Journal Description
Journal of Intelligence
Journal of Intelligence
is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal on the study of human intelligence, published monthly online by MDPI.
- Open Access— free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions.
- High Visibility: indexed within Scopus, SSCI (Web of Science), PubMed, PMC, PsycInfo, PSYNDEX, and other databases.
- Journal Rank: JCR - Q1 (Psychology, Multidisciplinary) / CiteScore - Q1 (Education)
- Rapid Publication: manuscripts are peer-reviewed and a first decision is provided to authors approximately 30.7 days after submission; acceptance to publication is undertaken in 3.8 days (median values for papers published in this journal in the first half of 2025).
- Recognition of Reviewers: reviewers who provide timely, thorough peer-review reports receive vouchers entitling them to a discount on the APC of their next publication in any MDPI journal, in appreciation of the work done.
- Journal Cluster of Education and Psychology: Adolescents, Behavioral Sciences, Education Sciences, Journal of Intelligence, Psychology International and Youth.
Impact Factor:
3.4 (2024);
5-Year Impact Factor:
3.5 (2024)
Latest Articles
Evaluating Individual Differences in Implicit Perceptual-Motor Learning: A Parallel Assessments Approach
J. Intell. 2025, 13(9), 115; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13090115 - 8 Sep 2025
Abstract
Implicit learning describes learning from experience that is not available to conscious awareness. The question of whether some individuals are better implicit learners than others has suggested and may contribute to difference in performance among experts. Across four experiments, adult participants completed the
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Implicit learning describes learning from experience that is not available to conscious awareness. The question of whether some individuals are better implicit learners than others has suggested and may contribute to difference in performance among experts. Across four experiments, adult participants completed the Serial Interception Sequence Learning (SISL) task across multiple parallel learning assessment forms. Previously, SISL sequence-specific performance has been shown to resist explicit knowledge influence, allowing for repeated reassessments of implicit learning with novel statistical structure. Our findings indicate that group-level sequence-specific performance occurred robustly in each reassessment; however, participants who exhibited more sequence-specific performance on one assessment did not exhibit better performance on parallel assessments, indicating no rank-order stability in learning. In all four experiments, with two to twelve reassessments of learning, no participants exhibited consistently better sequence learning rates than the other participants, indicating no evidence for a better ability in implicit learning. Measurements of other cognitive constructs, such as processing speed collected in parallel, exhibited robust individual differences. In Experiment 4, a general battery of cognitive measurements showed typical individual differences in measures of working memory, processing speed, and personality, but none correlated with implicit learning ability. We hypothesize that implicit learning arises from a general process of neuroplasticity reorganizing functions during practice and that our findings suggest that this process occurs at a basically similar rate across all people. Everybody learns from practice implicitly, but results suggest that the learning rate does not vary substantially across this sample.
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(This article belongs to the Section Studies on Cognitive Processes)
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Development of a Computerized Adaptive Assessment and Learning System for Mathematical Ability Based on Cognitive Diagnosis
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Yi Zhang, Liping Zhang, Heyang Zhang and Xiaopeng Wu
J. Intell. 2025, 13(9), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13090114 - 2 Sep 2025
Abstract
With the rapid evolution of technology and the continuous deepening of digital transformation in education, personalized and adaptive learning have emerged as inevitable trends in the educational landscape. This study focuses on a Computerized Adaptive Learning System Based on Cognitive Diagnosis (CAL-CDS)—an integrated
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With the rapid evolution of technology and the continuous deepening of digital transformation in education, personalized and adaptive learning have emerged as inevitable trends in the educational landscape. This study focuses on a Computerized Adaptive Learning System Based on Cognitive Diagnosis (CAL-CDS)—an integrated platform that incorporates multiple technologies for assessment and learning. The study is organized around two dimensions: (1) constructing a foundational cognitive diagnostic assessment framework, and (2) investigating the operational mechanisms of the cognitive diagnosis-based computerized adaptive system. It comprehensively incorporates core components including cognitive modeling, Q-matrix generation, and diagnostic test development. On this basis, this study dissects the system’s operational logic from four aspects: the adaptive testing system, diagnostic system, recommendation system, and empirical case studies. This study effectively addresses two core questions: how to construct a cognitive diagnostic assessment framework that alignes with China’s mathematics knowledge structure, and how to facilitate personalized student learning via cognitive diagnosis. Overall, this study offers a systematic solution for developing mathematics-specific cognitive diagnosis-driven adaptive learning systems.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Assessment: Harnessing Technology for Testing Cognitive Ability, Thinking Skill, and Competency)
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The Nature and Measure of Critical Thinking: The PACIER Framework and Assessment
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Hyo Jeong Shin, Seewoo Li, Ji Hoon Ryoo, Alina von Davier, Todd Lubart and Salah Khalil
