ERIC Number: EJ985131
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Dec
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1041-6080
EISSN: N/A
Computer-Paced versus Experimenter-Paced Working Memory Span Tasks: Are They Equally Reliable and Valid?
Bailey, Heather
Learning and Individual Differences, v22 n6 p875-881 Dec 2012
Working memory span tasks are popular measures, in part, because performance on these tasks predicts performance on other measures of cognitive ability. The traditional method of span-task administration is the experimenter-paced version, whose reliability and validity have been repeatedly demonstrated. However, computer-paced span tasks are becoming increasingly more popular. Despite their popularity, no study had systematically compared experimenter-paced and computer-paced versions of the reading span and operation span tasks. Such a comparison is important because research labs in many universities across many countries administer these span tasks with a variety of methods. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of computer-paced span tasks and to compare these estimates to those of experimenter-paced span tasks. Results indicated that experimenter-paced and computer-paced span tasks share some overlap, but also measure additional and distinct processes. Computer-paced span tasks were highly reliable measures as well as valid indicators of fluid intelligence (Gf). Thus, computer-paced span tasks may be the optimal type of administration given their methodological advantages over experimenter-paced span tasks. (Contains 1 figure and 5 tables.)
Descriptors: Short Term Memory, Pacing, Cognitive Tests, Cognitive Ability, Computer Assisted Testing, Test Validity, Test Reliability, Comparative Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A