Sex Differences in Latent Cognitive Abilities Ages 6 to 59: Evidence from the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keith, Timothy Z.; Reynolds, Matthew R.; Patel, Puja G.; Ridley, Kristen P.

2008-01-01

Sex differences in the latent general and broad cognitive abilities underlying the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities were investigated for children, youth, and adults ages 6 through 59. A developmental, multiple indicator-multiple cause, structural equation model was used to investigate sex differences in latent cognitive abilities as…

Analysis test of understanding of vectors with the three-parameter logistic model of item response theory and item response curves technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakkapao, Suttida; Prasitpong, Singha; Arayathanitkul, Kwan

2016-12-01

This study investigated the multiple-choice test of understanding of vectors (TUV), by applying item response theory (IRT). The difficulty, discriminatory, and guessing parameters of the TUV items were fit with the three-parameter logistic model of IRT, using the parscale program. The TUV ability is an ability parameter, here estimated assuming unidimensionality and local independence. Moreover, all distractors of the TUV were analyzed from item response curves (IRC) that represent simplified IRT. Data were gathered on 2392 science and engineering freshmen, from three universities in Thailand. The results revealed IRT analysis to be useful in assessing the test since its item parameters are independent of the ability parameters. The IRT framework reveals item-level information, and indicates appropriate ability ranges for the test. Moreover, the IRC analysis can be used to assess the effectiveness of the test's distractors. Both IRT and IRC approaches reveal test characteristics beyond those revealed by the classical analysis methods of tests. Test developers can apply these methods to diagnose and evaluate the features of items at various ability levels of test takers.

The academic penalty for gaining weight: a longitudinal, change-in-change analysis of BMI and perceived academic ability in middle school students.

PubMed

Kenney, E L; Gortmaker, S L; Davison, K K; Bryn Austin, S

2015-09-01

Worse educational outcomes for obese children regardless of academic ability may begin early in the life course. This study tested whether an increase in children's relative weight predicted lower teacher- and child-perceived academic ability even after adjusting for standardized test scores. Three thousand three hundred and sixty-two children participating in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort were studied longitudinally from fifth to eighth grade. Heights, weights, standardized test scores in maths and reading, and teacher and self-ratings of ability in maths and reading were measured at each wave. Longitudinal, within-child linear regression models estimated the impact of a change in body mass index (BMI) z-score on change in normalized teacher and student ratings of ability in reading and maths, adjusting for test score. A change in BMI z-score from fifth to eighth grade was not independently associated with a change in standardized test scores. However, adjusting for standardized test scores, an increasing BMI z-score was associated with significant reductions in teacher's perceptions of girls' ability in reading (-0.12, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.23, -0.03, P=0.03) and boys' ability in math (-0.30, 95% CI: -0.43, -0.17, P<0.001). Among children who were overweight at fifth grade and increased in BMI z-score, there were even larger reductions in teacher ratings for boys' reading ability (-0.37, 95% CI: -0.71, -0.03, P=0.03) and in girls' self-ratings of maths ability (-0.47, 95% CI: -0.83, -0.11, P=0.01). From fifth to eighth grade, increase in BMI z-score was significantly associated with worsening teacher perceptions of academic ability for both boys and girls, regardless of objectively measured ability (standardized test scores). Future research should examine potential interventions to reduce bias and promote positive school climate.

Correlation of Selected Cognitive Abilities and Cognitive Processing Parameters: An Exploratory Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snow, Richard E.; And Others

This pilot study investigated some relationships between tested ability variables and processing parameters obtained from memory search and visual search tasks. The 25 undergraduates who participated had also participated in a previous investigation by Chiang and Atkinson. A battery of traditional ability tests and several film tests were…

A Comparison of a Bayesian and a Maximum Likelihood Tailored Testing Procedure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKinley, Robert L.; Reckase, Mark D.

A study was conducted to compare tailored testing procedures based on a Bayesian ability estimation technique and on a maximum likelihood ability estimation technique. The Bayesian tailored testing procedure selected items so as to minimize the posterior variance of the ability estimate distribution, while the maximum likelihood tailored testing…

Cognitive Process Modeling of Spatial Ability: The Assembling Objects Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivie, Jennifer L.; Embretson, Susan E.

2010-01-01

Spatial ability tasks appear on many intelligence and aptitude tests. Although the construct validity of spatial ability tests has often been studied through traditional correlational methods, such as factor analysis, less is known about the cognitive processes involved in solving test items. This study examines the cognitive processes involved in…

Superitem Test: An Alternative Assessment Tool to Assess Students' Algebraic Solving Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lian, Lim Hooi; Yew, Wun Thiam; Idris, Noraini

2010-01-01

Superitem test based on the SOLO model (Structure of the Observing Learning Outcome) has become a powerful alternative assessment tool for monitoring the growth of students' cognitive ability in solving mathematics problems. This article focused on developing a superitem test to assess students' algebraic solving ability through interview method.…

Comparing behavioral discrimination and learning abilities in monolinguals, bilinguals and multilinguals.

PubMed

Tremblay, Marie-Claude; Sabourin, Laura

2012-11-01

The aim of the experiment was to determine whether language learning experience contributes to the development of enhanced speech perception abilities. Monolinguals, bilinguals and multilinguals were compared in their ability to discriminate a non-native contrast behaviorally using an AX task. The experiment was based on a "pre-test-training-post-test" design and performance was tested before and after receiving training on the voiceless aspirated dental/retroflex stop contrast. At post-test, participants were also tested on their ability to transfer training to a similar contrast (i.e., voiceless unaspirated dental/retroflex stop contrast). While no group differences were found at pre-test, analyses of the trained-on contrast at post-test revealed that multilinguals were more accurate than monolinguals and that both the multilingual and bilingual groups were more accurate than a control group that received no training. The results of the experiment not only suggest that multilinguals and bilinguals have enhanced speech perception abilities compared to monolinguals, but they also indicate that bi-/multilingualism helps develop superior learning abilities. This provides support for the idea that learning more than one language has positive effects on the cognitive development of an individual (e.g., Bialystok et al., 2004).

Interaction between motor ability and skill learning in children: Application of implicit and explicit approaches.

PubMed

Maxwell, Jon P; Capio, Catherine M; Masters, Rich S W

2017-05-01

The benefits of implicit and explicit motor learning approaches in young adults have been studied extensively, but much less in children. This study investigated the relationship between fundamental motor ability and implicit/explicit learning in children using the errorless learning paradigm. First, the motor ability of 261 children (142 boys, 119 girls) aged 9-12 years (M = 9.74, SD = 0.67) was measured. Second, children with motor ability scores in the upper and lower quartile learned a golf-putting skill in either an errorless (implicit) or errorful (explicit) learning condition. Four groups were formed: Errorless High-Ability (n = 13), Errorless Low-Ability (n = 11), Errorful High-Ability (n = 10), and Errorful Low-Ability (n = 11). Learning consisted of 300 practice trials, while testing included a 50-trial retention test, followed by a 50-trial secondary task transfer test, and another 50-trial retention test. The results showed that for high- and low-ability errorless learners, motor performance was unaffected by the secondary task, as was the case for high-ability errorful learners. Low-ability errorful learners performed worse with a secondary task and were significantly poorer than the corresponding high-ability group. These results suggest that implicit motor learning (errorless) may be beneficial for children with low motor ability. The findings also show a trend that children of high motor ability might benefit from learning explicitly (errorful). Further research is recommended to examine the compatibility of implicit and explicit approaches for children of different abilities.

Ability of walking without a walking device in patients with spinal cord injury as determined using data from functional tests

PubMed Central

Poncumhak, Puttipong; Saengsuwan, Jiamjit; Amatachaya, Sugalya

2014-01-01

Background/Objectives More than half of independent ambulatory patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) need a walking device to promote levels of independence. However, long-lasting use of a walking device may introduce negative impacts for the patients. Using a standard objective test relating to the requirement of a walking device may offer a quantitative criterion to effectively monitor levels of independence of the patients. Therefore, this study investigated (1) ability of the three functional tests, including the five times sit-to-stand test (FTSST), timed up and go test (TUGT), and 10-meter walk test (10MWT) to determine the ability of walking without a walking device, and (2) the inter-tester reliability of the tests to assess functional ability in patients with SCI. Methods Sixty independent ambulatory patients with SCI, who walked with and without a walking device (30 subjects/group), were assessed cross-sectionally for their functional ability using the three tests. The first 20 subjects also participated in the inter-tester reliability test. Results The time required to complete the FTSST <14 seconds, the TUGT < 18 seconds, and the 10MWT < 6 seconds had good-to-excellent capability to determine the ability of walking without a walking device of subjects with SCI. These tests also showed excellent inter-tester reliability. Conclusions Methods of clinical evaluation for walking are likely performed using qualitative observation, which makes the results difficult to compare among testers and test intervals. Findings of this study offer a quantitative target criterion or a clear level of ability that patients with SCI could possibly walk without a walking device, which would benefit monitoring process for the patients. PMID:24621030

Joint Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Differential Ability Scales and the "Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities--Third Edition"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanders, Sarah; McIntosh, David E.; Dunham, Mardis; Rothlisberg, Barbara A.; Finch, Holmes

2007-01-01

This study examined the underlying constructs measured by the "Differential Ability Scales" ("DAS"; C.D. Elliott, 1990a) as they relate to the "Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) Theory" (K.S. McGrew, 1997) of cognitive abilities. The "DAS" and "Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities" ("WJ-III COG"; R.W.Woodcock, K.S. McGrew, & N. Mather, 2001)…

Typical Intellectual Engagement, Big Five Personality Traits, Approaches to Learning and Cognitive Ability Predictors of Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furnham, Adrian; Monsen, Jeremy; Ahmetoglu, Gorkan

2009-01-01

Background: Both ability (measured by power tests) and non-ability (measured by preference tests) individual difference measures predict academic school outcomes. These include fluid as well as crystalized intelligence, personality traits, and learning styles. This paper examines the incremental validity of five psychometric tests and the sex and…

Hypothesis Generation, Evaluation, and Memory Abilities in Adult Human Concept Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cason, Carolyn L.; And Others

Studies were made between performance on tests of mental abilities and concept learning tasks; it is pointed out that the researcher is usually confronted with administering large batteries of tests of mental abilities and then analyzing his results with one of the factor analytic techniques. An information process analysis of tests of mental…

Making the Most of What We Have: A Practical Application of Multidimensional Item Response Theory in Test Scoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de la Torre, Jimmy; Patz, Richard J.

2005-01-01

This article proposes a practical method that capitalizes on the availability of information from multiple tests measuring correlated abilities given in a single test administration. By simultaneously estimating different abilities with the use of a hierarchical Bayesian framework, more precise estimates for each ability dimension are obtained.…

The Stability of Individual Differences in Mental Ability from Childhood to Old Age: Follow-up of the 1932 Scottish Mental Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deary, Ian J.; Whalley, Lawrence J.; Lemmon, Helen; Crawford, J. R.; Starr, John M.

2000-01-01

Tested 101 adults, aged 77, who had completed psychometric intelligence testing in 1932, with the same test of mental ability. Results of this study, the longest follow-up study reported to date, show substantial stability in mental ability differences from childhood to late life. (SLD)

Woodcock-Johnson-III, Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test (KAIT), Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC), and Differential Ability Scales (DAS) support Carroll but not Cattell-Horn.

PubMed

Cucina, Jeffrey M; Howardson, Garett N

2017-08-01

Recently emerging evidence suggests that the dominant structural model of mental abilities-the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) model-may not adequately account for observed scores for mental abilities batteries, leading scholars to call into question the model's validity. Establishing the robustness of these findings is important since CHC is the foundation for several contemporary mental abilities test batteries, such as the Woodcock-Johnson III (WJ-III). Using confirmatory factor analysis, we investigated CHC's robustness across 4 archival samples of mental abilities test battery data, including the WJ-III, the Kaufman Adolescent & Adult Intelligence Test (KAIT), the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC), and the Differential Ability Scales (DAS). We computed omega hierarchical (ωH) and omega subscale (ωS) coefficients for g and the broad factors, which estimated the relationship of composite scores to g and the broad factors, respectively. Across all 4 samples, we found strong evidence for a general ability, g. We additionally found evidence for 3 to 9 residualized, orthogonal broad abilities existing independently of g, many of which also explained reliable variance in test battery scores that cannot be accounted for by g alone. The reliabilities of these broad factors, however, were less than desirable (i.e., <.80) and achieving desirable reliabilities would be practically infeasible (e.g., requiring excessively large numbers of subtests). Our results, and those of CHC critics, are wholly consistent with Carroll's model. Essentially, both g and orthogonal broad abilities are required to explain variance in mental abilities test battery scores, which is consistent with Carroll but not Cattell-Horn. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Genome-wide estimates of inbreeding in unrelated individuals and their association with cognitive ability.

