Problems With Individual Difference Measures Based on Some Componential Cognitive Paradigms

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Abstract
This article demonstrates that slope and ratio scores may have the same psychometric difficulties—low re liability—as difference scores. Empirically, direct measures and derived scores from Baron's, Collins', Meyer's, and Posner's cognitive paradigms were ex amined in terms of their reliabilities and cross-correla tions. Reliabilities of the direct measures and their in tercorrelations were high. The derived measures, which were slope, ratio, and difference scores, had re liabilities near zero and, therefore, their cross-correla tions were also low. It is concluded that derived scores, although intuitively appealing as measures of mental operations, may have inherent psychometric difficulties that render them of little value for differen tial prediction. Index terms: cognitive paradigms, difference scores, individual differences, prediction, ratio scores, reliability, slope scores.

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