---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Roberts and Kyllonen (1999) explored the…"
description: "\"“Roberts and Kyllonen (1999) explored the relation of morningness to cognitive ability. Using 420 U.S. Air Force recruits in the sixth week of basic tr..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60d/pierce-howard-101291_air-force_roberts-and-kyllonen-1999-explored-the-r_546503.jpg"
---

#  Roberts and Kyllonen (1999) explored the relation of…

![“Roberts and Kyllonen (1999) explored the relation of morningness to cognitive ability. Using 420 U.S. Air Force recruits in the sixth week of basic training, they found that cognitive ability was positively correlated with eveningness and negatively correlated with morningness. They cite…” quote by Pierce Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60d/pierce-howard-101291_air-force_roberts-and-kyllonen-1999-explored-the-r_546503.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60d/pierce-howard-101291_air-force_roberts-and-kyllonen-1999-explored-the-r_546503.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60d/pierce-howard-101291_air-force_roberts-and-kyllonen-1999-explored-the-r_546503.jpg)

> ““Roberts and Kyllonen (1999) explored the relation of morningness to cognitive ability. Using 420 U.S. Air Force recruits in the sixth week of basic training, they found that cognitive ability was positively correlated with eveningness and negatively correlated with morningness. They cite Sternberg’s doctrine that flexibility is associated with intelligence, and that adapting to the electrically lighted evening hours would be an example of such flexibility. Interesting, that those of us who, evolutionarily speaking, have adapted to become night owls, and not rigidly adhered to thousands of years of early to rise, early to bed routine, show greater signs of intelligence.””

Pierce Howard

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Morningness correlates negatively with cognitive ability, while eveningness correlates positively, suggesting flexibility in circadian preferences links to intelligence.

**In simple terms:** Evening types may be smarter.

Key Takeaway

Consider personal chronotype in learning strategies.

Themes

cognition chronotype flexibility intelligence morningness eveningness

Mood

analytical thoughtful

Type

research observation

When to use this quote

- education
- military training
- shift work
- personal productivity

Key Concepts

chronobiology psychometrics cognitive science

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you thrive better at night or morning?
- How can schedules be adapted for optimal performance?

A Different Perspective

Correlation does not prove causation; individual differences vary.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Air force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air-force/) [Basic training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basic-training/)

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