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The relation between response time and performance in cognitive tasks is increasingly evident. In the present study, we analyzed the effect of participants' spontaneous speed when responding to a mental rotation task. We carried out a data reanalysis from a previous study where a training of 3 practice sessions of 100 trials each was applied. The procedure was applied to a sample of 21 high school students (11 boys, 10 girls). The relation between response time and performance (hits) across the training trials was analyzed. In addition, we carried out a regression analysis of performance on the learning task as a function of response time on that same task, as well as with the score on two previously applied tests of spatial intelligence and fluid intelligence. Results showed, (a) a significant relationship (r = 0.624) between response time and hits, (b) that the group of participants with longer response times performed better; (c) that participants' response time explained most of the variance of their score on the training task in the regression analysis, although spatial and fluid intelligence scores improved the prediction of performance. Our results suggest that the reflective style achieves greater performance in solving spatial tasks, which could have important practical implications to promote a slower and more reflective style when solving school tasks with spatial components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, numerous pretest-posttest study designs have evaluated attention impairments and effectiveness of attention training. However, some of the attention tasks used in these studies show a lack of temporal stability analysis that reduces confidence in attention training outcomes. We aim to analyze the temporal stability within three attention tasks using different measures of attention (speed measures, accuracy measures, and global attention indexes) and the convergent validity between the measures. A total of 178 university students completed three attention tasks with a time interval of one week. Speed measures of attention showed higher test-retest reliability and higher convergence than accuracy measures. Accuracy measures showed nonnormal distributions and small range of variability to provide sufficient discrimination. Speed measures showed high practice effects. These results are consistent with previous studies of temporal stability and convergent validity of attention tasks. However, further studies of commonly used attention tasks are necessary in healthy and clinical samples. Additionally, attention training studies should include a control group to subtract the practice effect of speed measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computerized tasks allow a more fine-grained analysis of the strategy deployed in a task designed to map a specific ability than the usual assessment on the basis of only the level of performance. Manipulations expected to impair performance sometimes do not have that effect, probably because the level of performance alone can confound the assessment of the ability level if researchers ignore the strategy used. In a study with 1,872 participants, the authors applied the Spatial Orientation Dynamic Test-Revised (J. Santacreu, 1999) in single and dual task settings, identifying 3 different strategies. Strategy shifts were associated with the level of performance, as more apt individuals were more likely to shift to better strategies. Ignoring the strategies yields counterintuitive results that cannot be explained by simple, direct relations among the constructs involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]