PubMed

Power, Robert A; Nagoshi, Craig; DeFries, John C; Plomin, Robert

2014-03-01

The consequence of reduced cognitive ability from inbreeding has long been investigated, mainly restricted to cousin-cousin marriages. Molecular genetic techniques now allow us to test the relationship between increased ancestral inbreeding and cognitive ability in a population of traditionally unrelated individuals. In a representative UK sample of 2329 individuals, we used genome-wide SNP data to estimate the percentage of the genome covered by runs of homozygous SNPs (ROH). This was tested for association with general cognitive ability, as well as measures of verbal and non-verbal ability. Further, association was tested between these traits and specific ROH. Burden of ROH was not associated with cognitive ability after correction for multiple testing, although burden of ROH was nominally associated with increased non-verbal cognitive ability (P=0.03). Moreover, although no individual ROH was significantly associated with cognitive ability, there was a significant bias towards increased cognitive ability in carriers of ROH (P=0.002). A potential explanation for these results is increased positive assortative mating in spouses with higher cognitive ability, although we found no evidence in support of this hypothesis in a separate sample. Reduced minor allele frequency across the genome was associated with higher cognitive ability, which could contribute to an apparent increase in ROH. This may reflect minor alleles being more likely to be deleterious.

Genome-wide estimates of inbreeding in unrelated individuals and their association with cognitive ability

PubMed Central

Power, Robert A; Nagoshi, Craig; DeFries, John C; Donnelly, Peter; Barroso, Ines; Blackwell, Jenefer M; Bramon, Elvira; Brown, Matthew A; Casas, Juan P; Corvin, Aiden; Deloukas, Panos; Duncanson, Audrey; Jankowski, Janusz; Markus, Hugh S; Mathew, Christopher G; Palmer, Colin NA; Plomin, Robert; Rautanen, Anna; Sawcer, Stephen J; Trembath, Richard C; Viswanathan, Ananth C; Wood, Nicholas W; Spencer, Chris C A; Band, Gavin; Bellenguez, Céline; Freeman, Colin; Hellenthal, Garrett; Giannoulatou, Eleni; Pirinen, Matti; Pearson, Richard; Strange, Amy; Su, Zhan; Vukcevic, Damjan; Donnelly, Peter; Langford, Cordelia; Hunt, Sarah E; Edkins, Sarah; Gwilliam, Rhian; Blackburn, Hannah; Bumpstead, Suzannah J; Dronov, Serge; Gillman, Matthew; Gray, Emma; Hammond, Naomi; Jayakumar, Alagurevathi; McCann, Owen T; Liddle, Jennifer; Potter, Simon C; Ravindrarajah, Radhi; Ricketts, Michelle; Waller, Matthew; Weston, Paul; Widaa, Sara; Whittaker, Pamela; Barroso, Ines; Deloukas, Panos; Mathew, Christopher G; Blackwell, Jenefer M; Brown, Matthew A; Corvin, Aiden; Spencer, Chris C A; Plomin, Robert

2014-01-01

The consequence of reduced cognitive ability from inbreeding has long been investigated, mainly restricted to cousin–cousin marriages. Molecular genetic techniques now allow us to test the relationship between increased ancestral inbreeding and cognitive ability in a population of traditionally unrelated individuals. In a representative UK sample of 2329 individuals, we used genome-wide SNP data to estimate the percentage of the genome covered by runs of homozygous SNPs (ROH). This was tested for association with general cognitive ability, as well as measures of verbal and non-verbal ability. Further, association was tested between these traits and specific ROH. Burden of ROH was not associated with cognitive ability after correction for multiple testing, although burden of ROH was nominally associated with increased non-verbal cognitive ability (P=0.03). Moreover, although no individual ROH was significantly associated with cognitive ability, there was a significant bias towards increased cognitive ability in carriers of ROH (P=0.002). A potential explanation for these results is increased positive assortative mating in spouses with higher cognitive ability, although we found no evidence in support of this hypothesis in a separate sample. Reduced minor allele frequency across the genome was associated with higher cognitive ability, which could contribute to an apparent increase in ROH. This may reflect minor alleles being more likely to be deleterious. PMID:23860046

What are standardized literacy and numeracy tests testing? Evidence of the domain-general contributions to students' standardized educational test performance.

PubMed

Howard, Steven J; Woodcock, Stuart; Ehrich, John; Bokosmaty, Sahar

2017-03-01

A fundamental aim of standardized educational assessment is to achieve reliable discrimination between students differing in the knowledge, skills and abilities assessed. However, questions of the purity with which these tests index students' genuine abilities have arisen. Specifically, literacy and numeracy assessments may also engage unintentionally assessed capacities. The current study investigated the extent to which domain-general processes - working memory (WM) and non-verbal reasoning - contribute to students' standardized test performance and the pathway(s) through which they exert this influence. Participants were 91 Grade 2 students recruited from five regional and metropolitan primary schools in Australia. Participants completed measures of WM and non-verbal reasoning, as well as literacy and numeracy subtests of a national standardized educational assessment. Path analysis of Rasch-derived ability estimates and residuals with domain-general cognitive abilities indicated: (1) a consistent indirect pathway from WM to literacy and numeracy ability, through non-verbal reasoning; (2) direct paths from phonological WM and literacy ability to numeracy ability estimates; and (3) a direct path from WM to spelling test residuals. Results suggest that the constitution of this nationwide standardized assessment confounded non-targeted abilities with those that were the target of assessment. This appears to extend beyond the effect of WM on learning more generally, to the demands of different assessment types and methods. This has implications for students' abilities to demonstrate genuine competency in assessed areas and the educational supports and provisions they are provided on the basis of these results. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Understanding pretest and posttest reactions to cognitive ability and personality tests.

PubMed

Chan, D; Schmitt, N; Sacco, J M; DeShon, R P

1998-06-01

To understand the nature of test reactions and their relationship to test performance, the relationships among belief in tests, pretest reactions, test performance, and posttest reactions were modeled for cognitive ability and personality tests. Results from structural equation models that were fitted to responses from 197 undergraduate examinees supported the hypothesized relationships. On the cognitive ability test, pretest reactions affected test performance and mediated the relationship between belief in tests and test performance. Test performance affected posttest reactions even after taking into account the effect of pretest reactions. On the personality test, belief in tests affected pretest and posttest reactions, but the three variables were unrelated to test performance (Conscientiousness scores). Conceptual, methodological, and practical implications of the findings are discussed in the context of research on test reactions and test performance.

Trainability of Abilities: Training and Transfer of Abilities Related to Electronic Fault-Finding.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-03-01

Psychology , 1953, 45, 1-11. Educational Testing Service. Kit of Factor-Referenced Cognitive Tests . Princeton, N.J., 1976. Ferguson, G. A. On transfer and...Cliff 1 Dr. Richard L. Ferguson Department of Psychology The American College Testing Program University of Southern P. 0. Box 168 California Iowa City...enhanced spatial scanning but not flexibility of closure as measured by standard ability tests administered before and after training. On the other

Students' Ability in Science: Results from a Test Development Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akkanat, Cigdem; Gokdere, Murat

2017-01-01

Student's ability to use and manipulate scientific concepts has been widely explored; however there is still a need to define the characteristics and nature of science ability. Also, the tests and performance scales that require minimal conceptual knowledge to measure this ability are relatively less common. The aim of this study was to develop an…

Development of a Mathematical Ability Test: A Validity and Reliability Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dündar, Sefa; Temel, Hasan; Gündüz, Nazan

2016-01-01

The identification of talented students accurately at an early age and the adaptation of the education provided to the students depending on their abilities are of great importance for the future of the countries. In this regard, this study aims to develop a mathematical ability test for the identification of the mathematical abilities of students…

Effect of Students' Perceptions of Course Load on Test Anxiety

PubMed Central

Sansgiry, Sujit S.; Sail, Kavita

2006-01-01

Objectives The objective of this study was to examine the association between student perceptions of course load, their ability to manage time, and test anxiety. Methods A survey was self-administered to all students (professional years 1 through 4) enrolled in the PharmD curriculum at the University of Houston (2001) with items measuring test anxiety, perceived course load, and ability to manage time. Results One hundred ninety-eight students participated in the survey (response rate P1 = 48%, P2 = 52%, P3 = 52%, P4 = 72%). There was a significant difference in students' perception of course load, ability to manage time, and test anxiety scores across the 4 years. Test anxiety was positively correlated with students' perceptions of course load and negatively related to their ability to manage time with course work. Conclusions Students' perception of course load and their ability to manage time with their course work is associated with test anxiety. Future studies should evaluate the role of stress/time management programs to reduce stress and anxiety. PMID:17149404

Effect of students' perceptions of course load on test anxiety.

PubMed

Sansgiry, Sujit S; Sail, Kavita

2006-04-15

The objective of this study was to examine the association between student perceptions of course load, their ability to manage time, and test anxiety. A survey was self-administered to all students (professional years 1 through 4) enrolled in the PharmD curriculum at the University of Houston (2001) with items measuring test anxiety, perceived course load, and ability to manage time. One hundred ninety-eight students participated in the survey (response rate P1 = 48%, P2 = 52%, P3 = 52%, P4 = 72%). There was a significant difference in students' perception of course load, ability to manage time, and test anxiety scores across the 4 years. Test anxiety was positively correlated with students' perceptions of course load and negatively related to their ability to manage time with course work. Students' perception of course load and their ability to manage time with their course work is associated with test anxiety. Future studies should evaluate the role of stress/time management programs to reduce stress and anxiety.

Practical Management Concerns regarding the Use of Health-Related, Motor and Skill Tests to Achieve Sex-Fair Ability Groupings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuller, Janet

There are many advantages and disadvantages of ability tests for sex-fairness. Several types of assessment criteria for sex-fair ability grouping could be used in fitness-related activities in the curriculum. Health-related physical fitness tests, designed to measure an individual's health fitness and provide for individual improvement, are not…

Test Review: Schrank, F. A., McGrew, K. S., & Mather, N. (2014). Woodcock-Johnson IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Matthew R.; Niileksela, Christopher R.

2015-01-01

"The Woodcock-Johnson IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities" (WJ IV COG) is an individually administered measure of psychometric intellectual abilities designed for ages 2 to 90+. The measure was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt-Riverside in 2014. Frederick Shrank, Kevin McGrew, and Nancy Mather are the authors. Richard Woodcock, the…

Predicting student performance in sonographic scanning using spatial ability as an ability determinent of skill acquisition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clem, Douglas Wayne

Spatial ability refers to an individual's capacity to visualize and mentally manipulate three dimensional objects. Since sonographers manually manipulate 2D and 3D sonographic images to generate multi-viewed, logical, sequential renderings of an anatomical structure, it can be assumed that spatial ability is central to the perception and interpretation of these medical images. Using Ackerman's theory of ability determinants of skilled performance as a conceptual framework, this study explored the relationship of spatial ability and learning sonographic scanning. Beginning first year sonography students from four different educational institutions were administered a spatial abilities test prior to their initial scanning lab coursework. The students' spatial test scores were compared with their scanning competency performance scores. A significant relationship between the students' spatial ability scores and their scanning performance scores was found. This result suggests that the use of spatial ability tests for admission to sonography programs may improve candidate selection, as well as assist programs in adjusting instruction and curriculum for students who demonstrate low spatial ability.

Metacognitive Ability Relationship with Test Result of Senior High School of Biology Teacher Competence in Sijunjung District

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ardi, A.; Fadilah, M.; Ichsani, W.

