Working Memory and Intelligence--Their Correlation and Their Relation: Comment on Ackerman, Beier, and Boyle (2005).
Abstract
On the basis of a meta-analysis of pairwise correlations between working memory tasks and cognitive ability measures, P. L. Ackerman, M. E. Beier, and M. O. Boyle (2005; see record 2004-22408-002) claimed that working memory capacity (WMC) shares less than 25% of its variance with general intelligence (g) and with reasoning ability. In this comment, the authors argue that this is an underestimation because of several methodological shortcomings and biases. A reanalysis of the data reported in Ackerman et al. using the correct statistical procedures demonstrates that g and WMC are very highly correlated. On a conceptual level, the authors point out that WMC should be regarded as an explanatory construct for intellectual abilities. Theories of working memory do not claim that WMC is isomorphic with intelligence factors but that it is a very strong predictor of reasoning ability and also predicts general fluid intelligence and g.
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Working memory and fluid intelligence share at least 50% of their variance.
“Estimates report a shared variance of at least 50% (Kane, Hambrick, & Conway, 2005;Oberauer, Schulze, Wilhelm, & Suss, 2005)”
From Improving fluid intelligence with training on working memory: a meta-analysis (2015) · cites this paper as Oberauer, Schulze, Wilhelm, & Suss, 2005
Fluid intelligence and WM share common variance.
“Although fluid intelligence and WM share common variance (Colom et al., 2004; Oberauer et al., 2005; Friedman et al., 2006; Harrison et al., 2015)”
From Training on Working Memory and Inhibitory Control in Young Adults (2016) · cites this paper as Oberauer et al., 2005
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- Authors
- Oberauer, K., Schulze, R., Wilhelm, O., & Süß, H.-M.
- Affiliations
- University of Potsdam (DE)
- University of Münster (DE)
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (DE)
- Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg (DE)
- Venue
- Psychological Bulletin
- Published
- 2005
- Volume
- 131
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 61-65
- ISSN
- 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1455
- OpenAlex
- W2107457769
- Cited by
- 410
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 37 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 23
- FWCI
- 21.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (acceptedVersion)
- publish.UP (University of Potsdam) (submittedVersion)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
- Keywords
- working memory capacity, general intelligence, fluid intelligence, reasoning skills, meta-analysis reanalysis, methodological bias, intelligence factors
- MeSH terms
- Humans, Intelligence, Memory
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