Biomedical subjects

Phillip L Ackerman

Publications and source records attributed to Phillip L Ackerman.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Determinants of health knowledge: an investigation of age, gender, abilities, personality, and interests.

Ten areas of health knowledge were investigated in 2 studies, 1 of college students (N = 169) and 1 of adults from the community (ages 19-70; N = 176). Measures assessed knowledge of aging, orthopedic/dermatological concerns, common illnesses, childhood/early life, serious illnesses, mental health, nutrition, reproduction, safety, and treatment of illness/disease. Significant gender differences favoring women were found for most areas of health knowledge, especially reproduction and early life. Results showed that cognitive ability accounted for the most variance in health knowledge with nonability (personality and interest traits) and demographic variables accounting for smaller but significant amounts of variance across most knowledge domains.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Ability and task constraint determinants of complex task performance.

Previous research on basic information-processing tasks has suggested that there may be a dissociation between the underlying process determinants of task performance and associations with ability measures. This study investigates this dissociation in the context of a complex skill-learning task-an air traffic control simulation called TRACON. A battery of spatial, numerical, and perceptual speed ability tests were administered, along with extensive task practice. After practice, manipulations of task requirements and system consistency were introduced. Ability correlations with performance revealed a dissociation between some manipulations that have effects on performance means and the corresponding correlations with reference abilities. Implications for integrating experimental and differential approaches to explaining performance and possible avenues for improved selection measures are discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Individual differences in working memory within a nomological network of cognitive and perceptual speed abilities.

It has become fashionable to equate constructs of working memory (WM) and general intelligence (g). Few investigations have provided direct evidence that WM and g measures yield similar ordering of individuals. Correlational investigations have yielded mixed results. The authors assess the construct space for WM and g and demonstrate that WM shares substantial variance with perceptual speed (PS) constructs. Thirty-six ability tests representing verbal, numerical, spatial, and PS abilities; the Raven Advanced Progressive Matrices; and 7 WM tests were administered to 135 adults. A nomological representation for WM is provided through a series of cognitive and PS ability models. Construct overlap between PS and WM is further investigated with attention to complexity, processing differences, and practice effects.

Adolescent↗