The Effect of Cognitive Ability on Training and Transfer Performance

This study examined the effect of cognitive ability levels on skill acquisition and transfer as a function of training difficulty. Participants were classified into three groups based on the result of cognitive ability tests. They were trained with difficult or easy tasks and then transferred to novel difficult tasks. Results suggest that cognitive ability levels influenced training performance, though the effect of training difficulty on transfer performance varied with cognitive ability. The training difficulty was most effective for those who have the medium level of cognitive ability. These results were discussed with respect to individual differences and skill transfer performance.