Rational thinking as a general cognitive ability: Factorial structure, underlying cognitive processes, and relevance for university academic success

Rational thinking describes the ability to suppress heuristic thinking processes and to override them with systematic ones. In view of the high degree of required self-organization and decision-making skills that learning at the university demands, this ability seems relevant. In this study, 299 subjects completed four subtests on cognitive biases (cognitive reflection, resistance to belief bias, resistance to ratio bias, disjunctive reasoning). Bifactor analyses supported the existence of an underlying general factor of rational thinking processes as well as specific facet factors. Construct validity was analyzed with reaction times of correct and incorrect responses to test and control items. Among students (n = 191), rational thinking predicted academic success beyond fluid intelligence. The effect of rational thinking dispositions on academic success was partly mediated by rational thinking processes. Our results suggest that rational thinking is a general cognitive ability relevant to university learning, and they provide recommendations for its assessment.