2018-04-01

This research aimed to reveal how the relationship between metacognitive ability and the test result of biology teacher competence in Sijunjung District. The population of this descriptive research were all high school biology teachers in Sijunjung District, and sample is all teachers who are members of the population, which is 23 biology teachers. The instrument used in this research are a questionnaire of research on teacher's metacognitive ability and document about teacher competence test result. The questionnaire was validated first by two lecturers of biology and one lecturer of English. Data analysis using Pearson Product Moment's. Based on the results of research and discussion that have been described, it can generally be concluded that there is a low relationship between metacognitive ability with competence test results of high school biology teachers in Sijunjung District. Partially, the relationship of metacognitive ability with the test result of professional competence of biology teacher showed significant result, with correlation coefficient 0,46 and t table 1,72 while titung 2,37. The contribution of metacognitive ability to the competence test result of the teacher is 21.6%, while the other 78.4% have not been revealed in this research.

Development of a psychological test to measure ability-based emotional intelligence in the Indonesian workplace using an item response theory.

PubMed

Fajrianthi; Zein, Rizqy Amelia

2017-01-01

This study aimed to develop an emotional intelligence (EI) test that is suitable to the Indonesian workplace context. Airlangga Emotional Intelligence Test (Tes Kecerdasan Emosi Airlangga [TKEA]) was designed to measure three EI domains: 1) emotional appraisal, 2) emotional recognition, and 3) emotional regulation. TKEA consisted of 120 items with 40 items for each subset. TKEA was developed based on the Situational Judgment Test (SJT) approach. To ensure its psychometric qualities, categorical confirmatory factor analysis (CCFA) and item response theory (IRT) were applied to test its validity and reliability. The study was conducted on 752 participants, and the results showed that test information function (TIF) was 3.414 (ability level = 0) for subset 1, 12.183 for subset 2 (ability level = -2), and 2.398 for subset 3 (level of ability = -2). It is concluded that TKEA performs very well to measure individuals with a low level of EI ability. It is worth to note that TKEA is currently at the development stage; therefore, in this study, we investigated TKEA's item analysis and dimensionality test of each TKEA subset.

Consideration of "g" as a Common Antecedent for Cognitive Ability Test Performance, Test Motivation, and Perceived Fairness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reeve, Charlie L.; Lam, Holly

2007-01-01

Several different analyses were used to test the hypothesis that test-taking motivation, perceived test fairness, and actual test performance are correlated only because they share a common antecedent. First, hierarchical regressions reveal that initial test performance has a unique influence on non-ability factors even after controlling for…

Stability of person ability measures in people with acquired brain injury in the use of everyday technology: the test-retest reliability of the Management of Everyday Technology Assessment (META).

PubMed

Malinowsky, Camilla; Kassberg, Ann-Charlotte; Larsson-Lund, Maria; Kottorp, Anders

2016-01-01

To evaluate the test-retest reliability of the Management of Everyday Technology Assessment (META) in a sample of people with acquired brain injury (ABI). The META was administered twice within a two-week period to 25 people with ABI. A Rasch measurement model was used to convert the META ordinal raw scores into equal-interval linear measures of each participant's ability to manage everyday technology (ET). Test-retest reliability of the stability of the person ability measures in the META was examined by a standardized difference Z-test and an intra-class correlations analysis (ICC 1). The results showed that the paired person ability measures generated from the META were stable over the test-retest period for 22 of the 25 subjects. The ICC 1 correlation was 0.63, which indicates good overall reliability. The META demonstrated acceptable test-retest reliability in a sample of people with ABI. The results illustrate the importance of using sufficiently challenging ETs (relative to a person's abilities) to generate stable META measurements over time. Implications for Rehabilitation The findings add evidence regarding the test-retest reliability of the person ability measures generated from the observation assessment META in a sample of people with ABI. The META might support professionals in the evaluation of interventions that are designed to improve clients' performance of activities including the ability to manage ET.

Test Review: C. D. Elliott "Differential Ability Scales-Second Edition." San Antonio, TX--Harcourt Assessment, 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Stephanie; McGoey, Kara E.; Moschos, Susan

2011-01-01

This article presents a review of the Differential Ability Scales-Second Edition (DAS-II), an individually administered cognitive test battery, designed to evaluate children ages 2 years 6 months to 17 years 11 months. It purports to measure a hierarchy of cognitive abilities, including broad abilities contributing to a single cognitive factor…

Structural Neural Substrates of Reading the Mind in the Eyes.

PubMed

Sato, Wataru; Kochiyama, Takanori; Uono, Shota; Sawada, Reiko; Kubota, Yasutaka; Yoshimura, Sayaka; Toichi, Motomi

2016-01-01

The ability to read the minds of others in their eyes plays an important role in human adaptation to social environments. Behavioral studies have resulted in the development of a test to measure this ability (Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, revised version; Eyes Test), and have demonstrated that this ability is consistent over time. Although functional neuroimaging studies revealed brain activation while performing the Eyes Test, the structural neural substrates supporting consistent performance on the Eyes Test remain unclear. In this study, we assessed the Eyes Test and analyzed structural magnetic resonance images using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in healthy participants. Test performance was positively associated with the gray matter volumes of the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, inferior parietal lobule (temporoparietal junction), and precuneus in the left hemisphere. These results suggest that the fronto-temporoparietal network structures support the consistent ability to read the mind in the eyes.

Situational Effects May Account for Gain Scores in Cognitive Ability Testing: A Longitudinal SEM Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matton, Nadine; Vautier, Stephane; Raufaste, Eric

2009-01-01

Mean gain scores for cognitive ability tests between two sessions in a selection setting are now a robust finding, yet not fully understood. Many authors do not attribute such gain scores to an increase in the target abilities. Our approach consists of testing a longitudinal SEM model suitable to this view. We propose to model the scores' changes…

Do people have insight into their face recognition abilities?

PubMed

Palermo, Romina; Rossion, Bruno; Rhodes, Gillian; Laguesse, Renaud; Tez, Tolga; Hall, Bronwyn; Albonico, Andrea; Malaspina, Manuela; Daini, Roberta; Irons, Jessica; Al-Janabi, Shahd; Taylor, Libby C; Rivolta, Davide; McKone, Elinor

2017-02-01

Diagnosis of developmental or congenital prosopagnosia (CP) involves self-report of everyday face recognition difficulties, which are corroborated with poor performance on behavioural tests. This approach requires accurate self-evaluation. We examine the extent to which typical adults have insight into their face recognition abilities across four experiments involving nearly 300 participants. The experiments used five tests of face recognition ability: two that tap into the ability to learn and recognize previously unfamiliar faces [the Cambridge Face Memory Test, CFMT; Duchaine, B., & Nakayama, K. (2006). The Cambridge Face Memory Test: Results for neurologically intact individuals and an investigation of its validity using inverted face stimuli and prosopagnosic participants. Neuropsychologia, 44(4), 576-585. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2005.07.001; and a newly devised test based on the CFMT but where the study phases involve watching short movies rather than viewing static faces-the CFMT-Films] and three that tap face matching [Benton Facial Recognition Test, BFRT; Benton, A., Sivan, A., Hamsher, K., Varney, N., & Spreen, O. (1983). Contribution to neuropsychological assessment. New York: Oxford University Press; and two recently devised sequential face matching tests]. Self-reported ability was measured with the 15-item Kennerknecht et al. questionnaire [Kennerknecht, I., Ho, N. Y., & Wong, V. C. (2008). Prevalence of hereditary prosopagnosia (HPA) in Hong Kong Chinese population. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A, 146A(22), 2863-2870. doi:10.1002/ajmg.a.32552]; two single-item questions assessing face recognition ability; and a new 77-item meta-cognition questionnaire. Overall, we find that adults with typical face recognition abilities have only modest insight into their ability to recognize faces on behavioural tests. In a fifth experiment, we assess self-reported face recognition ability in people with CP and find that some people who expect to perform poorly on behavioural tests of face recognition do indeed perform poorly. However, it is not yet clear whether individuals within this group of poor performers have greater levels of insight (i.e., into their degree of impairment) than those with more typical levels of performance.

Spatial abilities, Earth science conceptual understanding, and psychological gender of university non-science majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Black, Alice A. (Jill)

Research has shown the presence of many Earth science misconceptions and conceptual difficulties that may impede concept understanding, and has also identified a number of categories of spatial ability. Although spatial ability has been linked to high performance in science, some researchers believe it has been overlooked in traditional education. Evidence exists that spatial ability can be improved. This correlational study investigated the relationship among Earth science conceptual understanding, three types of spatial ability, and psychological gender, a self-classification that reflects socially-accepted personality and gender traits. A test of Earth science concept understanding, the Earth Science Concepts (ESC) test, was developed and field tested from 2001 to 2003 in 15 sections of university classes. Criterion validity was .60, significant at the .01 level. Spearman/Brown reliability was .74 and Kuder/Richardson reliability was .63. The Purdue Visualization of Rotations (PVOR) (mental rotation), the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) (spatial perception), the Differential Aptitude Test: Space Relations (DAT) (spatial visualization), and the Bem Inventory (BI) (psychological gender) were administered to 97 non-major university students enrolled in undergraduate science classes. Spearman correlations revealed moderately significant correlations at the .01 level between ESC scores and each of the three spatial ability test scores. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that PVOR scores were the best predictor of ESC scores, and showed that spatial ability scores accounted for 27% of the total variation in ESC scores. Spatial test scores were moderately or weakly correlated with each other. No significant correlations were found among BI scores and other test scores. Scantron difficulty analysis of ESC items produced difficulty ratings ranging from 33.04 to 96.43, indicating the percentage of students who answered incorrectly. Mean score on the ESC was 34%, indicating that the non-majors tested exhibited many Earth science misconceptions and conceptual difficulties. A number of significant results were found when independent t-tests and correlations were conducted among test scores and demographic variables. The number of previous university Earth science courses was significantly related to ESC scores. Preservice elementary/middle majors differed significantly in several ways from other non-majors, and several earlier results were not supported. Results of this study indicate that an important opportunity may exist to improve Earth science conceptual understanding by focusing on spatial ability, a cognitive ability that has heretofore not been directly addressed in schools.

Typical intellectual engagement, Big Five personality traits, approaches to learning and cognitive ability predictors of academic performance.

PubMed

Furnham, Adrian; Monsen, Jeremy; Ahmetoglu, Gorkan

2009-12-01

Both ability (measured by power tests) and non-ability (measured by preference tests) individual difference measures predict academic school outcomes. These include fluid as well as crystalized intelligence, personality traits, and learning styles. This paper examines the incremental validity of five psychometric tests and the sex and age of pupils to predict their General Certificate in Secondary Education (GCSE) test results. The aim was to determine how much variance ability and non-ability tests can account for in predicting specific GCSE exam scores. The sample comprised 212 British schoolchildren. Of these, 123 were females. Their mean age was 15.8 years (SD 0.98 years). Pupils completed three self-report tests: the Neuroticism-Extroversion-Openness-Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) which measures the 'Big Five' personality traits, (Costa & McCrae, 1992); the Typical Intellectual Engagement Scale (Goff & Ackerman, 1992) and a measure of learning style, the Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ; Biggs, 1987). They also completed two ability tests: the Wonderlic Personnel Test (Wonderlic, 1992) a short measure of general intelligence and the General Knowledge Test (Irving, Cammock, & Lynn, 2001) a measure of crystallized intelligence. Six months later they took their (10th grade) GCSE exams comprising four 'core' compulsory exams as well as a number of specific elective subjects. Correlational analysis suggested that intelligence was the best predictors of school results. Preference test measures accounted for relatively little variance. Regressions indicated that over 50% of the variance in school exams for English (Literature and Language) and Maths and Science combined could be accounted for by these individual difference factors. Data from less than an hour's worth of testing pupils could predict school exam results 6 months later. These tests could, therefore, be used to reliably inform important decisions about how pupils are taught.

Battalion Combat Operations Center (COC) Test. Volume II. Test Report,

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-02-08

reveal, perhaps, that item X can perform a task faster than item-Y. A utility assessment from an experienced, knowledgeable test participant, however...can ascertain whether or not item X can better enable him to accomplish his mission than item Y. 2.4 GENeRALIZED TEST FACILITY. The capabilities of...ATHE MIX D -IX AE4SY MIXES A & C MIX A .IX D M X D IMIX C RATHER DIFFICUJLT VERY DIFFICULT ABILITY TO ABILITY TO ABILITY TO CONTROL DATA EXPLOIT DATA

Analysis of critical thinking ability of VII grade students based on the mathematical anxiety level through learning cycle 7E model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widyaningsih, E.; Waluya, S. B.; Kurniasih, A. W.

