Test–retest changes on scholastic aptitude tests are not related to g

This research examined the relation between test–retest changes on scholastic aptitude tests and g-loaded cognitive measures (viz., college grade-point average, Wonderlic Personnel Test, and word recall). University students who had twice taken a scholastic aptitude test (viz., Scholastic Assessment Test or American College Testing Program Assessment) during high school were recruited. The aptitude test raw scores and change scores were correlated with the g-loaded cognitive measures in two studies. The aptitude test change scores (which were mostly gains) were not significantly related to the cognitive measures, whereas the aptitude test raw scores were significantly related to those measures. Principal components analysis indicated that the aptitude test change scores had the lowest loading on the g factor, whereas the aptitude test raw scores and the cognitive measures had relatively high loadings on the g factor. These findings support the position that test–retest changes on scholastic aptitude tests do not represent changes in g. Further research is needed to determine the non-g variance components that contributed to the observed test–retest changes.