Limits on the Predictive Power of Domain-Specific Experience and Knowledge in Skilled Performance

Abstract

It is clear from decades of research that, to a very large degree, success in music, games, sports, science, and other complex domains reflects knowledge and skills acquired through experience. However, it is equally clear that basic abilities, which are known to be substantially heritable, also contribute to performance differences in many domains, even among highly skilled performers. As we discuss here, our research shows that working memory capacity predicts performance in complex tasks even in individuals with high levels of domain-specific experience and knowledge. We discuss implications of our findings for the understanding of individual differences in skill and identify challenges for future research.