The Stability of Specific Cognitive Ability Scores in Average to High-Ability Students

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Three
  In Roundtable Session: Research on Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent SIG Roundtable: Education and Assessment (Table 18)

Abstract

The temporal stability of specific cognitive ability scores and the practical utility of these scores are the subject of ongoing debate. Many researchers discourage the interpretation of specific ability scores due to commonly reported low stability in low ability samples. However, there is a lack of evidence from the upper average range of the cognitive ability distribution. We investigated the stability of specific ability scores in a sample of 257 students attending the highest track of the German school system (age range = 12.58 - 16.00 years; mean IQ = 107.30) over one school year. The specific ability scores were highly stable (mean r = .79); individual cognitive strengths and weaknesses replicated significantly above chance levels (median κ = .29).

Authors

• Moritz Lion Breit, University of Trier
  Non-Presenting Author

• Vsevolod Scherrer, University of Trier
  Non-Presenting Author

• Franzis Preckel, University of Trier
  Presenting Author