J. Intell. 2025, 13(9), 113; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13090113 - 2 Sep 2025
Abstract
Based on the PACIER model of critical thinking, involving six facets for critical thinking (Problem solving, Analysis, Creative thinking, Interpretation, Evaluation, Reasoning), the empirical results of a new computer-based assessment (PACIER Critical Thinking Assessment) are presented. The data is based on a study
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Based on the PACIER model of critical thinking, involving six facets for critical thinking (Problem solving, Analysis, Creative thinking, Interpretation, Evaluation, Reasoning), the empirical results of a new computer-based assessment (PACIER Critical Thinking Assessment) are presented. The data is based on a study of 700 middle school 11-year-old students in the United Arab Emirates, who were tested five times during a school year. In the assessment framework, test items are described, and psychometric results indicate that the PACIER Critical Thinking Assessment exhibits acceptable reliability and validity. Its use for measuring progress in educational programs to foster critical thinking is discussed.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Formation and Evaluation of Critical and Creative Thinking for Good Personal, Academic and Professional Performance in These New Times)
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Fostering Students’ Sense of School Belonging: Emotional Intelligence and Socio-Ecological Perspectives
by
Hatice Turan Bora and Sadegül Akbaba Altun
J. Intell. 2025, 13(9), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13090112 - 2 Sep 2025
Abstract
A strong sense of school belonging is essential for students’ academic achievement, emotional well-being, and overall development. This study explores the role of emotional intelligence and the social environment in shaping students’ sense of belonging. Adopting a basic qualitative approach, this study analyzes
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A strong sense of school belonging is essential for students’ academic achievement, emotional well-being, and overall development. This study explores the role of emotional intelligence and the social environment in shaping students’ sense of belonging. Adopting a basic qualitative approach, this study analyzes teachers’ perspectives on the contributions of students, teachers, parents, counselors, school principals, and the wider society. Qualitative data which were collected through interviews with 49 teachers (37 female, 12 male; years of experience mean is 12) were analyzed through content analysis to identify the main themes. The findings suggest that students’ sense of belonging improves when they actively participate in school life and are aware of the importance of school. Furthermore, students’ sense of belonging improves when teachers offer academic and emotional support, parents engage actively, counselors foster well-being, and school principals provide strong leadership and relationship management. In addition, increased social involvement enhances student belonging. This study offers valuable insights for educators and policymakers in fostering supportive school environments. It highlights the emotional and social processes underlying school belonging and discusses their implications for future research.
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(This article belongs to the Section Social and Emotional Intelligence)
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Creative and Critical Thinking and Modelling: Confluences and Implications for Science Teaching
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Marta Gómiz-Aragón, María del Mar Aragón-Méndez, Rui Marques Vieira, Celina Tenreiro-Vieira and José María Oliva
J. Intell. 2025, 13(9), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13090111 - 31 Aug 2025
Abstract
Contemporary society demands the development of creative critical thinking (CCT) as a fundamental objective in science education. However, there appears to be a dissonance between this recognised need and its actual implementation in educational practices. This study explores the potential of modelling practices
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Contemporary society demands the development of creative critical thinking (CCT) as a fundamental objective in science education. However, there appears to be a dissonance between this recognised need and its actual implementation in educational practices. This study explores the potential of modelling practices to intentionally, explicitly, and reflectively integrate the development of CCT in educational settings. To examine this possibility while laying the foundations for future research, the theoretical frameworks of CCT and modelling are synthesised, and their possible points of convergence are analysed in order to test the proposed hypothesis. Two elements that may strengthen their synergy are identified: first, the resources for modelling, such as analogies, which activate analytical, evaluative, creative, and argumentative skills, thereby fostering critical dispositions and a deeper understanding of the nature of science. Second, argumentation, closely connected with communication and information management, is considered a relevant component, especially when addressing socioscientific issues. While further empirical research is needed, the analysis indicates that modelling practices could contribute to the development of CCT.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Formation and Evaluation of Critical and Creative Thinking for Good Personal, Academic and Professional Performance in These New Times)
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Effects of Proctoring on Online Intelligence Measurement: A Literature Overview and an Empirical Study
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Vsevolod Scherrer, Nicolai Petry, Moritz Breit, Julian Urban, Julian Preuß and Franzis Preckel
J. Intell. 2025, 13(9), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13090110 - 30 Aug 2025
Abstract
