Contributions of the general factor of intelligence to cognitive performance across ability levels and age: An individual participant data meta-analysis of child and adolescent norming data.
Year: 2026
Type: review
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Cognitive differentiation effects describe differences in the strength of the correlations among cognitive performances depending on general ability level and age. In this context, variations in the contribution of the general factor of intelligence (g) to specific cognitive performances have attracted significant interest yet have not been investigated meta-analytically. The present study provides an examination of moderated g-factor loadings through a two-stage individual participant data meta-analysis of 29 samples from 20 German test standardizations in children and adolescents (N = 42,207). Standardization samples ensured population representativeness, sufficient sample size, and representation of different cognitive tests. Using nonlinear factor analysis, we examined the moderation of g loadings by age, ability, and their interaction. Subsequent multilevel metaregressions revealed decreasing g loadings with increasing ability levels (meta-analytic λ2 = -.046; 95% CI [-.064, -.028]). Age moderation effects were inconsistent and nonsignificant (meta-analytic λ3 = .003; 95% CI [-.024, .030]). A Negative Age × Ability interaction was present in some samples, but not significant meta-analytically (meta-analytic λ4 = -.005; 95% CI [-.012, .002]). Moderator analyses indicated that effects differed between test families but rarely between assigned Cattell-Horn-Carroll abilities. The results highlight ability level as a key source of differences in the contribution of the g factor, underscoring the need for conditional reliability estimates in cognitive assessment and for cognitive theories on the nature and development of general intelligence to account for this effect. Age differences in g-factor loadings were less consequential, suggesting limited relevance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Source: Psychological Bulletin
DOI: 10.1037/bul0000531
Authors: Moritz Breit, Martin Brunner, Julian Preuß, Monika Daseking, Günter Esser, Alexander Grob, Jan-Philipp Freudenstein, Ulf Kieschke, Ludwig Kreuzpointner, Franz Pauls, Christoph Perleth, Gabriele Ricken, Stefan Schipolowski, Ulrich Schroeders, Franziska Walter, Oliver Wilhelm, Anne Wyschkon, Franzis Preckel
Institutions: Universität Trier, University of Potsdam, Helmut Schmidt University, University of Basel, Hogrefe Publishing GmbH (Germany), Ludwigsburg University of Education, University of Regensburg, University of Rostock, Universität Hamburg, Institute for Educational Quality Improvement, University of Kassel, MSH Medical School Hamburg – University of Applied Sciences and Medical University, Universität Ulm
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
OpenAlex ID: W7220367129