Cognitive skills are the core skills the brain uses to think, read, learn, remember, reason and pay attention. All these functions work in harmony to help an individual take in the information and move it to the knowledge bank section of the brain for use in everyday life at school, work and anywhere else.
Cognitive skills areessential to perform any task, be it basic or complex. In other words, cognitive skills help inacquiringactual knowledge.Cognitive skills are controlled by neuronal network, which isconsidered to be the functional unit of human intelligence.
The assessment of cognitive skills is possible with the use of several different types of cognitive test.These tests have several applications across various age groups and different domains.
Applications of Cognitive Assessment for Children’s
Cognitive assessments are administered to children of various age groups to determine their cognitive strengths and weaknesses so that teachers and parents can help the children improve their performance.
The children are usually assessed on their verbal comprehension, vocabulary, general knowledge, ability to explain different concepts, understanding of visual spatial, application of acquired knowledge and fluid reasoning.
Cognitive ability tests evaluate the ability of the child to learn, retain and complete new information. These test results come in real handy in countries that have special schools and programs for talented children and children with learning difficulties.
The talented ones are encouraged to join special programs to develop their unique skills and abilities. On the other hand, children with learning difficulties are offered special care and support to help them perform better.
Experienced psychologists recommend that cognitive tests should be administered along with standard psychometric tools for a better and overall understanding of the child’s capabilities.
Some of the common tools for cognitive assessments of children are as follows:
- Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children – Fifth Edition, Australia, for children between 6 and 16 years
- Stanford-Binet – Fifth Edition for children between 2 and 7 years
- Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence – Fourth Edition, Australia, for children from 2 years 6 months to 7 years 7 months.
Applications of Cognitive Ability Test for Hiring Suitable candidates
The need for cognitive skills is not limited to the childhood.It is required throughout the life.Cognitive ability tests are administered to candidates applying for job positions at various companies. They help employers judge the ability of the candidates to acquire, retain and apply information in a working environment.
In other words, cognitive tests allow recruiters to measure the candidate’s aptitude and ability to solve problems, tomake the right hiring decision. A smart candidate with the right knowledge, experience and aptitude is the right choice for any position at any organization and cognitive assessments help recruiters identify and select them correctly.
The right fit for the job position ensures a win-win situation for the employee as well as the organization in terms of productivity, profitability and success.The Revelian Cognitive Ability Test (RCAT) is the most common pre-employment test used by recruiters. There are three categories under the test, namely verbal, numerical and abstract.
Cognitive tests are also recommended medically for people between the ages of 50 and 70, especially for those who have a family history of Alzheimer’s disease. They help detect early signs of cognitive impairment, memory loss and problems with judgment and thinking.
Cognitive ability tests, therefore, find applications throughout human life.
