On the relation of complex problem solving, personality, fluid intelligence, and academic achievement

Complex Problem Solving (CPS) is an important cognitive skill that is currently included in a number of educational large-scale assessments. However, only few studies elaborate empirically on the assessment of CPS and its construct validity. The present study aims at reducing this gap by targeting (1) the internal structure of CPS, (2) its relations to personality, and (3) its relations to fluid intelligence and academic achievement in a sample of 490 German students attending grades 8 to 13. Results indicated that (1) CPS was best described by a 2-dimensional model with knowledge acquisition and knowledge application as defining components, (2) relations between CPS and personality were generally weak, and (3) CPS and fluid intelligence exhibited moderate correlations. Further, CPS incrementally predicted academic achievement beyond fluid intelligence. Overall, this study points to the relevance of CPS in predicting academic achievement and empirically advances knowledge of CPS in educational contexts.