Task-based and questionnaire-based EF measures show consistently low correlations and may assess partially distinct phenomena¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Task-based and questionnaire-based EF measures correlate consistently lowly and may assess partially distinct phenomena. → Theobald 2026

Evidence¶

Theobald 2026¶

Theobald, M., Kerner auch Koerner, J., Breitwieser, J., Buhr, L., Karbach, J., Könönen, T., Nobbe, L., Reinelt, T., Schaaf, M., Schmiedek, F., Wieland, L. M., & Blume, F. (2026). Executive Functions, Metacognition, Self-Regulation, and Self-Regulated Learning – What are We Talking About? A Review and Introduction of the EMERGE Model. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-026-10157-0

q2 · i? · review · r2

The review reports, citing Toplak 2013 and Isquith and colleagues, "consistently low correlations observed between task-based and questionnaire-based EF measures", attributing the difference to methodological differences between maximal-capacity tasks and typical-behaviour questionnaires. No correlation coefficients are printed.

"These methodological differences likely contribute to the consistently low correlations observed between task-based and questionnaire-based EF measures (Toplak 2013). Indeed, evidence suggests that these approaches may assess partially distinct phenomena (Isquith et al. 2013; Isquith 2014; Toplak 2013)."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

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• Cool EF measures correlate with each other, but no association is found between cool and hot EF measures — related
• Low questionnaire–think-aloud correlations may have two alternative explanations besides poor self-report ability: the methods may measure different strategies or be aimed at different tasks — related
• Schellings' questionnaire-thinking-aloud convergent correlation of .51 rests on a small sample and is questionable against other studies — related
• A task-specific questionnaire built item-by-item from a think-aloud coding taxonomy correlated r=.51 with think-aloud protocols, higher than the -.07 to .42 regularly reported — related