2018-03-01

This study aims to know mastery learning of students’ critical thinking ability with learning cycle 7E, determine whether the critical thinking ability of the students with learning cycle 7E is better than students’ critical thinking ability with expository model, and describe the students’ critical thinking phases based on the mathematical anxiety level. The method is mixed method with concurrent embedded. The population is VII grade students of SMP Negeri 3 Kebumen academic year 2016/2017. Subjects are determined by purposive sampling, selected two students from each level of mathematical anxiety. Data collection techniques include test, questionnaire, interview, and documentation. Quantitative data analysis techniques include mean test, proportion test, difference test of two means, difference test of two proportions and for qualitative data used Miles and Huberman model. The results show that: (1) students’ critical thinking ability with learning cycle 7E achieve mastery learning; (2) students’ critical thinking ability with learning cycle 7E is better than students’ critical thinking ability with expository model; (3) description of students’ critical thinking phases based on the mathematical anxiety level that is the lower the mathematical anxiety level, the subjects have been able to fulfil all of the indicators of clarification, assessment, inference, and strategies phases.

Dynamic testing and test anxiety amongst gifted and average-ability children.

PubMed

Vogelaar, Bart; Bakker, Merel; Elliott, Julian G; Resing, Wilma C M

2017-03-01

Dynamic testing has been proposed as a testing approach that is less disadvantageous for children who may be potentially subject to bias when undertaking conventional assessments. For example, those who encounter high levels of test anxiety, or who are unfamiliar with standardized test procedures, may fail to demonstrate their true potential or capabilities. While dynamic testing has proven particularly useful for special groups of children, it has rarely been used with gifted children. We investigated whether it would be useful to conduct a dynamic test to measure the cognitive abilities of intellectually gifted children. We also investigated whether test anxiety scores would be related to a progression in the children's test scores after dynamic training. Participants were 113 children aged between 7 and 8 years from several schools in the western part of the Netherlands. The children were categorized as either gifted or average-ability and split into an unguided practice or a dynamic testing condition. The study employed a pre-test-training-post-test design. Using linear mixed modelling analysis with a multilevel approach, we inspected the growth trajectories of children in the various conditions and examined the impact of ability and test anxiety on progression and training benefits. Dynamic testing proved to be successful in improving the scores of the children, although no differences in training benefits were found between gifted and average-ability children. Test anxiety was shown to influence the children's rate of change across all test sessions and their improvement in performance accuracy after dynamic training. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Story retelling and language ability in school-aged children with cerebral palsy and speech impairment.

PubMed

Nordberg, Ann; Dahlgren Sandberg, Annika; Miniscalco, Carmela

2015-01-01

Research on retelling ability and cognition is limited in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and speech impairment. To explore the impact of expressive and receptive language, narrative discourse dimensions (Narrative Assessment Profile measures), auditory and visual memory, theory of mind (ToM) and non-verbal cognition on the retelling ability of children with CP and speech impairment. Fifteen speaking children with speech impairment (seven girls, eight boys) (mean age = 11 years, SD = 1;4 years), and different types of CP and different levels of gross motor and cognitive function participated in the present study. Story retelling skills were tested and analysed with the Bus Story Test (BST) and the Narrative Assessment Profile (NAP). Receptive language ability was tested with the Test for Reception of Grammar-2 (TROG-2) and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test - IV (PPVT-IV). Non-verbal cognitive level was tested with the Raven's coloured progressive matrices (RCPM), memory functions assessed with the Corsi block-tapping task (CB) and the Digit Span from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III. ToM was assessed with the false belief items of the two story tests "Kiki and the Cat" and "Birthday Puppy". The children had severe problems with retelling ability corresponding to an age-equivalent of 5;2-6;9 years. Receptive and expressive language, visuo-spatial and auditory memory, non-verbal cognitive level and ToM varied widely within and among the children. Both expressive and receptive language correlated significantly with narrative ability in terms of NAP total scores, so did auditory memory. The results suggest that retelling ability in the children with CP in the present study is dependent on language comprehension and production, and memory functions. Consequently, it is important to examine retelling ability together with language and cognitive abilities in these children in order to provide appropriate support. © 2015 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

What is the Ability Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) good for? An evaluation using item response theory.

PubMed

Fiori, Marina; Antonietti, Jean-Philippe; Mikolajczak, Moira; Luminet, Olivier; Hansenne, Michel; Rossier, Jérôme

2014-01-01

The ability approach has been indicated as promising for advancing research in emotional intelligence (EI). However, there is scarcity of tests measuring EI as a form of intelligence. The Mayer Salovey Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, or MSCEIT, is among the few available and the most widespread measure of EI as an ability. This implies that conclusions about the value of EI as a meaningful construct and about its utility in predicting various outcomes mainly rely on the properties of this test. We tested whether individuals who have the highest probability of choosing the most correct response on any item of the test are also those who have the strongest EI ability. Results showed that this is not the case for most items: The answer indicated by experts as the most correct in several cases was not associated with the highest ability; furthermore, items appeared too easy to challenge individuals high in EI. Overall results suggest that the MSCEIT is best suited to discriminate persons at the low end of the trait. Results are discussed in light of applied and theoretical considerations.

Quantitative Differences in Retest Effects across Different Methods Used to Construct Alternate Test Forms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arendasy, Martin E.; Sommer, Markus

2013-01-01

Allowing respondents to retake a cognitive ability test has shown to increase their test scores. Several theoretical models have been proposed to explain this effect, which make distinct assumptions regarding the measurement invariance of psychometric tests across test administration sessions with regard to narrower cognitive abilities and general…

A Cross-Cultural Test of the Situational Bias Hypothesis: The Israeli Scene.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeidner, Moshe

1985-01-01

Two experiments were conducted in Israeli elementary schools to test the assumption that disadvantaged students perform poorly on ability tests because of situational factors related to the testing process. Testing atmosphere and examiner status were examined with respect to verbal and nonverbal ability and intelligence. The assumption was not…

A Procedure To Detect Test Bias Present Simultaneously in Several Items.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shealy, Robin; Stout, William

A statistical procedure is presented that is designed to test for unidirectional test bias existing simultaneously in several items of an ability test, based on the assumption that test bias is incipient within the two groups' ability differences. The proposed procedure--Simultaneous Item Bias (SIB)--is based on a multidimensional item response…

Assessment of Functional Abilities of Moderate Learning Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brundage, Elvira; And Others

The "Assessment of Functional Abilities of Moderate Learning Students" test is presented, along with a list of objectives being tested and brief test administration instructions. The test, which was developed by special education teachers of Cortland-Madison, New York, contains test items for the following 12 strands of a curriculum for secondary…

Test Anxiety Among College Students With Specific Reading Disability (Dyslexia): Nonverbal Ability and Working Memory as Predictors.

PubMed

Nelson, Jason M; Lindstrom, Will; Foels, Patricia A

2015-01-01

Test anxiety and its correlates were examined with college students with and without specific reading disability (RD; n = 50 in each group). Results indicated that college students with RD reported higher test anxiety than did those without RD, and the magnitude of these differences was in the medium range on two test anxiety scales. Relative to college students without RD, up to 5 times as many college students with RD reported clinically significant test anxiety. College students with RD reported significantly higher cognitively based test anxiety than physically based test anxiety. Reading skills, verbal ability, and processing speed were not correlated with test anxiety. General intelligence, nonverbal ability, and working memory were negatively correlated with test anxiety, and the magnitude of these correlations was medium to large. When these three cognitive constructs were considered together in multiple regression analyses, only working memory and nonverbal ability emerged as significant predictors and varied based on the test anxiety measure. Implications for assessment and intervention are discussed. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2013.

Enhancement of Spatial Ability in Girls in a Single-Sex Environment through Spatial Experience and the Impact on Information Seeking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swarlis, Linda L.

2008-01-01

The test scores of spatial ability for women lag behind those of men in many spatial tests. On the Mental Rotations Test (MRT), a significant gender gap has existed for over 20 years and continues to exist. High spatial ability has been linked to efficiencies in typical computing tasks including Web and database searching, text editing, and…

Capturing specific abilities as a window into human individuality: the example of face recognition.

PubMed

Wilmer, Jeremy B; Germine, Laura; Chabris, Christopher F; Chatterjee, Garga; Gerbasi, Margaret; Nakayama, Ken

2012-01-01

Proper characterization of each individual's unique pattern of strengths and weaknesses requires good measures of diverse abilities. Here, we advocate combining our growing understanding of neural and cognitive mechanisms with modern psychometric methods in a renewed effort to capture human individuality through a consideration of specific abilities. We articulate five criteria for the isolation and measurement of specific abilities, then apply these criteria to face recognition. We cleanly dissociate face recognition from more general visual and verbal recognition. This dissociation stretches across ability as well as disability, suggesting that specific developmental face recognition deficits are a special case of a broader specificity that spans the entire spectrum of human face recognition performance. Item-by-item results from 1,471 web-tested participants, included as supplementary information, fuel item analyses, validation, norming, and item response theory (IRT) analyses of our three tests: (a) the widely used Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT); (b) an Abstract Art Memory Test (AAMT), and (c) a Verbal Paired-Associates Memory Test (VPMT). The availability of this data set provides a solid foundation for interpreting future scores on these tests. We argue that the allied fields of experimental psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and vision science could fuel the discovery of additional specific abilities to add to face recognition, thereby providing new perspectives on human individuality.

The effect of perceptual reasoning abilities on confrontation naming performance: An examination of three naming tests.

PubMed

Soble, Jason R; Marceaux, Janice C; Galindo, Juliette; Sordahl, Jeffrey A; Highsmith, Jonathan M; O'Rourke, Justin J F; González, David Andrés; Critchfield, Edan A; McCoy, Karin J M

2016-01-01

Confrontation naming tests are a common neuropsychological method of assessing language and a critical diagnostic tool in identifying certain neurodegenerative diseases; however, there is limited literature examining the visual-perceptual demands of these tasks. This study investigated the effect of perceptual reasoning abilities on three confrontation naming tests, the Boston Naming Test (BNT), Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (NAB) Naming Test, and Visual Naming Test (VNT) to elucidate the diverse cognitive functions underlying these tasks to assist with test selection procedures and increase diagnostic accuracy. A mixed clinical sample of 121 veterans were administered the BNT, NAB, VNT, and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-4th Edition (WAIS-IV) Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) and Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) as part of a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. Multiple regression indicated that PRI accounted for 23%, 13%, and 15% of the variance in BNT, VNT, and NAB scores, respectively, but dropped out as a significant predictor once VCI was added. Follow-up bootstrap mediation analyses revealed that PRI had a significant indirect effect on naming performance after controlling education, primary language, and severity of cognitive impairment, as well as the mediating effect of general verbal abilities for the BNT (B = 0.13; 95% confidence interval, CI [.07, .20]), VNT (B = 0.01; 95% CI [.002, .03]), and NAB (B = 0.03; 95% CI [.01, .06]). Findings revealed a complex relationship between perceptual reasoning abilities and confrontation naming that is mediated by general verbal abilities. However, when verbal abilities were statistically controlled, perceptual reasoning abilities were found to have a significant indirect effect on performance across all three confrontation naming measures with the largest effect noted with the BNT relative to the VNT and NAB Naming Test.

Ability Tests? A Shot in the Dark

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petrovsky, Arthur V.

1973-01-01

Several areas of controversy between Soviet pyschologists and their Western colleagues concerning the usefulness of tests for measurement of mental ability are noted in this article. The author outlines test procedures suggested by Russian psychologist, Lev Vygotsky. (SM)

Testing Math or Testing Language? The Construct Validity of the KeyMath-Revised for Children With Intellectual Disability and Language Difficulties.

PubMed

Rhodes, Katherine T; Branum-Martin, Lee; Morris, Robin D; Romski, MaryAnn; Sevcik, Rose A

2015-11-01

Although it is often assumed that mathematics ability alone predicts mathematics test performance, linguistic demands may also predict achievement. This study examined the role of language in mathematics assessment performance for children with intellectual disability (ID) at less severe levels, on the KeyMath-Revised Inventory (KM-R) with a sample of 264 children, in grades 2-5. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the hypothesis that the KM-R would demonstrate discriminant validity with measures of language abilities in a two-factor model was compared to two plausible alternative models. Results indicated that KM-R did not have discriminant validity with measures of children's language abilities and was a multidimensional test of both mathematics and language abilities for this population of test users. Implications are considered for test development, interpretation, and intervention.

