title: Resource allocation and fluid intelligence: insights from pupillometry.
abstract: Thinking is biological work and involves the allocation of cognitive resources. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of fluid intelligence on the allocation of cognitive resources while one is processing low-level and high-level cognitive tasks. Individuals with high versus average fluid intelligence performed low-level choice reaction time tasks and high-level geometric analogy tasks. We combined behavioral measures to examine speed and accuracy of processing with pupillary measures that indicate resource allocation. Individuals with high fluid intelligence processed the low-level choice reaction time tasks faster than normal controls. The task-evoked pupillary responses did not differ between groups. Furthermore, individuals with high fluid intelligence processed the high-level geometric analogies faster, more accurately, and showed greater pupil dilations than normal controls. This was only true, however, for the most difficult analogy tasks. In addition, individuals with high fluid intelligence showed greater preexperimental pupil baseline diameters than normal controls. These results indicate that individuals with high fluid intelligence have more resources available and thus can solve more demanding tasks. Moreover, high fluid intelligence appears to be accompanied by more task-free exploration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Humboldt University Berlin, Berlin, Germany. meerelke@cms.hu-berlin.de
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van der Meer
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.forename: Manja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Foth
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bornemann
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ries
authors.forename: Juerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Warmuth
authors.forename: Hauke R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Heekeren
authors.forename: Isabell
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wartenburger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011680:Pupil / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult