20.0 years (SD=4.0 years)
Study 2 N=80 Undergraduates (56 Females; 24 Males). Aged M=20.5 years (SD=4.0 years)
Study 1: Structure of Speed Tasks
Split-half Test-Retest
VRT.90 -
ART.72 -
ART2 .91 .63
ART3 .87 -
CDA .52 .69
SD.84 -
AC.75 .89
HAS .84 .80
TC.79 .76
RT
VRTe1
SARTe2 .56
2ARTe3
3ARTe4
Gs
ACe5
HAse7
TCe8 .55
SDe9
VITe10
-.5 9
CDe11
.53
[χ²(33)=53.13, p=.01, CFI=.93, RMSEA=.08, SRMR=.06]
Study 1: Musical Ability & Speed Tasks
[χ²(61)=94.14, p=.004, CFI=.91, RMSEA=.07, SRMR=.08]
Study 1: Ga & Speed Tasks[χ²(59)=89.20, p=.007, CFI=.92, RMSEA=.07, SRMR=.07]
Study 1: Movement Time & Speed Tasks
[χ²(72)=105.32, p=.006, CFI=.92, RMSEA=.07, SRMR=.08]
Study 1: Conclusions
Auditory tasks showed adequate reliability
Auditory measures defined strong RT and Gs factors which were moderately related
Ga functions and Music Ability do not account for variance in Gs and RT factors
Motor movement can account for variance in Gs and RT, but these factors remain moderately related
Study 2: Structure of Speed Tasks
Gs
CDa
.68 CDv
.72
FAs.65
HAs.27
NC.59
AC
.55
SD
.65
VIT
-.37
RT
TCe
VRT3e
VRT2e
ART3e
ART2e
-.53
.99
.63
.64
.50
e
e
e
e
e
e
e
e
-.60
.35
.35
.35
.63
[χ²(60)=93.44, p=.003; CFI=.92; RMSEA=.08; SRMR=.08]
Study 2: Sensitivity & Speed Tasks
Gs
CDa
.68 CDv
.72
FAs.65
HAs.27
NC.59
AC
.55
SD
.65
VIT
-.37
RT
TCe
VRT3e
VRT2e
ART3e
ART2e-.5
3
.99
.63
.64
.50
e
e
e
e
e
e
e
e
-.60
.35
.35
.35
.63
AS
-.18
.28
[χ²(71)=107.73, p=.003; CFI=.91; RMSEA=.08; SRMR=.08]
-.57
Study 2: Predicting the Criterion
• APM regressed onto:
• Combined GsV and GsVA– GsV entered first [R=.45, R²=.20]
– GsVA entered next [R=.46, R²=.21]
– Change in R² [F(1,77)=.89, p=.35]
R R² f p
Visual RT .13 .02 1.25 .26
Visual/Auditory RT .12 .02 1.25 .26
Visual Gs .45 .20 19.66 <.001
Visual/Auditory Gs .38 .15 13.38 <.001
Study 2: Conclusions
• Despite increasing the number of Visual Gs tests, distinct Gs and RT factors were again present
• Auditory Sensitivity was unrelated to the speed factors
Overall Conclusions
• Auditory tasks which maintain the same cognitive requirements as visual tasks can measures Gs
• Processing involved in these tasks is located at the ‘thinking level’ as the tasks are generally unrelated to modality specific functions
• The measurement of Gs using only visual tasks may not be biased because adding auditory measures does not alter its relationship to the criterion variable
Thanks for listening!