Ability; competence to do a certain kind of work at a certain level
An
aptitude
is a component of a
competence
to do a certain kind of
work
at a certain level. Outstanding aptitude can be considered "
talent
", or "
skill
". Aptitude is
inborn
potential
to perform certain kinds of activities, whether
physical
or
mental
, and whether developed or undeveloped. Aptitude is often contrasted with
skills
and abilities, which are developed through
learning
.
[1]
The
mass term
ability
refers to components of competence acquired through a combination of both aptitude and skills.
According to Gladwell (2008)
and Colvin (2008),
it is often difficult to set apart the influence of talent from the influence of hard
training
in the case of outstanding performances. Howe, Davidson, and Sloboda argue that talents are acquired rather than innate.
[4]
Talented individuals generally show high levels of competence immediately in only a narrow range of activities,
[5]
often comprising only a single direction or genre.
Intelligence and aptitude
[
edit
]
Aptitude and
IQ
are different but related concepts relating to human mental ability. Unlike the original idea of IQ, aptitude often refers to one of the many different characteristics which can be independent of each other, such as aptitude for military flight, air traffic control, or computer programming.
[6]
This approach measures a variety of separate skills, similar to the
theory of multiple intelligences
and
Cattell?Horn?Carroll theory
and many other modern theories of intelligence. In general, aptitude tests are more likely to be designed and used for career and employment decisions, and intelligence tests are more likely to be used for educational and research purposes. However, there is a great deal of overlap between them, and they often measure the same kinds of abilities. For example, aptitude tests such as the
Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
measure enough aptitudes that they could also serve as a measure of general intelligence.
A single construct such as mental ability is measured with multiple tests. Often, a person's group of test scores will be highly correlated with each other, which makes a single measure useful in many cases. For example, the
U.S. Department of Labor
's
General Learning Ability
is determined by combining Verbal, Numerical and Spatial aptitude scores. However, many individuals have skills that are much higher or lower than their overall mental ability level. Aptitude subtests are used intra-individually to determine which tasks that individual is more skilled at performing. This information can be useful for determining which job roles are the best fits for employees or applicants. Often, before more rigorous aptitude tests are used, individuals are screened for a basic level of aptitude through a previously-completed process, such as
SAT
scores,
GRE
scores,
GATE
scores, degrees, or other certifications.
Common aptitude tests
[
edit
]
Examples of aptitude tests include;
[7]
- Logical reasoning
tests: Logical reasoning tests examine how you come to see the difference or similarities between patterns and shapes.
- Verbal reasoning
tests: Verbal reasoning tests will determine the way you have defined or obtained information from within short passage or paragraph.
- In-tray exercises: Also called e-tray exercise, in-tray exercises is to determine your prioritization and organizational abilities required in the workplace.
- Watson Glaser
critical thinking
tests: The Watson Glaser critical thinking test determines your ability to analyze any set of information to see how well you understand it and draw from it a logical conclusion.
- Situational judgment tests: Situational judgment tests measure how you solve problems at work using various workplace scenarios.
- Numerical reasoning
tests: Numerical reasoning tests determine how you use numbers and calculations to solve mathematical problems.
- Diagrammatic reasoning
tests: Diagrammatic reasoning tests give you patterns and diagrams from which you must find the next step in the chain and provide the next step in the pattern using logic.
Combined aptitude and knowledge tests
[
edit
]
Tests that assess learned skills or knowledge are frequently called
achievement tests
. However, certain tests can assess both types of constructs. An example that leans both ways is the
Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
(ASVAB), which is given to recruits entering the armed forces of the
United States
. Another is the SAT, which is designed as a test of aptitude for
college
in the United States, but has achievement elements. For example, it tests mathematical reasoning, which depends both on mathematical ability and education received in
mathematics
.
Aptitude tests can typically be grouped according to the type of cognitive ability they measure, whether that be
fluid or crystallized intelligence
.
[8]
[9]
[10]
See also
[
edit
]
Look up
aptitude
in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Standardized tests: Aptitude, Intelligence, Achievement"
.
psychology.ucdavis.edu
. Retrieved
2016-08-03
.
- ^
Howe, M. J.; Davidson, J. W.; Sloboda, J. A. (June 1998).
"Innate talents: reality or myth?"
.
The Behavioral and Brain Sciences
.
21
(3): 399?407, discussion 407-42.
doi
:
10.1017/s0140525x9800123x
.
PMID
10097018
.
S2CID
7656089
. Retrieved
15 August
2022
.
- ^
Eby, Douglas.
"Multitalented Creative People"
.
Developing Multiple Talents
. Archived from
the original
on 25 February 2016.
- ^
"Standardized tests: Aptitude, Intelligence, Achievement"
.
psychology.ucdavis.edu
. Retrieved
2016-08-03
.
- ^
"What is Aptitude? Definition, Types and Ways to Highlight It"
.
www.indeed.com
. Retrieved
27 March
2023
.
- ^
The Too Many Aptitudes Problem
- ^
Multipotentiality: multiple talents, multiple challenges
Archived
July 18, 2011, at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
Personal Reflections on Testing
Archived
July 26, 2011, at the
Wayback Machine
Bibliography
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
- Media related to
Aptitude
at Wikimedia Commons