Enhancing task solving ef fi ciency by the stimulation of crystallized and / or fl uid intelligence using environmental factors

Aim. The study analyzes the infl uence of environmental factors on cristalyzed and/or fl uid intelligence stimulation and theyr apport in increasing effi ciency. Material and method. Two groups of students were stimulated by environmental factors aiming to temporarily increase fl uid intelligence, or both cristalyzed and fl uid intelligence. The eff ects were evaluated using a special designed test. Results and conclusion. For a task that requires att ention, being under time pressure, fl uid intelligence stimulation is crucial, improving the results by 21.88%. The benefi t of supplementary stimulating crystallized intelligence, brought only an increase 10 times weaker, of 2.03%, up to 23.91% in performance improvement. This advantage was obtained by consuming a double time versus the group receiving only stimulated fl uid intelligence. We managed to reduce by over 20% the errors by stimulating fl uid intelligence by environmental factors.


INTRODUCTION
We started this study because an observati on made during a research on fati gue. Some colleagues began working at the pati ent with high initi al physical and especially mental fati gue levels, which of course aff ects work performance. Under these circumstances, we studied the possibiliti es of psychic level augmentati on and removal of mental fati gue in order to increase work effi ciency. Our att enti on was drawn to a new scienti fi c branch of cogniti ve ergonomics (1), neuroergonomics (2) dealing with the interacti on between the human mind and work process and human performance (3). A related fi eld (with much discussed ethical aspects) cogniti ve enhancement, has exactly the acti vity ob-ject needed in study. Much blamed (4) for the dream to provide "intelligence in a pill", it also off ers other methods, without risk, to increase cogniti ve capaciti es.
One of these safe methods is the use of environmental factors, which can sti mulate the fl uid intelligence (dealing with reasoning, and new problem solving).

MATERIALS AND METHOD
Among the environmental factors that infl uence the fl uid intelligence, one is creati ng an environment of "friendly competi ti on" (5). The competi ti on actually sti mulates creati vity and "friendship" is intended to combat the negati ve aspects of competi ti on.
We wanted to investi gate the quantum of additi onal benefi t brought by the supplementary sti mulati on of the crystallized intelligence (based on learning and previous experience). For this purpose we selected two groups of students who were moti vated diff erently. We designed a questi onnaire in which students had to count each of the lett ers: b, d, p and q present in each box of a table with 36 boxes, and fi nd out how many ti mes each lett er repeats (Fig. 1). We asked for the prior informed consent of all parti cipati ng students. To increase the crystallized intelligence we used as method a discussion on a subject of immediate and intense interest for the students: the next exam. All the students were very att enti ve and acti ve.
A. The fi rst group was composed of 26 students. The experimental protocol was as follows, for the group to which sti mulated both the fl uid and crystallized intelligence. a. We described this test to the students. b. We have provided a set of tests similar to those used in the real test, but with dif-ferent frequency and positi oning of the four lett ers, so that students can complete in order to familiarize them with the type of test. We off ered for this test about 2 minutes (aft erwards letti ng the tests to the students). c. We had discussion on the themes for the next exam for approximately 10 minutes d. We administered the fi rst test, for which we off ered 1½ minutes to solve. e. We presented the perspicacity problem, whose soluti on required approx. 9 minutes. f. We administered the second test, for which we off ered also 1 ½ minutes to solve.
B. The second group was composed of 23 students. The experimental protocol was as the same, for the group to which only sti mulated fl uid intelligence, excepti ng the point c which was omitt ed. From point d on the test was similar.
1. The results of the group with sti mulati on fl uid intelligence tests 1 and 2 are pre sented in Tables 1 and 2 and in Chart 1.  Students who correctly solved the fi rst test were 7 (27%), and those who correctly solved the second test were 9 (35%), an increase of 7% The results of the group ˝with both the crystallized intelligence and fl uid intelligence sti mulati on -tests 1 and 2 are shown in Tables 3 and  4, as well as in the Chart 2.  The students who correctly solved the fi rst test, 8, 35%, as in the case of the fi rst group (1/3). The second test correctly solved 10 students, 42%, an increase of 7.

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
The essenti al is the number of points each mesurement diff ers from the correct answer. Total errors (in points of diff erence) for each group and for each of the two tests, are presented in Charts 3 and 4.
In test 2 to for the group with sti mulati on fl uid intelligence were wrong in just 35 points total to 57 in the fi rst test, the error is reduced with 22 points, in the group with sti mulati on of fl uid and crystallized intelligence, were wrong in the second test only 25 points total to 39 in the fi rst test, the error reducti on with 14 points (21.88% from total errors of this group).

CONCLUSIONS
Sti mulati on of the two types of intelligence is a proven fact in psychological research. The factors involved in the two processes are diff erent.
Our results indicate that for a task that requires att enti on, being under ti me pressure, fl uid intelligence sti mulati on is crucial, improving the results by n21.88%. The benefi t of supplementary sti mulati ng crystallized intelligence, one that is based on prior learning and experiences brought only an increase 10 ti mes weaker 2.03%, up to 23.91% in performance improvement. This advantage is obtained by consuming a double ti me versus the group receiving only sti mulated fl uid intelligence.
We managed to reduce by over 20% the errors by sti mulati ng fl uid intelligence by environmental factors.