Development of a psychological test to measure ability-based emotional intelligence in the Indonesian workplace using an item response theory

PubMed Central

Fajrianthi; Zein, Rizqy Amelia

2017-01-01

This study aimed to develop an emotional intelligence (EI) test that is suitable to the Indonesian workplace context. Airlangga Emotional Intelligence Test (Tes Kecerdasan Emosi Airlangga [TKEA]) was designed to measure three EI domains: 1) emotional appraisal, 2) emotional recognition, and 3) emotional regulation. TKEA consisted of 120 items with 40 items for each subset. TKEA was developed based on the Situational Judgment Test (SJT) approach. To ensure its psychometric qualities, categorical confirmatory factor analysis (CCFA) and item response theory (IRT) were applied to test its validity and reliability. The study was conducted on 752 participants, and the results showed that test information function (TIF) was 3.414 (ability level = 0) for subset 1, 12.183 for subset 2 (ability level = −2), and 2.398 for subset 3 (level of ability = −2). It is concluded that TKEA performs very well to measure individuals with a low level of EI ability. It is worth to note that TKEA is currently at the development stage; therefore, in this study, we investigated TKEA’s item analysis and dimensionality test of each TKEA subset. PMID:29238234

A virtual reality test identifies the visuospatial strengths of adolescents with dyslexia.

PubMed

Attree, Elizabeth A; Turner, Mark J; Cowell, Naina

2009-04-01

Research suggests that the deficits characterizing dyslexia may also be associated with superior visuospatial abilities. Other research suggests that superior visuospatial abilities of people with dyslexia may not have been so far identified because of the lack of appropriate tests of real-life spatial ability. A recent small-scale study found that visuospatial superiority was evident in men with dyslexia. This study assessed the visuospatial ability of adolescents with dyslexia in order to determine whether these adolescents performed better on a pseudo real-life visuospatial test than did their nondyslexic peers. Forty-two adolescents took part in the study. There was an equal numerical split between the experimental and control groups. The experimental group all had a diagnosis of dyslexia by an educational psychologist or specialist teacher. Visuospatial ability was assessed using the Recall of Designs and the Pattern Construction subtests from the British Ability Scales (2nd edition; BAS-11) together with a computer-generated virtual environment test. The assessments were administered in a counterbalanced order. Adolescents with dyslexia tended to perform less well than their nondyslexic peers on the BAS-11 tests; however, this difference was not statistically significant. For the computer-generated virtual environment test (pseudo real-life measure), statistically significant higher scores were achieved by the dyslexic group. These findings suggest that adolescents with dyslexia may exhibit superior visuospatial strengths on certain pseudo real-life tests of spatial ability. The usefulness of these findings is discussed in relation to possible implications for assessment and educational intervention programs for adolescents with dyslexia.

Measurement of latent cognitive abilities involved in concept identification learning.

PubMed

Thomas, Michael L; Brown, Gregory G; Gur, Ruben C; Moore, Tyler M; Patt, Virginie M; Nock, Matthew K; Naifeh, James A; Heeringa, Steven; Ursano, Robert J; Stein, Murray B

2015-01-01

We used cognitive and psychometric modeling techniques to evaluate the construct validity and measurement precision of latent cognitive abilities measured by a test of concept identification learning: the Penn Conditional Exclusion Test (PCET). Item response theory parameters were embedded within classic associative- and hypothesis-based Markov learning models and were fitted to 35,553 Army soldiers' PCET data from the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS). Data were consistent with a hypothesis-testing model with multiple latent abilities-abstraction and set shifting. Latent abstraction ability was positively correlated with number of concepts learned, and latent set-shifting ability was negatively correlated with number of perseverative errors, supporting the construct validity of the two parameters. Abstraction was most precisely assessed for participants with abilities ranging from 1.5 standard deviations below the mean to the mean itself. Measurement of set shifting was acceptably precise only for participants making a high number of perseverative errors. The PCET precisely measures latent abstraction ability in the Army STARRS sample, especially within the range of mildly impaired to average ability. This precision pattern is ideal for a test developed to measure cognitive impairment as opposed to cognitive strength. The PCET also measures latent set-shifting ability, but reliable assessment is limited to the impaired range of ability, reflecting that perseverative errors are rare among cognitively healthy adults. Integrating cognitive and psychometric models can provide information about construct validity and measurement precision within a single analytical framework.

The enhancement of mathematical analogical reasoning ability of university students through concept attainment model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angraini, L. M.; Kusumah, Y. S.; Dahlan, J. A.

2018-05-01

This study aims to see the enhancement of mathematical analogical reasoning ability of the university students through concept attainment model learning based on overall and Prior Mathematical Knowledge (PMK) and interaction of both. Quasi experiments with the design of this experimental-controlled equivalent group involved 54 of second semester students at the one of State Islamic University. The instrument used is pretest-postest. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Levene test, t test, two-way ANOVA test were used to analyse the data. The result of this study includes: (1) The enhancement of the mathematical analogical reasoning ability of the students who gets the learning of concept attainment model is better than the enhancement of the mathematical analogical reasoning ability of the students who gets the conventional learning as a whole and based on PMK; (2) There is no interaction between the learning that is used and PMK on enhancing mathematical analogical reasoning ability.

Relationship of Selected Abilities to Problem Solving Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harmel, Sarah Jane

This study investigated five ability tests related to the water-jug problem. Previous analyses identified two processes used during solution: means-ends analysis and memory of visited states. Subjects were 240 undergraduate psychology students. A real-time computer system presented the problem and recorded responses. Ability tests were paper and…

Testing Based on Understanding: Implications from Studies of Spatial Ability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Egan, Dennis E.

1979-01-01

The information-processing approach and results of research on spatial ability are analyzed. Performance consists of a sequence of distinct mental operations that seem general across subjects, and can be individually measured. New interpretations for some classical concepts in psychological testing and procedures for abilities are suggested.…

Processing Determinants of Reading Speed.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Mark D.; McClelland, James L.

1979-01-01

Two groups of undergraduates differing in reading ability were tested on a number of reaction-time tasks designed to determine the speed of encoding visual information at several different levels, tests of sensory functions, verbal and quantitative reasoning ability, short-term auditory memory span, and ability to comprehend spoken text.…

Effects of acute insulin-induced hypoglycemia on spatial abilities in adults with type 1 diabetes.

PubMed

Wright, Rohana J; Frier, Brian M; Deary, Ian J

2009-08-01

OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of acute insulin-induced hypoglycemia on spatial cognitive abilities in adult humans with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Sixteen adults with type 1 diabetes underwent two counterbalanced experimental sessions: euglycemia (blood glucose 4.5 mmol/l [81 mg/dl]) and hypoglycemia (2.5 mmol/l [45 mg/dl]). Arterialized blood glucose levels were maintained using a hyperinsulinemic glucose clamp technique. During each session, subjects underwent detailed assessment of spatial abilities from the Kit of Factor-Referenced Cognitive Tests and two tests of general cognitive function. RESULTS Spatial ability performance deteriorated significantly during hypoglycemia. Results for the Hidden Patterns, Card Rotations, Paper Folding, and Maze Tracing tests were all impaired significantly (P < or = 0.001) during hypoglycemia, as were results for the Cube Comparisons Test (P = 0.03). The Map Memory Test was not significantly affected by hypoglycemia. CONCLUSIONS Hypoglycemia is a common side effect of insulin therapy in individuals with type 1 diabetes, and spatial abilities are of critical importance in day-to-day functioning. The deterioration in spatial abilities observed during modest experimental hypoglycemia provides novel information on the cerebral hazards of hypoglycemia that has potential relevance to everyday activities.

Two-colour chewing gum mixing ability: digitalisation and spatial heterogeneity analysis.

PubMed

Weijenberg, R A F; Scherder, E J A; Visscher, C M; Gorissen, T; Yoshida, E; Lobbezoo, F

2013-10-01

Many techniques are available to assess masticatory performance, but not all are appropriate for every population. A proxy suitable for elderly persons suffering from dementia was lacking, and a two-colour chewing gum mixing ability test was investigated for this purpose. A fully automated digital analysis algorithm was applied to a mixing ability test using two-coloured gum samples in a stepwise increased number of chewing cycles protocol (Experiment 1: n = 14; seven men, 19-63 years), a test-retest assessment (Experiment 2: n = 10; four men, 20-49 years) and compared to an established wax cubes mixing ability test (Experiment 3: n = 13; 0 men, 21-31 years). Data were analysed with repeated measures anova (Experiment 1), the calculation of the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC; Experiment 2) and Spearman's rho correlation coefficient (Experiment 3). The method was sensitive to increasing numbers of chewing cycles (F5,65 = 57·270, P = 0·000) and reliable in the test-retest (ICC value of 0·714, P = 0·004). There was no significant correlation between the two-coloured gum test and the wax cubes test. The two-coloured gum mixing ability test was able to adequately assess masticatory function and is recommended for use in a population of elderly persons with dementia. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Ability evaluation by binary tests: Problems, challenges & recent advances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bashkansky, E.; Turetsky, V.

2016-11-01

Binary tests designed to measure abilities of objects under test (OUTs) are widely used in different fields of measurement theory and practice. The number of test items in such tests is usually very limited. The response to each test item provides only one bit of information per OUT. The problem of correct ability assessment is even more complicated, when the levels of difficulty of the test items are unknown beforehand. This fact makes the search for effective ways of planning and processing the results of such tests highly relevant. In recent years, there has been some progress in this direction, generated by both the development of computational tools and the emergence of new ideas. The latter are associated with the use of so-called “scale invariant item response models”. Together with maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) approach, they helped to solve some problems of engineering and proficiency testing. However, several issues related to the assessment of uncertainties, replications scheduling, the use of placebo, as well as evaluation of multidimensional abilities still present a challenge for researchers. The authors attempt to outline the ways to solve the above problems.

The Bangor Voice Matching Test: A standardized test for the assessment of voice perception ability.

PubMed

Mühl, Constanze; Sheil, Orla; Jarutytė, Lina; Bestelmeyer, Patricia E G

2017-11-09

Recognising the identity of conspecifics is an important yet highly variable skill. Approximately 2 % of the population suffers from a socially debilitating deficit in face recognition. More recently the existence of a similar deficit in voice perception has emerged (phonagnosia). Face perception tests have been readily available for years, advancing our understanding of underlying mechanisms in face perception. In contrast, voice perception has received less attention, and the construction of standardized voice perception tests has been neglected. Here we report the construction of the first standardized test for voice perception ability. Participants make a same/different identity decision after hearing two voice samples. Item Response Theory guided item selection to ensure the test discriminates between a range of abilities. The test provides a starting point for the systematic exploration of the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying voice perception. With a high test-retest reliability (r=.86) and short assessment duration (~10 min) this test examines individual abilities reliably and quickly and therefore also has potential for use in developmental and neuropsychological populations.

How Do Executive Functions Fit with the Cattell-Horn-Carroll Model? Some Evidence from a Joint Factor Analysis of the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System and the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Floyd, Randy G.; Bergeron, Renee; Hamilton, Gloria; Parra, Gilbert R.

2010-01-01

This study investigated the relations among executive functions and cognitive abilities through a joint exploratory factor analysis and joint confirmatory factor analysis of 25 test scores from the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System and the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities. Participants were 100 children and adolescents…

Comparison of trait and ability measures of emotional intelligence in medical students.

PubMed

Brannick, Michael T; Wahi, Monika M; Arce, Melissa; Johnson, Hazel-Anne; Nazian, Stanley; Goldin, Steven B

2009-11-01

Emotional intelligence (EI), the ability to perceive emotions in the self and others, and to understand, regulate and use such information in productive ways, is believed to be important in health care delivery for both recipients and providers of health care. There are two types of EI measure: ability and trait. Ability and trait measures differ in terms of both the definition of constructs and the methods of assessment. Ability measures conceive of EI as a capacity that spans the border between reason and feeling. Items on such a measure include showing a person a picture of a face and asking what emotion the pictured person is feeling; such items are scored by comparing the test-taker's response to a keyed emotion. Trait measures include a very large array of non-cognitive abilities related to success, such as self-control. Items on such measures ask individuals to rate themselves on such statements as: 'I generally know what other people are feeling.' Items are scored by giving higher scores to greater self-assessments. We compared one of each type of test with the other for evidence of reliability, convergence and overlap with personality. Year 1 and 2 medical students completed the Meyer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT, an ability measure), the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS, a trait measure) and an industry standard personality test (the Neuroticism-Extroversion-Openness [NEO] test). The MSCEIT showed problems with reliability. The MSCEIT and the WLEIS did not correlate highly with one another (overall scores correlated at 0.18). The WLEIS was more highly correlated with personality scales than the MSCEIT. Different tests that are supposed to measure EI do not measure the same thing. The ability measure was not correlated with personality, but the trait measure was correlated with personality.

