Processing Speed, Working Memory, and Fluid Intelligence: Evidence for a Developmental Cascade
Abstract
Processing speed, working memory capacity, and fluid intelligence were assessed in a large sample (N = 214) of children, adolescents, and young adults (ages 7 to 19 years) Results of path analyses revealed that almost half of the age-related increase in fluid intelligence was mediated by developmental changes in processing speed and working memory and nearly three fourths of the improvement in working memory was mediated by developmental changes in processing speed Moreover, even when age-related differences in speed, working memory and fluid intelligence were statistically controlled, individual differences in speed had a direct effect on working memory capacity which, in turn was a direct determinant of individual differences in fluid intelligence
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Fry and Hale (1996) found that increasing speed of information processing influenced working memory, which in turn was associated with improvements in fluid intelligence.
“Fry and Hale (1996) examined the influence of increasing speak of information processing on working memory, which in turn, was associated with improvements in fluid intelligence.”
From Developmental cascades (2010) · cites this paper as Fry and Hale (1996)
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- Authors
- Fry, A. F., & Hale, S.
- Affiliations
- Washington University in St. Louis (US)
- Corresponding author
- Fry, Astrid F.
- ORCID
- Hale, Sandra
- Venue
- Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 1996-07
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 237-241
- ISSN
- 0956-7976 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-9280
- OpenAlex
- W2138601867
- Cited by
- 776
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 47 · 2018: 37 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 35 · 2015: 44 · 2014: 44 · 2013: 42 · 2012: 35
- FWCI
- 23.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills
- Keywords
- processing speed, working memory capacity, fluid intelligence, developmental cascades, cognitive development, mediation, individual differences, children and adolescents, age-related cognitive change
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