Autobiographical Memory: Individual Differences and Developmental Course

Abstract

Traditional studies of cognitive ability have examined the component pro- cesses and factor structure of ability tests. Theoretical and empirical studies of non-cognitive dimensions of personality have examined how individual differences in personality interact with situational stressors to affect efficient cognitive performance. Previously reported results have emphasized moti- vational direction and intensity effects upon cognitive performance. Using a new technique of Synthetic Aperture Personality Assessment (SAPA) which takes advantage of the large subject populations available on the in- ternet, it is possible to study how basic personality dimensions relate to dimensions of cognitive ability. The SAPA procedure presents to partici- pants small subsets of items sampled from large pools of publicly available personality and ability items. Although each participant is given only a small subset of items, with the recognition that subjects 65, 000) are randomly sampled and items are missing at random, it is possible to synthesize large 350x350) interitem correlation matrices. Individual differences in com- plex pattern recognition, spatial reasoning, and (self reported) standardized ability tests are moderately associated with Big 5 measures. We present the SAPA procedure in some detail and review findings relating dimensions of personality, ability, and interest.