Remote intelligence testing has multiple advantages, but cheating is possible without proper supervision. Proctoring aims to address this shortcoming, yet prior research on its effects has primarily investigated reasoning tasks, in which cheating is generally difficult. This study provides an overview of recent
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Remote intelligence testing has multiple advantages, but cheating is possible without proper supervision. Proctoring aims to address this shortcoming, yet prior research on its effects has primarily investigated reasoning tasks, in which cheating is generally difficult. This study provides an overview of recent research on the effects of proctoring and on studies in intelligence test settings. Moreover, we conducted an empirical study testing the effects of webcam-based proctoring with a multidimensional intelligence test measuring reasoning, short-term memory, processing speed, and divergent thinking. The study was conducted in a low-stakes context, with participants receiving a fixed payment regardless of performance. Participants completed the test under proctored (n = 74, webcam consent), unproctored random (n = 75, webcam consent), or unproctored chosen (n = 77, no webcam consent) conditions. Scalar measurement invariance was observed for reasoning, processing speed, and divergent thinking, but not for memory. Proctoring had no significant main effect on test performance but showed a significant interaction with test type. Proctored participants outperformed the unproctored chosen group significantly in divergent thinking and scored descriptively higher in reasoning and processing speed, but slightly lower in memory. Observable cheating under proctored conditions was rare (4%), mostly involving note-taking or photographing the screen. We conclude that proctoring is crucial for easily cheatable tasks, such as memory tasks, but currently less critical for complex cognitive tasks.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligence Testing and Assessment)
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Emotional Intelligence and the Big Five as Predictors of Students’ Performance in Collaborative Problem Solving
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Ana Altaras, Zorana Jolić Marjanović, Kristina Mojović Zdravković, Ksenija Krstić and Tijana Nikitović
J. Intell. 2025, 13(9), 109; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13090109 - 29 Aug 2025
Abstract
We examined the effects of emotional intelligence (EI) and the Big Five on students’ performance in collaborative problem solving (CPS). 162 secondary-school students completed the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test and the Big Five Inventory. Divided into 54 triads (64.8% female), they then collaboratively
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We examined the effects of emotional intelligence (EI) and the Big Five on students’ performance in collaborative problem solving (CPS). 162 secondary-school students completed the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test and the Big Five Inventory. Divided into 54 triads (64.8% female), they then collaboratively solved a complex social problem. Based on video-recordings of the CPS sessions, we assessed four CPS processes: the team’s socio-cognitive exchange, socio-emotional interaction, task management, and relationship management. The CPS product (solution) of each team was judged by two independent raters. Using structural equation modelling (1) with team-level EI abilities as predictors, we found a small indirect effect (via CPS processes) of both understanding and managing emotions on the CPS product, and a medium-size direct effect of understanding emotions on the same criterion; (2) with team-level traits as predictors, a medium-size positive effect of neuroticism on task management, a small negative effect of extraversion on relationship management, and a small positive effect of openness on the CPS product. A model including both EI and personality confirmed their independent contributions to CPS performance, with EI abilities contributing both directly and indirectly to the CPS product, and the contribution of personality narrowed down to neuroticism positively affecting task management.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interplay of Intelligence and Non-cognitive Constructs in Predicting Achievement)
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Achievement Goal Profiles and Academic Performance in Mathematics and Literacy: A Person-Centered Approach in Third Grade Students
by
Justine Fiévé, Maxim Likhanov, Pascale Colé and Isabelle Régner
J. Intell. 2025, 13(9), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13090108 - 27 Aug 2025
Abstract
In spite of the ever-growing body of research in achievement goal profiles and their contribution to performance, the research on young children is quite limited. This study examined achievement goal profiles related to mathematics and literacy performance among third-grade students (N =
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In spite of the ever-growing body of research in achievement goal profiles and their contribution to performance, the research on young children is quite limited. This study examined achievement goal profiles related to mathematics and literacy performance among third-grade students (N = 185, M = 8.73 years; 98 girls), using Latent Profile Analysis. Four distinct profiles emerged—Mastery-Oriented, Approach-Oriented, High Multiple-Goals, and Moderate Multiple-Goals—that were highly similar across math and literacy (contingency coefficient = 0.59). Schoolchildren endorsing the Approach-Oriented profile demonstrated higher achievement compared to those with High Multiple-Goals or Moderate Multiple-Goals profiles, which involved more avoidance goals and were less adaptive (with up to 8% of variance explained by profile). Gender differences were observed: girls were more likely to endorse profiles combining multiple goals, whereas boys more often endorsed mastery or approach profiles. These results highlight early inter-individual differences in motivational development, observable in both mathematics and literacy. Promoting adaptive goal profiles in early education may enhance academic engagement and help reduce emerging motivational disparities.
