title: Stimulation seeking and intelligence: a prospective longitudinal study.
abstract: The prediction that high stimulation seeking 3-year-olds would have higher IQs by 11 years old was tested in 1,795 children on whom behavioral measures of stimulation seeking were taken at 3 years, together with cognitive ability at 11 years. High 3-year-old stimulation seekers scored 12 points higher on total IQ at age 11 compared with low stimulation seekers and also had superior scholastic and reading ability. Results replicated across independent samples and were found for all gender and ethnic groups. Effect sizes for the relationship between age 3 stimulation seeking and age 11 IQ ranged from 0.52 to 0.87. Findings appear to be the first to show a prospective link between stimulation seeking and intelligence. It is hypothesized that young stimulation seekers create for themselves an enriched environment that stimulates cognitive development.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 90089-1061, USA. raine@usc.edu
authors: Adrian
authors: A
authors: Raine
authors: Chandra
authors: C
authors: Reynolds
authors: Peter H
authors: PH
authors: Venables
authors: Sarnoff A
authors: SA
authors: Mednick
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007361:Intelligence Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010553:Personality Development; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011932:Reading; D012737:Sex Factors