Emergence of the smart intuitor: how cognitive ability shapes adolescent reasoning

Abstract

From early adolescence, cognitive ability has been shown to predict reasoning performance. Recent studies indicate that adults with high cognitive ability tend to rely on accurate intuitions rather than deliberately correcting incorrect intuitions. However, it is unclear whether this pattern applies to adolescents. In the current study, we tested whether—as previously reported—younger adolescents are less likely to intuit correctly and whether cognitive ability is more predictive of correct intuitions or deliberate corrections in 7th graders and 12th graders. We used a two-response paradigm where participants gave a fast intuitive response under time pressure and cognitive load, followed by an unconstrained deliberate response. Results confirmed that younger adolescents produce fewer correct intuitions than older ones. Additionally, in younger adolescents, cognitive ability did not positively correlate with reasoning performance, while in older adolescents, it mainly predicted deliberation. The study suggests that the previously established association between sound intuiting and cognitive ability among adults emerges quite late in development.