HR Glossary

Cognitive Ability Testing

Cognitive ability testing is testing instrument designed to measure candidate’s cognitive functions such as learning and reasoning abilities during the selection process in order to help predict candidate’s future aptitude for the position.

what-is-cognitive-ability-testing

Cognitive ability testing definition

Cognitive ability testing is testing instrument designed to measure candidate’s cognitive functions such as learning and reasoning abilities during the selection process in order to help predict candidate’s future aptitude for the position.

The process is done through a Cognitive ability test (CogAT or CAT) which is characterized to measure the level of verbal, mathematical, memory & reasoning abilities.

Advantages of cognitive ability testing

• verbal reasoning sections and numerical tests sections show large validity for numerous number of jobs

• validity increases with the job complexity

• it can be administered in group settings

• scoring of the tests can be completed by computer scanning equipment

• lower cost than personality tests

• highly reliable

Disadvantages of Cognitive Ability Test

• non-minorities score one standard deviation higher than minorities

• ability differences between male and female differences may lead to negative effect on female candidates

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