Cloze test performance and cognitive abilities: A comprehensive meta-analysis

IF 2.8 2区心理学 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Intelligence Pub Date : 2025-10-10 DOI:10.1016/j.intell.2025.101962

Friederike Busse , Luc Zimny , Ulrich Schroeders , Oliver Wilhelm

{"title":"Cloze test performance and cognitive abilities: A comprehensive meta-analysis","authors":"Friederike Busse , Luc Zimny , Ulrich Schroeders , Oliver Wilhelm","doi":"10.1016/j.intell.2025.101962","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cloze tests have a long history and have been used to measure various abilities, including intelligence, reading comprehension, and language proficiency. To locate cloze tests within a nomological network of cognitive abilities, we conducted a multilevel random effects meta-analysis covering 110 years of research. Studies were eligible if they provided a measure of association between a cognitive fill-in-the-blank test and any cognitive ability test. We synthesized manifest correlations from 89 studies (<em>N</em> = 37,912, <em>k</em> = 634) and found an average correlation of <em>r</em> = .54 (95% CI [.49, .59], <em>k</em> = 485) with crystallized intelligence, <em>r</em> = .48 (95% CI [.42, .54], <em>k</em> = 69) with fluid intelligence, and <em>r</em> =.61 (95% CI [.46, .77], <em>k</em> = 32) with general intelligence. While today's application of the typical cloze is to measure reading comprehension, our results revealed a similarly strong association with a broad range of crystallized abilities. Of the key moderators we investigated—text base, administration mode, deletion pattern, and response type—only the response type showed a significant effect. Sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of our findings. We conclude by revisiting the origin of the cloze test and highlighting the need for systematic studies on how different cloze test designs affect construct validity. Whereas the meta-analytic database predominantly originates from language research, where cloze tests are entrenched as markers of language proficiency, we propose reframing cloze tests as a versatile intelligence test format—just like multiple-choice tests constitute a testing method—that can be tailored to assess various specific cognitive abilities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13862,"journal":{"name":"Intelligence","volume":"113 ","pages":"Article 101962"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Intelligence","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289625000650","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Cloze tests have a long history and have been used to measure various abilities, including intelligence, reading comprehension, and language proficiency. To locate cloze tests within a nomological network of cognitive abilities, we conducted a multilevel random effects meta-analysis covering 110 years of research. Studies were eligible if they provided a measure of association between a cognitive fill-in-the-blank test and any cognitive ability test. We synthesized manifest correlations from 89 studies (N = 37,912, k = 634) and found an average correlation of r = .54 (95% CI [.49, .59], k = 485) with crystallized intelligence, r = .48 (95% CI [.42, .54], k = 69) with fluid intelligence, and r =.61 (95% CI [.46, .77], k = 32) with general intelligence. While today's application of the typical cloze is to measure reading comprehension, our results revealed a similarly strong association with a broad range of crystallized abilities. Of the key moderators we investigated—text base, administration mode, deletion pattern, and response type—only the response type showed a significant effect. Sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of our findings. We conclude by revisiting the origin of the cloze test and highlighting the need for systematic studies on how different cloze test designs affect construct validity. Whereas the meta-analytic database predominantly originates from language research, where cloze tests are entrenched as markers of language proficiency, we propose reframing cloze tests as a versatile intelligence test format—just like multiple-choice tests constitute a testing method—that can be tailored to assess various specific cognitive abilities.

查看原文本刊更多论文

完形填空测试表现与认知能力：一项综合元分析

完形填空测试有着悠久的历史，被用来衡量各种能力，包括智力、阅读理解和语言能力。为了在认知能力的规律网络中定位完形填空测试，我们进行了一项涵盖110年研究的多层次随机效应荟萃分析。如果研究提供了认知填空测试和任何认知能力测试之间的关联衡量标准，那么这些研究是合格的。我们综合了89项研究（N = 37,912, k = 634）的明显相关性，发现平均相关性r = 0.54 (95% CI[。49岁。[59], k = 485), r = 0.48 (95% CI[。42岁。[54], k = 69), r = 0.6195% ci[。46岁。[77], k = 32)。虽然今天典型的完形填空的应用是衡量阅读理解，但我们的结果显示，它与广泛的结晶能力有着同样强烈的联系。在我们调查的主要版主（文本库、管理模式、删除模式和响应类型）中，只有响应类型显示出显著的影响。敏感性分析支持我们研究结果的稳健性。最后，我们回顾了完形填空测试的起源，并强调需要系统地研究不同的完形填空测试设计如何影响结构效度。鉴于元分析数据库主要来源于语言研究，其中完形填空测试被确立为语言能力的标志，我们建议将完形填空测试重新构建为一种通用的智力测试形式——就像多项选择测试构成一种测试方法一样——可以量身定制以评估各种特定的认知能力。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Intelligence PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY-

CiteScore

5.80

自引率

13.30%

发文量

审稿时长

69 days

期刊介绍： This unique journal in psychology is devoted to publishing original research and theoretical studies and review papers that substantially contribute to the understanding of intelligence. It provides a new source of significant papers in psychometrics, tests and measurement, and all other empirical and theoretical studies in intelligence and mental retardation.