1. Cognitive Ability: What is it and how do we measure it?
EQ: Why is Intelligence hard to define and why is it important to be able to measure a person’s cognitive ability?

2. I. What is cognitive ability?
It is a generic term for our ability to reason, remember, understand, solve problems, and make decisions
The problem with this definition is that a person can be strong in one area, but not another
Therefore, cognitive ability is incredibly difficult to quantify

3. II. What is intelligence?
An individual’s intelligence is a set of attributes that center around our skills at information processing, problem solving, and ability to adapt to new or changing situations
Theoretically, intelligence could be seen as a measure of one’s cognitive ability
Intelligence, like cognitive ability, however is also a very subjective thing

4. III. A short history of intelligence testing?
Although people have known about the concept of intelligence forever, it is only recently that there are actual techniques that have been developed to test for actual levels of intelligence
In 1904, in France, Alfred Binet created the first official measurable intelligence test
This test was largely task based
In 1916 Lewis Terman created an English version of the test
The index used to measure the results in terms of Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
The higher the IQ, theoretically the more cognitive ability

5. IQ Range ("deviation IQ")
IQ Classification
145–160
Very gifted or highly advanced
130–144
Gifted or very advanced
120–129
Superior
110–119
High average
90–109
Average
80–89
Low average
70–79
Borderline impaired or delayed
55–69
Mildly impaired or delayed
40–54
Moderately impaired or delayed

6. IV. How can we test intelligence?
This is where the subject of intelligence becomes even more confusing
While tests like the Stanford-Binet and other IQ tests are considered to be both valid and reliable, they may not give us the best view of intelligence in the modern sense
And, whereas IQ was once considered very important, very few people under 40 actually know their IQ
Once you throw in Gardener’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, the discussion becomes even more muddled

7. V. Aptitude tests
The purpose of an aptitude test is to measure a person’s ability to learn certain items or perform a certain task
If, for example, you wanted to pursue a career in the military, you would take the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) Test.
-This test can be used to determine what “jobs” are available to you
In the FBI, they can use an aptitude test to determine whether you can gain entrance

9. VI. Achievement tests
The purpose of an aptitude test is to measure what a person has accomplished or has actually learned
You already know what these are, because you have been doing them forever
You took several last week