Cross-task consistency in strategy use and the relationship with intelligence

Two-hundred and forty-three Navy recruits participated in a study that examined the relationship between strategy use and intelligence. Each subject contributed ten enlistment aptitude and achievement scores, took eight additional paper-and-pencil aptitude and intelligence tests, and three computer-administered tests. The computer tests were designed such that as item difficulty increased it became advantageous to strategically shift focus from one aspect of the items to another. Based on reaction time (RT) patterns it was possible to: (a) determine the point along the item difficulty continua where focus shifted, and (b) compare subjects' shift points with the logically optimal shift point. RTs from the computer tests were significantly intercorrelated and were related to psychometric test scores, particularly fluid intelligence. The strategy measures derived from the computer tests were statistically independent from one another and revealed no relationship with any of the psychometric tests. These results cast doubt on previous empirical research and theoretical arguments that strongly link strategy use and general intelligence.