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(This article belongs to the Section Studies on Cognitive Processes)
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Learning Natural Categories: Effects of Interleaving Practice in Children and Young Adults
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Xiaoxiao Dong, Xiaoxiao He, Lingyu Fang, Qiang Xing and Rongxia Ren
J. Intell. 2025, 13(9), 107; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13090107 - 25 Aug 2025
Abstract
While interleaved learning has been shown to enhance young adults’ acquisition of confusable natural categories, its effects on children’s natural category learning remain underexplored. The present study investigated the effects of study schedule (interleaving vs. blocking) on both categorization accuracy and the accuracy
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While interleaved learning has been shown to enhance young adults’ acquisition of confusable natural categories, its effects on children’s natural category learning remain underexplored. The present study investigated the effects of study schedule (interleaving vs. blocking) on both categorization accuracy and the accuracy of metacognitive judgments during the learning of natural rock categories, comparing children and young adults. In Experiment 1, participants studied under blocked or interleaved conditions and subsequently provided global judgments of their learning. In Experiment 2, we employed a self-paced learning paradigm that required learners to regulate their own study time. Additionally, participants made item-by-item judgments of their learning during the study phase. Across both experiments, we found that interleaved learning significantly improved categorization accuracy, with young adults benefiting more than children. Regarding metacognitive monitoring, interleaving reduced overconfidence in children but led to underconfidence in young adults, as reflected in both global and item-level judgments. These findings suggest that the benefits of interleaved learning for category performance and metacognitive monitoring vary with age, highlighting age-related differences in the effectiveness of interleaved learning.
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(This article belongs to the Section Studies on Cognitive Processes)
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Neural Correlates of Belief-Bias Reasoning as Predictors of Critical Thinking: Evidence from an fNIRS Study
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Juanjuan Ma, Wenyu Lv and Xuezhu Ren
J. Intell. 2025, 13(9), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13090106 - 24 Aug 2025
Abstract
This study examined the neural characteristics of belief-bias reasoning in order to reveal the neurocognitive basis of critical thinking. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy was utilized to capture the real-time brain hemodynamic activity of 74 college students while they performed a belief-bias syllogistic reasoning task.
