Abstract
What accounts for individual differences in the sort of knowledge that people may draw on in everyday cognitive tasks, such as deciding whom to vote for in a presidential election, how to invest money in the stock market, or what team to bet on in a friendly wager? In a large sample of undergraduate students, we investigated correlates of individual differences in recently acquired knowledge of current events in domains such as politics, business, and sports. Structural equation modeling revealed two predictive pathways: one involving cognitive ability factors and the other involving two major nonability factors (personality and interests). The results of this study add to what is known about the sources of individual differences in knowledge and are interpreted in the context of theoretical conceptions of adult intelligence that emphasize the centrality and importance of knowledge (e.g., Ackerman, 1996; Cattell, 1971).
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The second and third authors made equal contributions to the research, and their order of authorship was determined by a coin toss.
Note—This article was accepted by the previous editorial team, when Colin M. MacLeod was Editor.
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Hambrick, D.Z., Meinz, E.J. & Oswald, F.L. Individual differences in current events knowledge: Contributions of ability, personality, and interests. Memory & Cognition 35, 304–316 (2007). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03193451
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03193451