Super-recognizers: People with extraordinary face recognition ability

PubMed Central

Russell, Richard; Duchaine, Brad; Nakayama, Ken

2014-01-01

We tested four people who claimed to have significantly better than ordinary face recognition ability. Exceptional ability was confirmed in each case. On two very different tests of face recognition, all four experimental subjects performed beyond the range of control subject performance. They also scored significantly better than average on a perceptual discrimination test with faces. This effect was larger with upright than inverted faces, and the four subjects showed a larger ‘inversion effect’ than control subjects, who in turn showed a larger inversion effect than developmental prosopagnosics. This indicates an association between face recognition ability and the magnitude of the inversion effect. Overall, these ‘super-recognizers’ are about as good at face recognition and perception as developmental prosopagnosics are bad. Our findings demonstrate the existence of people with exceptionally good face recognition ability, and show that the range of face recognition and face perception ability is wider than previously acknowledged. PMID:19293090

Super-recognizers: people with extraordinary face recognition ability.

PubMed

Russell, Richard; Duchaine, Brad; Nakayama, Ken

2009-04-01

We tested 4 people who claimed to have significantly better than ordinary face recognition ability. Exceptional ability was confirmed in each case. On two very different tests of face recognition, all 4 experimental subjects performed beyond the range of control subject performance. They also scored significantly better than average on a perceptual discrimination test with faces. This effect was larger with upright than with inverted faces, and the 4 subjects showed a larger "inversion effect" than did control subjects, who in turn showed a larger inversion effect than did developmental prosopagnosics. This result indicates an association between face recognition ability and the magnitude of the inversion effect. Overall, these "super-recognizers" are about as good at face recognition and perception as developmental prosopagnosics are bad. Our findings demonstrate the existence of people with exceptionally good face recognition ability and show that the range of face recognition and face perception ability is wider than has been previously acknowledged.

Factor structure and reliability of the Spanish version of the Dissociative Ability Scale.

PubMed

Pérez-Fabello, María José; Campos, Alfredo

2017-01-01

Everybody has dissociative ability to some extent, though this may vary from one individual to another. Several tests have been designed to measure dissociative ability, such as the Dissociative Ability Scale (Fisher, Johnson, & Elkins, 2013). Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of the Spanish version of this test in a sample of 204 undergraduates seeking a fine arts degree at the University of Vigo (Spain). The reliability and validity of the Dissociative Ability Scale was found to be satisfactory for measuring dissociative ability. The results are discussed and innovative lines of research are proposed.

Ability Structure and Loss of Vision. Research Series, Number 18.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juurmaa, Jyrki

In the analysis of ability structure and loss of vision, 228 blind persons (153 male, 75 female) heterogenous in respect to chronological age, sex, degree of blindness, age at onset, and duration, were compared to sighted controls. A test battery was administered which included tests for verbal comprehension, mental arithmetic, spatial ability,…

Students' Achievement in Relation to Reasoning Ability, Prior Knowledge and Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yenilmez, Ayse; Sungur, Semra; Tekkaya, Ceren

2006-01-01

This study investigated students' achievement regarding photosynthesis and respiration in plants in relation to reasoning ability, prior knowledge and gender. A total of 117 eighth-grade students participated in the study. Test of logical thinking and the two-tier multiple choice tests were administered to determine students' reasoning ability and…

The Relationship of Pitch Sight-Singing Skills with Tonal Discrimination, Language Reading Skills, and Academic Ability in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reifinger, James L., Jr.

2018-01-01

This study investigated correlates that might explain variance in beginning sight-singing achievement, including tonal discrimination, reading fluency, reading comprehension, and academic ability. Both curriculum-based and standardized tests were used, including the Intermediate Measures of Music Audiation, Otis-Lennon School Ability Test, and…

The Effect of a Combined High-Intensity Plyometric and Speed Training Program on the Running and Jumping Ability of Male Handball Players

PubMed Central

Cherif, Monsef; Said, Mohamed; Chaatani, Sana; Nejlaoui, Olfa; Gomri, Daghbaji; Abdallah, Aouidet

2012-01-01

Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a combined program including sprint repetitions and drop jump training in the same session on male handball players. Methods Twenty-two male handball players aged more than 20 years were assigned into 2 groups: experimental group (n=11) and control group (n=11). Selection was based on variables “axis” and “lines”, goalkeepers were not included. The experimental group was subjected to 2 testing periods (test and retest) separated by 12 weeks of an additional combined plyometric and running speed training program. The control group performed the usual handball training. The testing period comprised, at the first day, a medical checking, anthropometric measurements and an incremental exercise test called yo-yo intermittent recovery test. 2 days later, participants performed the Repeated Sprint Ability test (RSA), and performed the Jumping Performance using 3 different events: Squat jump (SJ), Countermovement jump without (CMJ) and with arms (CMJA), and Drop jump (DJ). At the end of the training period, participants performed again the repeated sprint ability test, and the jumping performance. Results The conventional combined program improved the explosive force ability of handball players in CMJ (P=0.01), CMJA (P=0.01) and DJR (P=0.03). The change was 2.78, 2.42 and 2.62% respectively. No significant changes were noted in performances of the experimental group at the squat jump test and the drop jump with the left leg test. The training intervention also improved the running speed ability of the experimental group (P=0.003). No statistical differences were observed between lines or axes. Conclusion Additional combined training program between sprint repetition and vertical jump in the same training session positively influence the jumping ability and the sprint ability of handball players. PMID:22461962

The effect of a combined high-intensity plyometric and speed training program on the running and jumping ability of male handball players.

PubMed

Cherif, Monsef; Said, Mohamed; Chaatani, Sana; Nejlaoui, Olfa; Gomri, Daghbaji; Abdallah, Aouidet

2012-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a combined program including sprint repetitions and drop jump training in the same session on male handball players. Twenty-two male handball players aged more than 20 years were assigned into 2 groups: experimental group (n=11) and control group (n=11). Selection was based on variables "axis" and "lines", goalkeepers were not included. The experimental group was subjected to 2 testing periods (test and retest) separated by 12 weeks of an additional combined plyometric and running speed training program. The control group performed the usual handball training. The testing period comprised, at the first day, a medical checking, anthropometric measurements and an incremental exercise test called yo-yo intermittent recovery test. 2 days later, participants performed the Repeated Sprint Ability test (RSA), and performed the Jumping Performance using 3 different events: Squat jump (SJ), Countermovement jump without (CMJ) and with arms (CMJA), and Drop jump (DJ). At the end of the training period, participants performed again the repeated sprint ability test, and the jumping performance. The conventional combined program improved the explosive force ability of handball players in CMJ (P=0.01), CMJA (P=0.01) and DJR (P=0.03). The change was 2.78, 2.42 and 2.62% respectively. No significant changes were noted in performances of the experimental group at the squat jump test and the drop jump with the left leg test. The training intervention also improved the running speed ability of the experimental group (P=0.003). No statistical differences were observed between lines or axes. Additional combined training program between sprint repetition and vertical jump in the same training session positively influence the jumping ability and the sprint ability of handball players.

Self-assessment of social cognitive ability in schizophrenia: Association with social cognitive test performance, informant assessments of social cognitive ability, and everyday outcomes.

PubMed

Silberstein, Juliet M; Pinkham, Amy E; Penn, David L; Harvey, Philip D

2018-04-17

Impairments in self-assessment are common in people with schizophrenia and impairments in self-assessment of cognitive ability have been found to predict impaired functional outcome. In this study, we examined self-assessment of social cognitive ability and related them to assessments of social cognition provided by informants, to performance on tests of social cognition, and to everyday outcomes. The difference between self-reported social cognition and informant ratings was used to predict everyday functioning. People with schizophrenia (n=135) performed 8 different tests of social cognition. They were asked to rate their social cognitive abilities on the Observable Social Cognition Rating Scale (OSCARs). High contact informants also rated social cognitive ability and everyday outcomes, while unaware of the patients' social cognitive performance and self-assessments. Social competence was measured with a performance-based assessment and clinical ratings of negative symptoms were also performed. Patient reports of their social cognitive abilities were uncorrelated with performance on social cognitive tests and with three of the four domains of functional outcomes. Differences between self-reported and informant rated social cognitive ability predicted impaired everyday functioning across all four functional domains. This difference score predicted disability even when the influences of social cognitive performance, social competence, and negative symptoms were considered. Mis-estimation of social cognitive ability was an important predictor of social and nonsocial outcomes in schizophrenia compared to performance on social cognitive tests. These results suggest that consideration of self-assessment is critical when attempting to evaluate the causes of disability and when trying to implement interventions targeting disability reduction. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pre-operative language ability in patients with presumed low-grade glioma.

PubMed

Antonsson, Malin; Longoni, Francesca; Jakola, Asgeir; Tisell, Magnus; Thordstein, Magnus; Hartelius, Lena

2018-03-01

In patients with low-grade glioma (LGG), language deficits are usually only found and investigated after surgery. Deficits may be present before surgery but to date, studies have yielded varying results regarding the extent of this problem and in what language domains deficits may occur. This study therefore aims to explore the language ability of patients who have recently received a presumptive diagnosis of low-grade glioma, and also to see whether they reported any changes in their language ability before receiving treatment. Twenty-three patients were tested using a comprehensive test battery that consisted of standard aphasia tests and tests of lexical retrieval and high-level language functions. The patients were also asked whether they had noticed any change in their use of language or ability to communicate. The test scores were compared to a matched reference group and to clinical norms. The presumed LGG group performed significantly worse than the reference group on two tests of lexical retrieval. Since five patients after surgery were discovered to have a high-grade glioma, a separate analysis excluding them were performed. These analyses revealed comparable results; however one test of word fluency was no longer significant. Individually, the majority exhibited normal or nearly normal language ability and only a few reported subjective changes in language or ability to communicate. This study shows that patients who have been diagnosed with LGG generally show mild or no language deficits on either objective or subjective assessment.

Historical Increase in the Number of Factors Measured by Commercial Tests of Cognitive Ability: Are We Overfactoring?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frazier, Thomas W.; Youngstrom, Eric A.

2007-01-01

A historical increase in the number of factors purportedly measured by commercial tests of cognitive ability may result from four distinct pressures including: increasingly complex models of intelligence, test publishers' desires to provide clinically useful assessment instruments with greater interpretive value, test publishers' desires to…

Controlling Item Exposure Conditional on Ability in Computerized Adaptive Testing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stocking, Martha L.; Lewis, Charles

1998-01-01

Ensuring item and pool security in a continuous testing environment is explored through a new method of controlling exposure rate of items conditional on ability level in computerized testing. Properties of this conditional control on exposure rate, when used in conjunction with a particular adaptive testing algorithm, are explored using simulated…

Assessment of Arabic phonological awareness and its relation to word reading ability.

PubMed

Abou-Elsaad, Tamer; Ali, Rawhia; Abd El-Hamid, Haidy

2016-12-01

Phonological awareness (PA) is one of the most important components in the development of normal reading ability. It refers to the ability to detect and manipulate the sound structure of words independently of their meaning. The current study aimed to assess Arabic PA skills and the relation to word reading abilities in Egyptian Arabic-speaking children. The designed assessment was applied to 80 typically developing children, divided into two subgroups ranging in age from 5 years 6 months to 8 years 6 months. The design of assessment involved six PA tasks covering three levels: rhyme awareness, syllabic awareness, and phonemic awareness, as well as the assessment of reading abilities that include real word and nonsense word reading tasks. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation), Student's t tests, and Pearson correlation coefficient tests were used to analyze the data. The reliability of the test was proven using the test-retest procedure. Validity of the test was estimated through internal consistency validity. The results revealed that the Arabic PA assessment test (APAAT) proved to be a reliable and valid tool for assessing Arabic reading skills. Findings from the study provided important insights into the developmental patterns of Arabic PA. In addition, the findings revealed a strong relationship between phonological awareness skills and the proficiency in word reading abilities in Arabic school-aged children.