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This study examined the neural characteristics of belief-bias reasoning in order to reveal the neurocognitive basis of critical thinking. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy was utilized to capture the real-time brain hemodynamic activity of 74 college students while they performed a belief-bias syllogistic reasoning task. Values of oxy-hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) and deoxy-hemoglobin (deoxy-Hb) in regions of interest were analyzed in relation to critical thinking skills assessed by established tests. The results reveal significant activation in both the opercular part of the right IFC and the left DLPFC when participants encountered situations where their prior beliefs contradicted logical validity during the completion of the belief-bias syllogistic reasoning task. Crucially, individuals with lower levels of critical thinking skills demonstrated heightened activation in the opercular part of the right IFC compared to those with higher levels of critical thinking skills. Furthermore, variations in hemodynamics, quantified by oxy-Hb and deoxy-Hb concentration values (area under the activity curve as absolute value), during the execution of belief-bias reasoning tasks accounted for a substantial proportion of the variability in critical thinking skills. Additionally, the hemodynamic data to a large extent explained the connection between belief-bias reasoning and critical thinking. These results provide a neural explanation for the relationship between belief-bias reasoning and critical thinking, and advance theoretical models of critical thinking by illuminating the brain’s mechanisms engaged in unbiased reasoning and metacognition.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Formation and Evaluation of Critical and Creative Thinking for Good Personal, Academic and Professional Performance in These New Times)
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Understanding How Intelligence and Academic Underachievement Relate to Life Satisfaction Among Adolescents with and Without a Migration Background
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Alicia Neumann, Ricarda Steinmayr, Marcus Roth and Tobias Altmann
J. Intell. 2025, 13(9), 105; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13090105 - 22 Aug 2025
Abstract
Intelligence, academic achievement and an unfavorable discrepancy between them (i.e., underachievement) have been proposed to influence students’ subjective well-being. However, previous research on these effects remains scarce and inconsistent. The present study examined the associations between said variables in a sample of 695
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Intelligence, academic achievement and an unfavorable discrepancy between them (i.e., underachievement) have been proposed to influence students’ subjective well-being. However, previous research on these effects remains scarce and inconsistent. The present study examined the associations between said variables in a sample of 695 fifteen-year-old students in Germany, differentiating between those with and without a migration background. Our findings unexpectedly revealed that students with a migration background reported higher life satisfaction than those without a migration background. Intelligence was unrelated to life satisfaction, regardless of migration background. Academic achievement, measured by the grade point average, was positively associated with life satisfaction among students without a migration background but showed no such relationship in students with a migration background. Segmented regression analyses further indicated that an unfavorable discrepancy between IQ and grade point average, reflecting underachievement, was associated with lower life satisfaction among students with a migration background but not among those without. These findings partially challenge previous research and theoretical assumptions. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings for educational policy and emphasize the importance of targeted interventions to address underachievement in students with a migration background. Our findings suggest that poor academic performance can have a particular impact on well-being in this group. Accordingly, interventions aimed at reducing the achievement gap of those students should not only target cognitive and academic skills but also promote emotional support, cultural inclusion and social integration in the school environment.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interplay of Intelligence and Non-cognitive Constructs in Predicting Achievement)
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Toward a Consensus Model of Cognitive–Reading Achievement Relations Using Meta-Structural Equation Modeling
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Daniel B. Hajovsky, Christopher R. Niileksela, Dawn P. Flanagan, Vincent C. Alfonso, William Joel Schneider and Jacob Robbins
J. Intell. 2025, 13(8), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13080104 - 16 Aug 2025
Abstract
Cognitive tests measure psychological constructs that predict the development of academic skills. Research on cognitive–reading achievement relations has primarily been completed with single-test batteries and samples, resulting in inconsistencies across studies. The current study developed a consensus model of cognitive–reading achievement relations using
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Cognitive tests measure psychological constructs that predict the development of academic skills. Research on cognitive–reading achievement relations has primarily been completed with single-test batteries and samples, resulting in inconsistencies across studies. The current study developed a consensus model of cognitive–reading achievement relations using meta-structural equation modeling (meta-SEM) through a cross-sectional analysis of subtest correlations from English-language norm-referenced tests. The full dataset used for this study included 49,959 correlations across 599 distinct correlation matrices. These included correlations among 1112 subtests extracted from 137 different cognitive and achievement test batteries. The meta-SEM approach allowed for increased sampling of cognitive and academic reading skills measured by various test batteries to better inform the validity of construct relations. The findings were generally consistent with previous research, suggesting that cognitive abilities are important predictors of reading skills and generalize across different test batteries and samples. The findings are also consistent with integrated cognitive–reading models and have implications for assessment and intervention frameworks.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligence Testing and Assessment)
