Table 1 Four-factor solution derived from the initial EFA

A1 I tend to solve problems step-by-step

.378

-.279

A2 I find it easier to solve problems when I have clear instruction

.756

A3 I am better when memorizing things that have clear structure

.661

A4 I prefer to do tasks that I have done before than tasks that are new to me

.668

-.358

A5 I perform better when I am asked to do a task that I already know

.799

A6 My performance is poor when I have to do two tasks at the same time

.580

A7 I am able to listen and read at the same time^a

-.493

.207

A8 I prefer tasks that demand different skills such as hearing and reading at the same time

-.489

.379

A9 I make more mistakes when I have a lot to do

.479

A10 I am flexible in performing different types of tasks

-.271

.367

A11 I prefer tasks that are predictable

.646

A12 It is easy for me to apply my current knowledge to other tasks

.270

.441

A13 It is difficult to perform tasks that demand new regularities

.243

.323

-.247

A14 I learn content better when it has clear instructions

.740

-.271

A15 I prefer to multitask

-.463

.308

A16 I am easily distracted by new stimuli

.612

A17 I easily adapt given redundant information

A18 I prefer to focus on details than the whole

.302

A19 It is hard for me to memorize details^a

.431

.210

A20 When there are less options to choose, I make better decisions

.365

.209

A21 I get overwhelmed when I have to choose one option among different possible options

.207

.516

A22 I am better with rigid relationships than with flexible relationships

A23 I do not go beyond the instructions as I believe that this is the best way to determine the solution

.397

-.336

.280

A24 I prefer to have precise training than flexible training

.454

.251

A25 I easily find specific words in a paragraph of text

-.248

.242

A26 I perform poorly when I am asked to figure out the main idea when reading

.246

-.219

.325

A27 More information/data regarding a problem that I am solving is always helpful

.317

.234

A28 I have a hard time separating the signal from noise

.306

.275

A29 I get overwhelmed when I have too many tasks to do

.653

A30 I feel that it would be easy for me to learn a bunch of unrelated things

-.309

.370

.242

A31 I tend to remember more general information about things

.324

A32 It’s hard for me to learn things one-by-one^a

.552

A33 I’m always looking two steps ahead

.393

A34 I like to learn things exactly

.439

.255

A35 I am great at dealing with new situations

-.289

.399

A36 I prefer to view things in isolation

.273

.301

A37 I hate it when I have to decide between two things that differ on many dimensions

.239

.317

.237

A38 I like being precise about things

.446

.284

A39 Things need to be quite different for me to be able to tell them apart

-.284

.463

A40 I tend to take things too literally

.204

.367

A41 Learning new things makes me forget old ones

.395

.241

A42 I never take anything at “face value”

.258

.273

A43 I realize that everything has nuances

.270

.572

A44 Most things tend to have very unique meanings

.219

.611

A45 I am good at “filling in the gaps” when I am learning something

.677

A46 A lot of things are not very complex

-.218

.220

.268

A47 It is easy for me to learn things that can be grouped together^a

.211

.506

A48 My memory for previous things is not affected by learning new ones^a

-.510

.212

A49 I can easily tell things apart

.569

A50 I do not need to learn things precisely

-.236

-.200

.215

A51 I like it when I have to decide between two things that differ according to a single dimension

-.235

A52 I always try to see connections between things

.621

A53 I prefer situations that I am used to dealing with

.665

A54 I do not like it when something seems fuzzy to me

.393

.221

A55 I never have trouble predicting what is going to happen next

.348

A56 I am not good at “intuiting” things

-.406

.280

A57 I often fail to see the relation between things

-.468

.418

A58 I always assume that there is “more to the picture than meets the eye”

.335

.675

A59 I tend to remember specific details about things

.575

A60 Most things have meaning in relation to other things

.206

.697