Cognitive individual differences mediate strategy selection in a future memory task.

Abstract

Two studies were conducted to determine whether cognitive individual differences predict strategy selection in a multitask scenarios. In Experiment l, operation span, executive control capacity, and comfort with situational ambiguity were found to be significant predictors of strategy selection. In Experiment 2, comfort with situational ambiguity was found to be a significant predictor of strategy selection in a low workload condition. Under high workload conditions, operation span and executive control capacity were found to be significant predictors of strategy selection. Because individual differences act as predictors of strategy selection in multitasking, cognitive individual difference factors may prove to be useful tools in employment selection. Optimal performance in some positions (e.g., air traffic controller) may necessitate the use of specific strategies. Whether individuals are capable of using (or choose to use) particular strategies may be determined by examining their cognitive individual differences.