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Cyber-Creativity: A Decalogue of Research Challenges
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Giovanni Emanuele Corazza, Sergio Agnoli, Ana Jorge Artigau, Ronald A. Beghetto, Nathalie Bonnardel, Irene Coletto, Angela Faiella, Katusha Gerardini, Kenneth Gilhooly, Vlad P. Glăveanu, Michael Hanchett Hanson, Hansika Kapoor, James C. Kaufman, Yoed N. Kenett, Anatoliy V. Kharkhurin, Simone Luchini, Margaret Mangion, Mario Mirabile, Felix-Kingsley Obialo, Connie Phelps, Roni Reiter-Palmon, Jeb S. Puryear, Eleonora Diletta Sarcinella, Min Tang, Giulia Maria Vavassori, Florent Vinchon, Indre Viskontas, Selina Weiss, Dimitrios Zbainos and Todd Lubartadd
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J. Intell. 2025, 13(8), 103; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13080103 - 13 Aug 2025
Abstract
Creativity is the primary driver of our cultural evolution. The astonishing potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and its possible application in the creative process poses an urgent and dramatic challenge for humanity; how can we maximize the benefits of AI while minimizing the
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Creativity is the primary driver of our cultural evolution. The astonishing potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and its possible application in the creative process poses an urgent and dramatic challenge for humanity; how can we maximize the benefits of AI while minimizing the associated risks? In this article, we identify all forms of human–AI collaboration in this realm as cyber-creativity. We introduce the following two forward-looking scenarios: a utopian vision for cyber-creativity, in which AI serves to enhance and not replace human creativity, and a dystopian view associated with the pre-emption of all human creative agency caused by the rise of AI. In our view, the scientific community is called to bring its contribution, however small, to help humanity make steps towards the utopian scenario, while avoiding the dystopian one. Here, we present a decalogue of research challenges identified for this purpose, touching upon the following dimensions: (1) the theoretical framework for cyber-creativity; (2) sociocultural perspectives; (3) the cyber-creative process; (4) the creative agent; (5) the co-creative team; (6) cyber-creative products; (7) cyber-creative domains; (8) cyber-creative education; (9) ethical aspects; and (10) the dark side of cyber-creativity. For each dimension, a brief review of the state-of-the-art is provided, followed by the identification of a main research challenge, then specified into a list of research questions. Whereas there is no claim that this decalogue of research challenges represents an exhaustive classification, which would be an impossible objective, it still should serve as a valid starting point for future (but urgent) research endeavors, with the ambition to provide a significant contribution to the understanding, development, and alignment of AI to human values the realm of creativity.
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(This article belongs to the Section Contributions to the Measurement of Intelligence)
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Automatic- and Transformer-Based Automatic Item Generation: A Critical Review
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Markus Sommer and Martin Arendasy
J. Intell. 2025, 13(8), 102; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13080102 - 12 Aug 2025
Abstract
This article provides a critical review of conceptually different approaches to automatic and transformer-based automatic item generation. Based on a discussion of the current challenges that have arisen due to changes in the use of psychometric tests in recent decades, we outline the
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This article provides a critical review of conceptually different approaches to automatic and transformer-based automatic item generation. Based on a discussion of the current challenges that have arisen due to changes in the use of psychometric tests in recent decades, we outline the requirements that these approaches should ideally fulfill. Subsequently, each approach is examined individually to determine the extent to which it can contribute to meeting the challenges. In doing so, we will focus on the cost savings during the actual item construction phase, the extent to which they may contribute to enhancing test validity, and potential cost savings in the item calibration phase due to either a reduction in the sample size required for item calibration or a reduction in the item loss due to insufficient psychometric characteristics. In addition, the article also aims to outline common recurring themes across these conceptually different approaches and outline areas within each approach that warrant further scientific research.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligence Testing and Assessment)
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The Role of Emotional Intelligence and Frustration Intolerance in the Academic Performance of University Students: A Structural Equation Model
by
Ana María Ruiz-Ortega and María Pilar Berrios-Martos
J. Intell. 2025, 13(8), 101; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13080101 - 10 Aug 2025
Abstract
This study examines how emotional intelligence and frustration intolerance influence academic performance in university students, drawing on the Job Demands–Resources model—which frames academic success as a balance between psychological demands (such as frustration intolerance) and personal resources (like emotional intelligence)—and Self-Determination Theory, which
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This study examines how emotional intelligence and frustration intolerance influence academic performance in university students, drawing on the Job Demands–Resources model—which frames academic success as a balance between psychological demands (such as frustration intolerance) and personal resources (like emotional intelligence)—and Self-Determination Theory, which explains how motivation and self-regulation contribute to adaptation and persistence in challenging contexts. A sample of 630 undergraduates across various disciplines completed validated measures of emotional intelligence, frustration intolerance, academic burnout, academic engagement, and grade point average. Structural equation modeling analyzed relationships among these variables. The results showed that emotional intelligence positively predicted academic performance both directly and indirectly by increasing engagement and reducing burnout. Conversely, frustration intolerance negatively affected academic performance through increased burnout and decreased engagement. The model explained 24 percent of the variance in academic performance. These findings indicate that academic achievement depends on managing the balance between psychological demands and personal resources. Frustration intolerance acts as a psychological demand increasing vulnerability to exhaustion and disengagement, while emotional intelligence serves as a personal resource supporting self-regulation, motivation, and persistence. This highlights the importance of fostering emotional skills and frustration tolerance in higher education to help students cope better with academic challenges and improve performance.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emotions, Well-Being and Intelligence: Assessment, Interventions and Professional Development)
