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ERIC Number: EJ1103230
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016-Jun
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0278-7393
EISSN: N/A
Do Participants Differ in Their Cognitive Abilities, Task Motivation, or Personality Characteristics as a Function of Time of Participation?
Robison, Matthew K.; Unsworth, Nash
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, v42 n6 p897-913 Jun 2016
Four experiments tested the conventional wisdom in experimental psychology that participants who complete laboratory tasks systematically differ in their cognitive abilities, motivational levels, and personality characteristics as a function of the time at which they participate during an academic term. Across 4 experiments with over 2,900 participants from 2 different universities with 2 different academic schedules, no convincing evidence suggested that individuals differ in cognitive abilities (working memory capacity, fluid intelligence, crystallized intelligence, long-term memory, and attention control). Similarly, no evidence suggested participants' task motivation varies systematically with time of participation, nor do any of the Big Five personality traits. The present study concludes that researchers need not be overly concerned with time of participation effects as a potential confound in individual differences or experimental psychology.
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Georgia; Oregon
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Raven Advanced Progressive Matrices
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A