Capturing specific abilities as a window into human individuality: The example of face recognition

PubMed Central

Wilmer, Jeremy B.; Germine, Laura; Chabris, Christopher F.; Chatterjee, Garga; Gerbasi, Margaret; Nakayama, Ken

2013-01-01

Proper characterization of each individual's unique pattern of strengths and weaknesses requires good measures of diverse abilities. Here, we advocate combining our growing understanding of neural and cognitive mechanisms with modern psychometric methods in a renewed effort to capture human individuality through a consideration of specific abilities. We articulate five criteria for the isolation and measurement of specific abilities, then apply these criteria to face recognition. We cleanly dissociate face recognition from more general visual and verbal recognition. This dissociation stretches across ability as well as disability, suggesting that specific developmental face recognition deficits are a special case of a broader specificity that spans the entire spectrum of human face recognition performance. Item-by-item results from 1,471 web-tested participants, included as supplementary information, fuel item analyses, validation, norming, and item response theory (IRT) analyses of our three tests: (a) the widely used Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT); (b) an Abstract Art Memory Test (AAMT), and (c) a Verbal Paired-Associates Memory Test (VPMT). The availability of this data set provides a solid foundation for interpreting future scores on these tests. We argue that the allied fields of experimental psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and vision science could fuel the discovery of additional specific abilities to add to face recognition, thereby providing new perspectives on human individuality. PMID:23428079

The effectiveness of problem-based learning on students’ problem solving ability in vector analysis course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mushlihuddin, R.; Nurafifah; Irvan

2018-01-01

The student’s low ability in mathematics problem solving proved to the less effective of a learning process in the classroom. Effective learning was a learning that affects student’s math skills, one of which is problem-solving abilities. Problem-solving capability consisted of several stages: understanding the problem, planning the settlement, solving the problem as planned, re-examining the procedure and the outcome. The purpose of this research was to know: (1) was there any influence of PBL model in improving ability Problem solving of student math in a subject of vector analysis?; (2) was the PBL model effective in improving students’ mathematical problem-solving skills in vector analysis courses? This research was a quasi-experiment research. The data analysis techniques performed from the test stages of data description, a prerequisite test is the normality test, and hypothesis test using the ANCOVA test and Gain test. The results showed that: (1) there was an influence of PBL model in improving students’ math problem-solving abilities in vector analysis courses; (2) the PBL model was effective in improving students’ problem-solving skills in vector analysis courses with a medium category.

On the Issue of Item Selection in Computerized Adaptive Testing with Response Times

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veldkamp, Bernard P.

2016-01-01

Many standardized tests are now administered via computer rather than paper-and-pencil format. The computer-based delivery mode brings with it certain advantages. One advantage is the ability to adapt the difficulty level of the test to the ability level of the test taker in what has been termed computerized adaptive testing (CAT). A second…

Contextual approach using VBA learning media to improve students’ mathematical displacement and disposition ability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chotimah, Siti; Bernard, M.; Wulandari, S. M.

2018-01-01

The main problems of the research were the lack of reasoning ability and mathematical disposition of students to the learning of mathematics in high school students in Cimahi - West Java. The lack of mathematical reasoning ability in students was caused by the process of learning. The teachers did not train the students to do the problems of reasoning ability. The students still depended on each other. Sometimes, one of patience teacher was still guiding his students. In addition, the basic ability aspects of students also affected the ability the mathematics skill. Furthermore, the learning process with contextual approach aided by VBA Learning Media (Visual Basic Application for Excel) gave the positive influence to the students’ mathematical disposition. The students are directly involved in learning process. The population of the study was all of the high school students in Cimahi. The samples were the students of SMA Negeri 4 Cimahi class XIA and XIB. There were both of tested and non-tested instruments. The test instrument was a description test of mathematical reasoning ability. The non-test instruments were questionnaire-scale attitudes about students’ mathematical dispositions. This instrument was used to obtain data about students’ mathematical reasoning and disposition of mathematics learning with contextual approach supported by VBA (Visual Basic Application for Excel) and by conventional learning. The data processed in this study was from the post-test score. These scores appeared from both of the experimental class group and the control class group. Then, performing data was processed by using SPSS 22 and Microsoft Excel. The data was analyzed using t-test statistic. The final result of this study concluded the achievement and improvement of reasoning ability and mathematical disposition of students whose learning with contextual approach supported by learning media of VBA (Visual Basic Application for Excel) was better than students who got conventional learning.

The effect of a complex training program on skating abilities in ice hockey players.

PubMed

Lee, Changyoung; Lee, Sookyung; Yoo, Jaehyun

2014-04-01

[Purpose] Little data exist on systemic training programs to improve skating abilities in ice hockey players. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a complex training program on skating abilities in ice hockey players. [Methods] Ten male ice hockey players (training group) that engaged in 12 weeks of complex training and skating training and ten male players (control group) that only participated in 12 weeks of skating training completed on-ice skating tests including a 5 time 18 meters shuttle, t-test, Rink dash 5 times, and line drill before, during, and the training. [Results] Significant group-by-time interactions were found in all skating ability tests. [Conclusion] The complex training program intervention for 12 weeks improved their skating abilities of the ice hockey players.

Gender differences in patterns of spatial ability, environmental cognition, and math and English achievement in late adolescence.

PubMed

Pearson, J L; Ferguson, L R

1989-01-01

Relationships were explored among three measures of spatial ability--the Embedded Figures Test (EFT), the Mental Rotations Test (MRT), and the Differential Aptitude Spatial Relations subtest (DAT)--an environmental cognition task (MAP), American College Testing (ACT) math and English achievement, and gender in a sample of 282 undergraduates. Variance attributable to gender among the spatial tasks ranged from 0.5% in the EFT to 12% in the MRT. Gender accounted for only 1% of the variance in the MAP task. Gender differences were noted in regression analyses; women's math and English achievement scores were both predictive of spatial ability, while for men, only math achievement was predictive of spatial ability. The results were interpreted as substantiating sex role socialization theory of cognitive abilities.

Joint proprioception, muscle strength, and functional ability in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.

PubMed

van der Esch, M; Steultjens, M; Harlaar, J; Knol, D; Lems, W; Dekker, J

2007-06-15

To test the hypotheses that poor knee joint proprioception is related to limitations in functional ability, and poor proprioception aggravates the impact of muscle weakness on limitations in functional ability in osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Sixty-three patients with symptomatic OA of the knee were tested. Proprioceptive acuity was assessed by establishing the joint motion detection threshold (JMDT) in the anteroposterior direction. Muscle strength was measured using a computer-driven isokinetic dynamometer. Functional ability was assessed by the 100-meter walking test, the Get Up and Go (GUG) test, and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index physical function (WOMAC-PF) questionnaire. Correlation analyses were performed to assess the relationship between proprioception, muscle strength, and functional ability. Regression analyses were performed to assess the impact of proprioception on the relationship between muscle strength and functional ability. Poor proprioception (high JMDT) was related to more limitation in functional ability (walking time r = 0.30, P < 0.05; GUG time r = 0.30, P < 0.05; WOMAC-PF r = 0.26, P <0.05). In regression analyses, the interaction between proprioception and muscle strength was significantly related to functional ability (walking time, P < 0.001 and GUG time, P < 0.001) but not to WOMAC-PF score (P = 0.625). In patients with poor proprioception, reduction of muscle strength was associated with more severe deterioration of functional ability than in patients with accurate proprioception. Patients with poor proprioception show more limitation in functional ability, but this relationship is rather weak. In patients with poor proprioception, muscle weakness has a stronger impact on limitations in functional ability than in patients with accurate proprioception.

Investigation of basic cognitive predictors of reading and spelling abilities in Tunisian third-grade primary school children.

PubMed

Batnini, Soulef; Uno, Akira

2015-06-01

This study investigated first the main cognitive abilities; phonological processing, visual cognition, automatization and receptive vocabulary in predicting reading and spelling abilities in Arabic. Second, we compared good/poor readers and spellers to detect the characteristics of cognitive predictors which contribute to identifying reading and spelling difficulties in Arabic speaking children. A sample of 116 Tunisian third-grade children was tested on their abilities to read and spell, phonological processing, visual cognition, automatization and receptive vocabulary. For reading, phonological processing and automatization uniquely predicted Arabic word reading and paragraph reading abilities. Automatization uniquely predicted Arabic non-word reading ability. For spelling, phonological processing was a unique predictor for Arabic word spelling ability. Furthermore, poor readers had significantly lower scores on the phonological processing test and slower reading times on the automatization test as compared with good readers. Additionally, poor spellers showed lower scores on the phonological processing test as compared with good spellers. Visual cognitive processing and receptive vocabulary were not significant cognitive predictors of Arabic reading and spelling abilities for Tunisian third grade children in this study. Our results are consistent with previous studies in alphabetic orthographies and demonstrate that phonological processing and automatization are the best cognitive predictors in detecting early literacy problems. We suggest including phonological processing and automatization tasks in screening tests and in intervention programs may help Tunisian children with poor literacy skills overcome reading and spelling difficulties in Arabic. Copyright © 2014 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Music listening and cognitive abilities in 10- and 11-year-olds: the blur effect.

PubMed

Schellenberg, E Glenn; Hallam, Susan

2005-12-01

The spatial abilities of a large sample of 10 and 11 year olds were tested after they listened to contemporary pop music, music composed by Mozart, or a discussion about the present experiment. After being assigned at random to one of the three listening experiences, each child completed two tests of spatial abilities. Performance on one of the tests (square completion) did not differ as a function of the listening experience, but performance on the other test (paper folding) was superior for children who listened to popular music compared to the other two groups. These findings are consistent with the view that positive benefits of music listening on cognitive abilities are most likely to be evident when the music is enjoyed by the listener.

Test Anxiety and the Validity of Cognitive Tests: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis Perspective and Some Empirical Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wicherts, Jelte M.; Scholten, Annemarie Zand

2010-01-01

The validity of cognitive ability tests is often interpreted solely as a function of the cognitive abilities that these tests are supposed to measure, but other factors may be at play. The effects of test anxiety on the criterion related validity (CRV) of tests was the topic of a recent study by Reeve, Heggestad, and Lievens (2009) (Reeve, C. L.,…

TECHNIQUES TO DETERMINE A COMPANY'S ABILITY TO CONDUCT A QUALITY STACK TEST

EPA Science Inventory

Techniques to determine a testing company's ability to conduct a quality stack test for compliance or process engineering purposes are presented. The document has four sections. The first identifies characteristics commonly associated with laboratories that have a history of perf...

Comparing Creative Thinking Abilities and Reasoning Ability of Deaf and Hearing Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebrahim, Fawzy

2006-01-01

This study focuses on comparing the creative thinking and reasoning abilities of deaf and hearing children. Two groups of deaf (N = 210) and hearing children (N = 200) were chosen based on specific criteria. Two instruments were used in the study: the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking-Figural, Form A and Matrix Analogies Test. Canonical…

Developing Effective Physical Fitness Testing Standards for Pre Service Physical Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Kory; Thornburg, Roland

2016-01-01

Physical educators are often held to a higher standard of physical fitness. The ability to effectively convey the importance of physical fitness may depend upon the ability to appear physically fit. The ability to perform at a minimal level of proficiency on fitness tests was deemed important by the faculty of one physical education teacher…

Socioeconomic Status Effects on Using the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) to Identify the Gifted/Talented

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carman, Carol A.; Taylor, Debra K.

2010-01-01

The Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) is said to be a culturally neutral measure of ability that assesses both majority and minority students equally. Although research has examined the effects of ethnicity and gender on NNAT performance, little published research has examined the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and NNAT…

Spatial and Numerical Abilities without a Complete Natural Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyde, Daniel C.; Winkler-Rhoades, Nathan; Lee, Sang-Ah; Izard, Veronique; Shapiro, Kevin A.; Spelke, Elizabeth S.