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WAIS-IV Cognitive Profiles in Italian University Students with Dyslexia
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Marika Iaia, Francesca Vizzi, Maria Diletta Carlino, Chiara Valeria Marinelli, Paola Angelelli and Marco Turi
J. Intell. 2025, 13(8), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13080100 - 7 Aug 2025
Abstract
This study investigated the cognitive profiles of Italian university students with dyslexia using the WAIS-IV, comparing them to peers without specific learning disorders. Seventy-one participants took part: 36 with a diagnosis of dyslexia and 35 matched controls. While dyslexic adults showed lower Full
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This study investigated the cognitive profiles of Italian university students with dyslexia using the WAIS-IV, comparing them to peers without specific learning disorders. Seventy-one participants took part: 36 with a diagnosis of dyslexia and 35 matched controls. While dyslexic adults showed lower Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) scores compared to controls, their scores remained within the average range. They showed deficits in Working Memory Index (WMI) and Processing Speed Index (PSI) but performed similarly to controls in Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) and Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI). Significant group differences also emerged in Arithmetic Reasoning, Symbol Search, and Coding subtests. Logistic regression identified WMI and PSI as the most reliable predictors of dyslexia, showing a good predictive value in discriminating between adults with and without dyslexia. Additionally, dyslexic adults displayed lower Cognitive Proficiency Index (CPI) scores relative to their General Ability Index (GAI), and lower FSIQ scores compared to controls. Overall, dyslexic adults exhibit a distinctive cognitive profile with strengths and weaknesses. This pattern can aid in dyslexia diagnosis, particularly in individuals who have compensated through extensive reading experience in a highly regular orthography.
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(This article belongs to the Section Studies on Cognitive Processes)
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Beyond the Prompt: Investigating Retrieval-Based Monitoring in Self-Regulated Learning
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Mengjiao Wu and Christopher A. Was
J. Intell. 2025, 13(8), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13080099 - 6 Aug 2025
Abstract
Metacognitive monitoring plays a crucial role in self-regulated learning, as accurate monitoring enables effective control, which in turn impacts learning outcomes. Most studies on metacognitive monitoring have focused on learners’ monitoring abilities when they are explicitly prompted to monitor. However, in real-world educational
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Metacognitive monitoring plays a crucial role in self-regulated learning, as accurate monitoring enables effective control, which in turn impacts learning outcomes. Most studies on metacognitive monitoring have focused on learners’ monitoring abilities when they are explicitly prompted to monitor. However, in real-world educational settings, learners are more often prompted to control their learning, such as deciding whether to allocate additional time to a learning target. The primary goal of this study was to investigate whether retrieval is engaged when learners are explicitly prompted to control their learning processes by making study decisions. To address this, three experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, participants (N = 39) studied 70 Swahili–English word pairs in a learning task. Each trial displayed a word pair for 8 s, followed by a distractor task (a two-digit mental addition) and a study decision intervention (choose “Study Again” or “Next”). After learning, participants provided a global judgment of learning (JOL), estimating their overall recall accuracy. Finally, they completed a cued recall test (Swahili cue). Responses were scored for accuracy and analyzed alongside study decisions, study decision reaction time (RT), and metacognitive judgments. Reaction times (RTs) for study decisions correlated positively with test accuracy, global judgments of learning (JOLs), and judgments of confidence (JOCs), suggesting retrieval likely underlies these decisions. Experiment 2 (N = 74, between-subjects) compared memory performance and intervention response time between single-study, restudy, retrieval (explicit recall prompt), and study decision (study decision prompt) groups to have better control over study time and cognitive processes. Although no significant group differences in test accuracy emerged, the retrieval group took longer to respond than the study decision group. Within-subject analyses revealed similar recall accuracy patterns: participants recalled successfully retrieved or “no restudy” items better than failed-retrieval or “restudy” items, implying shared cognitive processes underlying retrieval and study decision interventions. Experiment 3 (N = 74, within-subject, three learning conditions: single-study, retrieval, and study decision) replicated these findings, with no condition effects on test accuracy but longer RT for retrieval than study decisions. The similar recall accuracy patterns between retrieval and study decision interventions further supported shared cognitive processes underlying both tasks. Self-reports across experiments confirmed retrieval engagement in both retrieval and study decision interventions. Collectively, the results suggest that retrieval likely supports study decisions but may occur less frequently or less deeply than under explicit monitoring prompts. Additionally, this study explored objective, online measures to detect retrieval-based metacognitive monitoring.
