General Knowledge Task
Background
The General Knowledge Test by Thomas S. Redick and colleagues from 2013 is a cognitive assessment tool used in psychological and educational research to measure crystallized intelligence. It specifically assesses an individual's accumulated, long-term semantic knowledge rather than their ability to solve new or abstract problems. The test consists of 10 trivia-type questions about topics in areas such as literature, world history, geography and is highly language and culture dependent.
Task Procedure
After two practice problems (US geography and flag related), participants work through 10 questions one-by-one. Each question offers four possible answer choices. Participants have a total of 7 minutes to work on all questions. A timer is visible throughout the testing session, and participants receive a 1-minute warning before the test ends. Once an answer is selected (via mouse click or touch), it cannot be changed. No test feedback is provided.
What it Measures
The General Knowledge Test is a general assessment tool of crystallized intelligence
Psychological domains
- Crystallized Intelligence: Accumulated semantic knowledge acquired through schooling, cultural experiences, and lifelong learning
- Long-term Memory: Brain system for storing, managing, and retrieving information over extended periods, ranging from days to an entire lifetime
- Memory Retrieval: Ability to search, locate, and extract static facts from long-term memory
- Language Comprehension: Ability to process and decode language
Main Performance Metrics
- Total Score: Sum of all correct responses (out of a total of 10); main measure of crystallized intelligence
Psychiatric Conditions
The General Knowledge Test is a basic science research tool rather than a diagnostic or neuropsychological instrument.
A general knowledge task designed by Redick et al (2012).
References
Search Google Scholar for peer-reviewed, published research using the Inquisit General Knowledge Task.
Redick, T.S., Shipstead, Z., Fried, D.E., Hambrick, D.Z., Kane, M.J. & Engle, R.W. (2012). No Evidence of Intelligence Improvement After Working Memory Training: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 1-21.