The fuzzy relationship of intelligence and problem solving in computer simulations

Using the instructional computer simulation “Hunger in the Sahel”, two experiments were conducted concerning the moderating effect of domain knowledge on the correlation of intelligence and problem solving. Experiment 1 with N=200 students implemented a between-subjects design, Experiment 2 with N=28 young adults a within-subjects design with 10 repeated measures on problem solving. The results correspond to the Elshout–Raaheim hypothesis: With low domain knowledge, the correlation is low; with increasing knowledge, the correlation increases; with further increasing knowledge, the correlation decreases; finally, when the problem has become a simple task, the correlation is again low. The results are of practical and theoretical relevance for designing simulation-based learning environments and simulation-based tests for measuring intelligence and problem-solving ability.