Investment and intellect: A review and meta-analysis

Von Stumm, Sophie and Ackerman, Phillip L.. 2013. Investment and intellect: A review and meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 139(4), pp. 841-869. ISSN 0033-2909 [Article]

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Abstract or Description

Cognitive or intellectual investment theories propose that the development of intelligence is partially influenced by personality traits, in particular by so-called investment traits that determine when, where, and how people invest their time and effort in their intellect. This investment, in turn, is thought to contribute to individual differences in cognitive growth and the accumulation of knowledge across the life span. We reviewed the psychological literature and identified 34 trait constructs and corresponding scales that refer to intellectual investment. The dispositional constructs were further classified into 8 related trait categories that span the construct space of intellectual investment. Subsequently, we sought to estimate the association between the identified investment traits and indicators of adult intellect, including measures of crystallized intelligence, academic performance (e.g., grade point average), college entry tests, and acquired knowledge. A meta-analysis of 112 studies with 236 coefficients and an overall sample of 60,097 participants indicated that investment traits were mostly positively associated with adult intellect markers. Meta-analytic coefficients ranged considerably, from 0 to .58, with an average estimate of .30. We concluded that investment traits are overall positively related to adult intellect; the strength of investment–intellect associations differs across trait scales and markers of intellect; and investment traits have a diverse, multifaceted nature. The meta-analysis also identified areas of inquiry that are currently lacking in empirical research. Limitations, implications, and future directions are discussed.

Item Type:

Article

Identification Number (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030746

Departments, Centres and Research Units:

Psychology
Research Office > REF2014

Dates:

DateEvent
July 2013Published

Item ID:

8150

Date Deposited:

24 May 2013 08:39

Last Modified:

04 Jul 2017 13:56

Peer Reviewed:

Yes, this version has been peer-reviewed.

URI:

https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/8150

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