Cognitive Ability Tests are designed to evaluate a person's general thinking ability and estimate the potential of an individual to solve problems and acquire new skills and knowledge. They cover a range of aptitudes to assess the overall intelligence of a person. These tests are used by companies for employee selection. Companies aim to find individuals who have high performance and productivity. Hence cognitive ability tests are conducted to assess the abilities of candidates which do not appear on the CV. Here we have explained everything about cognitive ability tests which will help you understand them better and improve your performance accordingly.
Table of Contents
- What is Cognitive Ability Test?
- Why are Cognitive Ability Tests Used?
- Types of Cognitive Ability Tests
- How is Cognitive Ability Tested?
What is Cognitive Ability Test?
Cognitive Ability Tests are aimed to measure the general trait of "intelligence" or " general mental ability". These are conducted as pre-employment tests these days. Their use as screening tests by companies has speeded up and simplified the recruitment process.
Why are Cognitive Ability Tests Used?
Cognitive tests are used as screening tests because they help find companies find employees who can work under pressure using the best of the limited resources and time. The tests are designed in a way that a candidate has to make shifts in the way of thinking very quickly. They are a measure of how an individual thinks which is important for companies as they require employees who are highly efficient. The different reasons for using cognitive tests can be listed as follows:
- They help predict job performance.
- Measure learning and problem solving skills.
- Help identify hidden potential
- Save time and money
- Avoid bias
Types of Cognitive Ability Tests
There are a range of questions from different subjects in cognitive ability tests. You should have knowledge of what these tests are to be able to prepare better for the recruitment. The different types of questions asked in cognitive tests are as follows:
Numerical Ability Tests
Questions from this section are based on arithmetical computations. They are desgined to test the aptitude of a candidate. This type of test is particularly challenging as the questions are complex and the tight time limits don’t leave much more than a minute for you to answer each question. These tests asses how well a candidates interprets and works with numbers.
Verbal Ability Tests
These evaluate a candidates commprehension and communication skills which are important to work in an organization. They indicate to the employer how well a candidate understands the information provided to him/her.
Mechanical Ability Tests
These assess ability to understand different mechanical and electrical principles. These tests require a lot of reading on behalf of the candidates. You should be well versed with different topics such as energy and transformation, to levers, pulleys and pressure etc.
Logical Ability Tests
They assess the logical and problem solving ability of candidates. These are pattern and puzzle based questions. Given the time limit, it is challanging to complete these questions and require a lot of practice.
Spatial Awareness Tests
These are to assess ability to manipulate images and shapes into their two- and three-dimensional forms, and draw conclusions from limited amounts of information.
How is Cognitive Ability Tested?
Cognitive ability tests are short duration multiple choice type tests. The short duration is kept to ensure that candidates actually think in the moment and reflect their actual skills. In most cases, cognitive ability tests are only 10-30 minutes long. The fast pace of the tests simulates the real world where we have to make quick, logical decisions, hundreds of times a day, therefore accurately predicting a candidate’s workplace performance. The results are in the form of raw scores or percentiles.
What is Cognitive Ability?
Cognitive ability is general intelligence required to grasp knowledge and work with it.
What are the different types of Cognitive Ability Tests?
The different types of cognitive ability tests are numerical reasoning tests, verbal ability tests, logical ability tests, mechanical ability and spatial awareness tests.
What type of questions are asked in Cognitive Ability Tests?
Multiple choice type questions are asked in Cognitive Ability Tests.
What is the duration of Cognitive Ability Tests?
The duration of Cognitive ability tests is 10 to 35 minutes.
Do cognitive ability tests help evaluate the problem solving skills of an individual?
Yes, cognitive ability tests help evaluate the problem-solving skills of an individual.