Self-Reflection, insight, and individual differences in various language tasks

This study explored the relationships of self-reflection and insight with individuals' performances on various language tasks. The Self-Reflection and Insight Scale (SRIS; Grant, Franklin, & Langford, 2002) assessed individual differences in three factors: engagement in reflection, need for reflection, and insight. A high need for reflection was associated with a low vocabulary level and a small number of intrusive errors on a recognition task. A high level of insight was associated with a high accuracy rate and high response speed on a sentence-sensibility judgment task. In addition, groups who differed in need for reflection and insight did not differ on a working memory test, suggesting that need for reflection and insight account for the variation in the language tasks independent of working memory capacity. The findings suggest connections between self-reflection, insight, and proficiency in language processing. Key words: self-reflection, insight, individual differences, lexical access, sentence reading
People vary in the way that they process information. This study investigated how individual differences in language processing might relate to people's tendencies to self-reflect and their levels of understanding [...]