Higher starting scores in vocabulary predicted greater gains in matrix reasoning and vice versa (bidirectional positive coupling)¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associationalr2·q3·i2medium
Currency · newest study 2017 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
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q3 i2 Both coupling parameters in the mutualism model were positive: Time 1 Vocabulary predicted Matrix Reasoning gains (r = .203) and Time 1 Matrix Reasoning predicted Vocabulary gains (r = .144). → Kievit 2017
Evidence¶
Kievit 2017¶
Kievit, R. A., Lindenberger, U., Goodyer, I. M., Jones, P. B., Fonagy, P., Bullmore, E. T., the Neuroscience in Psychiatry Network, & Dolan, R. J. (2017). Mutualistic Coupling Between Vocabulary and Reasoning Supports Cognitive Development During Late Adolescence and Early Adulthood. Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797617710785
q3 · i2 · associational · r2
Parameter estimates from the fitted mutualism LCS model in the Results section of the two-wave cohort study. The Vocabulary-to-Matrix-Reasoning coupling was "of typical size (r = .203, r2 = 4.1%)" and the reverse coupling was r = .144, r2 = 2.1%, in the small to typical range.
"Crucially, as predicted by the mutualism model, both coupling parameters were positive: Individuals who started out with a higher Matrix Reasoning score improved more on Vocabulary and vice versa."
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- The relation between metacognition and critical thinking is bidirectional: metacognition improves thinking skills and vice versa — related
- The mutualism model provides the best account of longitudinal changes in vocabulary and matrix reasoning, with by far the highest normalized model-selection probability — related
- The mutualism model's coupling structure held equally across sexes and age did not directly predict change scores — related
- Both cognitive domains showed significant growth, negative self-feedback, and substantial individual differences in change over the interval — related
- Scores from a different subject test can serve as collateral information: mathematics scores can improve reading item parameter estimation and vice versa — related
- Longitudinal associations between teacher–student and peer relationship quality are smaller than cross-sectional ones, with teacher–student relationships somewhat more predictive of peer relationships than vice versa — related
- Procedural and conceptual knowledge in mathematics develop bidirectionally, so instruction need not always proceed conceptual-to-procedural — related
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
claim |
id |
bidirectional-coupling-vocabulary-reasoning-gains |
title |
Higher starting scores in vocabulary predicted greater gains in matrix reasoning and vice versa (bidirectional positive coupling) |
description |
Higher starting scores in vocabulary predicted greater gains in matrix reasoning and vice versa (bidirectional positive coupling) |
status |
review |
evidence_strength |
moderate |
newest_evidence |
2017 |
source_checked |
2026-10-20 |
generated |
by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-10-17 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — kievit-2017 |
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