Dear Colleagues,

The field of research into cognitive abilities is increasingly interested in examining the role of non-cognitive, interindividual difference variables (e.g., broad and narrow personality traits) to understand the antecedents of intelligence. In this Special Issue, we aim to extend the understanding of the associations and the potential interplay between cognitive abilities and non-cognitive individual difference variables.

We welcome submissions that examine basic research questions (e.g., associations between intelligence and non-cognitive constructs) and applied research questions (e.g., testing and comparing the predictive power of cognitive and non-variables on external indicators such as school grades or indicators of health). Additionally, we particularly invite submissions that extend the unit of analysis from individuals to dyads or groups. This might include research into the interpersonal perception of intelligence (e.g., accuracy and biases) and/or the role of cognitive abilities in social relationships (e.g., in couples or among workers). In line with the Journal of Intelligence’s scope, we also welcome review articles, theoretical contributions, meta-analyses, and commentaries (see Aims and Scope for an overview). 

Please note that the “Planned Papers” Section on the webpage does not imply that these papers will eventually be accepted; all manuscripts will be subject to the journal’s normal and rigorous peer review process.

Prof. Dr. René Proyer
Dr. Kay Brauer
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Intelligence is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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• individual differences, non-cognitive
• personality
• intelligence

Title: Provisional Title: The integration of figurative language comprehension in the CHC model for healthy individuals
Authors: Andra Biesok; Matthias Ziegler
Affiliation: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Abstract: Figurative expressions are an elementary part of everyday language. Much of human thinking is conceptualized through metaphors, proverbs, irony, idioms, sarcasm, and other instances of figurative language. Consequently, people get into contact with figurative language early in their development and have predominantly fewer problems understanding and producing it later in life. Figurative language comprehension influences social relationships and educational achievements. Psychological research has produced a plethora of knowledge on figurative language comprehension in healthy and especially clinical samples. However, it remains unclear whether different figurative language tasks comprise the same psychological processes. Moreover, it is unclear whether figurative language comprehension can be subsumed within contemporary models of human cognitive abilities. This study aims to address these questions by first analyzing different tests of figurative language comprehension and second by integrating them into the Cattell–Horn–Carroll (CHC) model of intelligence. Based on a dataset of N = 755 individuals the items were examined for their unidimensionality. Moreover, different theoretically viable models were tested integrating figurative language comprehension into the CHC model. This integration was based on a dataset of N = 450 individuals who also completed an intelligence structure test. The results confirm the tests’ unidimensionality. Moreover, the structural models suggest that figurative language comprehension can be subsumed into the CHC model. To complete the picture, correlational patterns with Big Five personality, achievement motivation, and interests scores were compared for different cognitive ability test scores. We expected and found that comprehension of figurative language would have similar correlation patterns with the Big Five as other intelligence measures - meaning that the correlation between figurative language comprehension and Openness would be higher than those with the other Big Five domains. Moreover, when looking at Openness and its facets, the facet ‘Intellect’ should have a higher correlation with figurative language comprehension than the other Openness facets.