Abstract
The present investigation was designed to determine interrelationships between a measure of problem-solving ability and measures of several other cognitive skills. The Purdue Elementary Problem-solving Inventory and tests of logical thinking, concept formation, language development, perceptual skills, response style, and measures of reading, IQ, and school achievement were administered to 1071 second-, fourth-, and sixth-graders from different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Significant correlations between all of the measures and problem solving were obtained. A principal components analysis demonstrated a distinct problem-solving factor, separate from measures of school achievement and language abilities but related to logical thinking and conceptual ability.
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