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(This article belongs to the Section Studies on Cognitive Processes)
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Open AccessSystematic Review
Information Technology-Based Intervention on the Socio-Emotional Competence of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by
Yunshan Liu, Sirao Li, Yaping Huang and Dan Li
J. Intell. 2025, 13(8), 98; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13080098 - 4 Aug 2025
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have deficits in social–emotional competence. Most people with ASD have difficulties in emotion recognition, emotion understanding, emotion expression, and emotion regulation, which seriously affects their normal social communication and interaction. The information technology (IT) era has given
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Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have deficits in social–emotional competence. Most people with ASD have difficulties in emotion recognition, emotion understanding, emotion expression, and emotion regulation, which seriously affects their normal social communication and interaction. The information technology (IT) era has given more possibilities for intervention training for people with ASD, and research has proven that technological interventions have a significant effect on the socio-emotional competence of people with ASD. This study employed a meta-analytic approach using 32 independent effect sizes from 25 studies to investigate the effects of IT interventions on socio-emotional competence in individuals with ASD, using emotion recognition, understanding, expression, and regulation as dependent variables and examining key moderating factors. The results found that information technology has an excellent effect on social–emotional competence in ASD (Hedges’ g = 0.897, CI = 0.676, 1.117, z = 7.967, p < 0.001) and is significantly moderated by the intervention technique (Q = 7.392, p = 0.025) and the intervener (Q = 4.933, p = 0.026). The findings provide insights into further deepening information technology intervention research as well as practical applications.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emotions, Well-Being and Intelligence: Assessment, Interventions and Professional Development)
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Open AccessEditorial
Introduction to Special Issue “Neurocognitive Processes: Measurement, Connections to Academic Achievement and Clinical Applications”
by
George K. Georgiou
J. Intell. 2025, 13(8), 97; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13080097 - 4 Aug 2025
Abstract
Several studies have shown that intelligence is a significant correlate of academic achievement [...]
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neurocognitive Processes: Measurement, Connections to Academic Achievement and Clinical Applications)
Open AccessArticle
The Role of Emotional Understanding in Academic Achievement: Exploring Developmental Paths in Secondary School
by
Luísa Faria, Ana Costa and Vladimir Taksic
J. Intell. 2025, 13(8), 96; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13080096 - 30 Jul 2025
Abstract
The role of emotional intelligence (EI) in the academic context has been steadily established, together with its impact on students’ academic achievement, well-being, and professional success. Therefore, this study examined the development of a key EI ability—emotional understanding—throughout secondary school and explored its
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The role of emotional intelligence (EI) in the academic context has been steadily established, together with its impact on students’ academic achievement, well-being, and professional success. Therefore, this study examined the development of a key EI ability—emotional understanding—throughout secondary school and explored its impact on students’ academic achievement (maternal language and mathematics) at the end of this cycle, using the Vocabulary of Emotions Test. A total of 222 students were followed over the entire 3-year secondary cycle, using a three-wave longitudinal design spanning from 10th to 12th grade. At the first wave, participants were aged between 14 and 18 years (M = 15.4; SD = 0.63), with 58.6% being female. Overall, the results of Latent Growth Curve modeling indicated that students’ emotional understanding increased over the secondary school cycle. While student’s gender predicted the emotional understanding change patterns throughout secondary school, student’s GPA in 10th grade did not. Moreover, the initial levels of ability-based emotional understanding predicted students’ achievement in maternal language at the end of the cycle. Our findings offer valuable insights into how EI skills can contribute to academic endeavors in late adolescence and will explore their impact on educational settings.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive, Emotional, and Social Skills in Students)
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