Information processing and intelligence: Some implications of task complexity

Abstract Correlations between elementary sensory tasks and IQ scores have been cited in support of Galtonian theories of intelligence, which emphasize speed of signal encoding and transmission in the nervous system. We argue that a Galtonian view is warranted only when data from elementary tasks are viewed in isolation. Data presented indicate that, when simple and complex tasks are contrasted, simple tasks provide the poorest estimates of intelligence. Theories of intelligence, therefore, must explicitly address the central role of task complexity.

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