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Maternal Obesity and Child Cognitive Outcomes
Environmental and Socioeconomic Influences on Cognition

Maternal Obesity and Child Cognitive Outcomes

This post reviews the findings of Widen et al. (2019), who examined how maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) affect cognitive outcomes in children. The study focused on a diverse, low-income, multiethnic cohort to explore potential sex-specific differences in child neurodevelopment linked to maternal obesity. …

Cognitive Abilities, Not Math Skills, Predict Wealth for Preterm Adults
Cognitive Development and Neurodevelopment

Cognitive Abilities, Not Math Skills, Predict Wealth for Preterm Adults

This study, authored by Jaekel et al. (2019), examines the relationship between being born very preterm (VP) or with very low birth weight (VLBW), cognitive abilities, and wealth accumulation in adulthood. By tracking participants from birth to 26 years of age, the research provides key insights into how early cognitive …

The Influence of Childhood Socioeconomic Status on Brain Development
Environmental and Socioeconomic Influences on Cognition

Brain’s Response to Socioeconomic Status

McDermott et al. (2019) conducted a longitudinal study examining how childhood socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with structural brain development. By analyzing over 1,200 MRI scans from youth aged 5 to 25 years, the researchers explored connections between SES and the anatomy of the brain, offering important insights into cognitive …

IQ Malleability: The Role of Epigenetics and Dopamine D2 Receptor
Genetics and Cognitive Abilities

Epigenetic Influence on IQ Malleability: Insights from the IMAGEN Project

The study by Kaminski et al. (2018) investigates the intricate relationships between genetic, epigenetic, and neurobiological factors that contribute to variability in general intelligence (gIQ). By focusing on dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene modification, gray matter density, and striatal functional activation, the research sheds light on the complex interplay influencing …

Dissecting Cognition: Spatial vs. Abstract Reasoning
Cognitive Abilities and Intelligence

Dissecting Cognition: Spatial vs. Abstract Reasoning

Research into cognitive testing often aims to clarify the underlying structures of intelligence. This study analyzed data from the Jouve Cerebrals Test of Induction (JCTI) and the General Ability Measure for Adults (GAMA) to identify two distinct factors influencing reasoning abilities: spatial-temporal reasoning and abstract reasoning. Using data from 118 …

The Relationship Between Education and Intelligence
Educational Psychology and Interventions

How Education Can Improve Intelligence

The connection between education and intelligence has long been a subject of scientific inquiry. Ritchie and Tucker-Drob’s (2018) meta-analysis provides significant insights into this relationship, offering evidence that additional years of education can enhance cognitive abilities across various life stages and cognitive domains. Background Research on intelligence has consistently debated …

Dissecting the Cognitive Landscape: Literary vs. Scientific Intellect
Cognitive Abilities and Intelligence

Dissecting the Cognitive Landscape: Literary vs. Scientific Intellect

This study examines how cognitive abilities vary between literary and scientific contexts. By analyzing assessment data from 60 participants using JCCES and ACT tools, the research identifies distinct patterns that suggest the need for tailored educational approaches. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding how domain-specific tasks engage different cognitive …

The Impact of Family Size on Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Development
Environmental and Socioeconomic Influences on Cognition

The Impact of Family Size on Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Development

In their influential working paper, Juhn, Rubinstein, and Zuppann (2015) analyzed how family size affects the development of cognitive and non-cognitive skills. Their research used detailed mother-child data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, offering new insights into the quantity-quality trade-off in parental investment and its implications for …

Exploring the Underlying Dimensions of Cognitive Abilities: A Multidimensional Scaling Analysis of JCCES and GAMA Subtests
Statistical Methods and Data Analysis

Exploring the Underlying Dimensions of Cognitive Abilities: A Multidimensional Scaling Analysis of JCCES and GAMA Subtests

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the relationships between tasks of the Jouve Cerebrals Crystallized Educational Scale (JCCES) and General Ability Measure for Adults (GAMA) using multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis. The JCCES measures Verbal Analogies, Mathematical Problems, and General Knowledge, while the GAMA assesses nonverbal cognitive abilities through Matching, Analogies, …

The Link Between Dysphoria and Memory
Cognitive Neuroscience and Brain Function

The Link Between Dysphoria and Memory

Hubbard et al. (2015) examined the relationship between dysphoria and working memory (WM) capacity, focusing on how depressive thoughts influence cognitive performance. Their findings provide important insights into how mood-congruent processing may interfere with goal-oriented tasks, highlighting potential reasons for memory and concentration difficulties often reported by individuals with depressive …