Cognitive training with children: The importance of Need for Cognition

Abstract

The present study investigates how Klauer's (inductive) reasoning training and its effect on cognitive abilities are associated with Need for Cognition (NFC; the motivation to engage in cognitive efforts and enjoying it) of the trainees. 145 (in the end 121) preschool as well as primary school children (age 6 to 7 years) were trained with Klauer's inductive reasoning training Keiner ist so schlau wie ich (KISSWI; English translation: No one is as smart as me). The correlation between NFC and the subsequent change of cognitive abilities during the KISSWI-training as well as the training effect on NFC was examined. Overall, a correlation of r =.22 was found between NFC and the subsequent change of cognitive abilities during the training. There was also a small positive training effect on NFC from pre- to posttest (d = 0.21). On intelligence (CFT-1), Klauer's inductive training showed a small effect (pretest to posttest d = 0.39). These results provide first evidence that NFC interacts with Klauer's inductive reasoning training and underline the importance of considering individual differences of the trainees for cognitive training success. >ς: 175 words.