2011-01-01

We studied the cognitive abilities of a 13-year-old deaf child, deprived of most linguistic input from late infancy, in a battery of tests designed to reveal the nature of numerical and geometrical abilities in the absence of a full linguistic system. Tests revealed widespread proficiency in basic symbolic and non-symbolic numerical computations…

Relationships among Preservice Primary Mathematics Teachers' Gender, Academic Success and Spatial Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turgut, Melih; Yilmaz, Suha

2012-01-01

The aim of this work is to investigate relationships among pre-service primary mathematics teachers' gender, academic success and spatial ability. The study was conducted in Izmir with 193 pre-service primary mathematics teachers of Dokuz Eylul University. In the work, spatial ability test, which consists of two main sub-tests measuring spatial…

A Note on the Reliability Coefficients for Item Response Model-Based Ability Estimates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Seonghoon

2012-01-01

Assuming item parameters on a test are known constants, the reliability coefficient for item response theory (IRT) ability estimates is defined for a population of examinees in two different ways: as (a) the product-moment correlation between ability estimates on two parallel forms of a test and (b) the squared correlation between the true…

Conceptual Abilities of Children with Mild Intellectual Disability: Analysis of Wisconsin Card Sorting Test Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gligorovic, Milica; Buha, Natasa

2013-01-01

Background: The ability to generate and flexibly change concepts is of great importance for the development of academic and adaptive skills. This paper analyses the conceptual reasoning ability of children with mild intellectual disability (MID) by their achievements on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Method: The sample consisted of 95…

Higher-Order Factor Structure of the Differential Ability Scales-II: Consistency across Ages 4 to 17

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keith, Timothy Z.; Low, Justin A.; Reynolds, Matthew R.; Patel, Puja G.; Ridley, Kristen P.

2010-01-01

The recently published second edition of the Differential Abilities Scale (DAS-II) is designed to measure multiple broad and general abilities from Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory. Although the technical manual presents information supporting the test's structure, additional research is needed to determine the constructs measured by the test and…

Enhancing students’ critical thinking skills through critical thinking assessment in calculus course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zulfaneti; Edriati, S.; Mukhni

2018-01-01

This study aims to determine the development of students’ critical thinking skills through the implementation of critical thinking instruments in Calculus lectures. The instruments consist of observation sheets, critical thinking test, self-assessment, peer assessment and portfolio. The research was a qualitative research; with the participants were 53 first-year students who take Integral Calculus in Mathematics Education Department STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat representing high-ability students, medium and low. The data in this study were collected by tests, interviews, observations and field notes. Data were analyzed descriptively; data reduction, data presentation, and conclusions. For testing the validity of data, it was used credibility test data by increasing persistence and triangulation. The results showed that in high-level students there is a change of ability from Critical enough to be Very Critical, in the students with moderate and low ability there is a change of ability from Uncritical to Critical. So it can be concluded that the assessment instruments have a good contribution and can improve the ability of critical thinking.

Video gaming enhances psychomotor skills but not visuospatial and perceptual abilities in surgical trainees.

PubMed

Kennedy, A M; Boyle, E M; Traynor, O; Walsh, T; Hill, A D K

2011-01-01

There is considerable interest in the identification and assessment of underlying aptitudes or innate abilities that could potentially predict excellence in the technical aspects of operating. However, before the assessment of innate abilities is introduced for high-stakes assessment (such as competitive selection into surgical training programs), it is essential to determine that these abilities are stable and unchanging and are not influenced by other factors, such as the use of video games. The aim of this study was to investigate whether experience playing video games will predict psychomotor performance on a laparoscopic simulator or scores on tests of visuospatial and perceptual abilities, and to examine the correlation, if any, between these innate abilities. Institutional ethical approval was obtained. Thirty-eight undergraduate medical students with no previous surgical experience were recruited. All participants completed a self-reported questionnaire that asked them to detail their video game experience. They then underwent assessment of their psychomotor, visuospatial, and perceptual abilities using previously validated tests. The results were analyzed using independent samples t tests to compare means and linear regression curves for subsequent analysis. Students who played video games for at least 7 hours per week demonstrated significantly better psychomotor skills than students who did not play video games regularly. However, there was no difference on measures of visuospatial and perceptual abilities. There was no correlation between psychomotor tests and visuospatial or perceptual tests. Regular video gaming correlates positively with psychomotor ability, but it does not seem to influence visuospatial or perceptual ability. This study suggests that video game experience might be beneficial to a future career in surgery. It also suggests that relevant surgical skills may be gained usefully outside the operating room in activities that are not related to surgery. Copyright © 2011 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What Cognitive Abilities Are Involved in Trail-Making Performance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salthouse, Timothy A.

2011-01-01

The cognitive abilities involved in the Connections (Salthouse, et al., 2000) version of the trail making test were investigated by administering the test, along with a battery of cognitive tests and tests of complex span and updating conceptualizations of working memory, to a sample of over 3600 adults. The results indicate that this variant of…

DEVELOPMENT OF DIAGNOSTIC ANALYTICAL AND MECHANICAL ABILITY TESTS THROUGH FACET DESIGN AND ANALYSIS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

GUTTMAN, LOUIS,; SCHLESINGER, I.M.

METHODOLOGY BASED ON FACET THEORY (MODIFIED SET THEORY) WAS USED IN TEST CONSTRUCTION AND ANALYSIS TO PROVIDE AN EFFICIENT TOOL OF EVALUATION FOR VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE AND VOCATIONAL SCHOOL USE. THE TYPE OF TEST DEVELOPMENT UNDERTAKEN WAS LIMITED TO THE USE OF NONVERBAL PICTORIAL ITEMS. ITEMS FOR TESTING ABILITY TO IDENTIFY ELEMENTS BELONGING TO AN…

The Applicability of Multidimensional Computerized Adaptive Testing for Cognitive Ability Measurement in Organizational Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makransky, Guido; Glas, Cees A. W.

2013-01-01

Cognitive ability tests are widely used in organizations around the world because they have high predictive validity in selection contexts. Although these tests typically measure several subdomains, testing is usually carried out for a single subdomain at a time. This can be ineffective when the subdomains assessed are highly correlated. This…

What Are Standardized Literacy and Numeracy Tests Testing? Evidence of the Domain-General Contributions to Students' Standardized Educational Test Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Steven J.; Woodcock, Stuart; Ehrich, John; Bokosmaty, Sahar

2017-01-01

Background: A fundamental aim of standardized educational assessment is to achieve reliable discrimination between students differing in the knowledge, skills and abilities assessed. However, questions of the purity with which these tests index students' genuine abilities have arisen. Specifically, literacy and numeracy assessments may also engage…

Genetic Tests for Ability?: Talent Identification and the Value of an Open Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miah, Andy; Rich, Emma

2006-01-01

This paper explores the prospect of genetic tests for performance in physical activity and sports practices. It investigates the terminology associated with genetics, testing, selection and ability as a means towards a socio-ethical analysis of its value within sport, education and society. Our argument suggests that genetic tests need not even be…

A Comparison of Visual and Auditory Processing Tests on the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability, Revised and the Learning Efficiency Test-II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolen, L. M.; Kimball, D. J.; Hall, C. W.; Webster, R. E.

1997-01-01

Compares the visual and auditory processing factors of the Woodcock Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability, Revised (WJR COG) and the visual and auditory memory factors of the Learning Efficiency Test, II (LET-II) among 120 college students. Results indicate two significant performance differences between the WJR COG and LET-II. (RJM)

A Quick Assessment of Visuospatial Abilities in Adolescents Using the Design Organization Test (DOT).

PubMed

Burggraaf, Rudolf; Frens, Maarten A; Hooge, Ignace T C; van der Geest, Jos N

2016-01-01

Tests measuring visuospatial abilities have shown that these abilities increase during adolescence. Unfortunately, the Block Design test and other such tests are complicated and time-consuming to administer, making them unsuitable for use with large groups of restless adolescents. The results of the Design Organization Test (DOT), a quick pen-and-paper test, have been shown to correlate with those of the Block Design test. A group of 198 healthy adolescents (110 male and 88 female) aged 12 to 19 years old participated in this study. A slightly modified version of the DOT has been used in which we shortened the administration time to avoid a ceiling effect in the score. Scores show a linear increase with age (on average 2.0 points per year, r = .61) independent of sex. Scores did not differ between individual setting and group setting. Thus, the DOT is a simple and effective way to assess visuospatial ability in large groups, such as in schools, and it can be easily administered year after year to follow the development of students.

The Effect of a Complex Training Program on Skating Abilities in Ice Hockey Players

PubMed Central

Lee, Changyoung; Lee, Sookyung; Yoo, Jaehyun

2014-01-01

[Purpose] Little data exist on systemic training programs to improve skating abilities in ice hockey players. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a complex training program on skating abilities in ice hockey players. [Methods] Ten male ice hockey players (training group) that engaged in 12 weeks of complex training and skating training and ten male players (control group) that only participated in 12 weeks of skating training completed on-ice skating tests including a 5 time 18 meters shuttle, t-test, Rink dash 5 times, and line drill before, during, and the training. [Results] Significant group-by-time interactions were found in all skating ability tests. [Conclusion] The complex training program intervention for 12 weeks improved their skating abilities of the ice hockey players. PMID:24764628

[An experimental proficiency test for ability to screen 104 residual pesticides in agricultural products].

PubMed

Tsumura, Yukari; Ishimitsu, Susumu; Otaki, Kayo; Uchimi, Hiroyuki; Matsumoto, Nobuyuki; Daba, Masaki; Tsuchiya, Tetsu; Ukyo, Masaho; Tonogai, Yasuhide

2003-10-01

An experimental proficiency test program for ability to screen 104 residual pesticides in agricultural products has been conducted. Eight Japanese laboratories joined the program. Items tested in the present study were limit of detection, internal proficiency test (self spike) and external proficiency test (blind spike). All 104 pesticides were well detected and recovered from agricultural foods in the internal proficiency test. However, the results of the external proficiency test did not completely agree with those of the internal proficiency tests. After 5 rounds of the blind spike test, the ratio of the number of correctly detected pesticides to that of actually contained ones (49 total) ranged from 65% to 100% among laboratories. The numbers of mistakenly detected pesticides by a laboratory were 0 to 15. Thus, there was a great difference among the laboratories in the ability to screen multiresidual pesticides.

Developmental prosopagnosia and super-recognition: no special role for surface reflectance processing

PubMed Central

Russell, Richard; Chatterjee, Garga; Nakayama, Ken

2011-01-01

Face recognition by normal subjects depends in roughly equal proportions on shape and surface reflectance cues, while object recognition depends predominantly on shape cues. It is possible that developmental prosopagnosics are deficient not in their ability to recognize faces per se, but rather in their ability to use reflectance cues. Similarly, super-recognizers’ exceptional ability with face recognition may be a result of superior surface reflectance perception and memory. We tested this possibility by administering tests of face perception and face recognition in which only shape or reflectance cues are available to developmental prosopagnosics, super-recognizers, and control subjects. Face recognition ability and the relative use of shape and pigmentation were unrelated in all the tests. Subjects who were better at using shape or reflectance cues were also better at using the other type of cue. These results do not support the proposal that variation in surface reflectance perception ability is the underlying cause of variation in face recognition ability. Instead, these findings support the idea that face recognition ability is related to neural circuits using representations that integrate shape and pigmentation information. PMID:22192636

Motor outcome at the age of one after perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

PubMed

van Schie, P E M; Becher, J G; Dallmeijer, A J; Barkhof, F; Weissenbruch, M M; Vermeulen, R J

2007-04-01

The aim of this report is to describe the motor outcome in one year-old children who were born at full-term with perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Relationships between motor ability tests and neurological examination at one year, and between these tests and neonatal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were investigated. 32 surviving children, born full-term with perinatal HIE, are included in this report. All children had a neonatal MRI. At one year, motor ability was assessed with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (2nd version). Neurological examinations included the neurological optimality score (NOS). At one year, 14 children (44%) had normal motor ability, nine (28%) had mildly delayed, and nine had significantly delayed motor ability. The NOS ranged from 14.6-27 points. All children with normal motor ability had (near) optimal NOS, however, not all children with high NOS had normal motor ability. Eleven children (34%) had normal neonatal MRI; at one year, six of them had normal, and five had mildly delayed motor ability. Eight children with normal motor ability showed abnormalities on neonatal MRI. Neonatal brain MRI does not predict motor outcome at one year. Motor ability tests and neurological examinations should be used in a complementary manner to describe outcome after HIE.

Socioeconomic Position Across the Life Course and Cognitive Ability Later in Life: The Importance of Considering Early Cognitive Ability.

PubMed

Foverskov, Else; Mortensen, Erik Lykke; Holm, Anders; Pedersen, Jolene Lee Masters; Osler, Merete; Lund, Rikke

2017-11-01

Investigate direct and indirect associations between markers of socioeconomic position (SEP) across the life course and midlife cognitive ability while addressing methodological limitations in prior work. Longitudinal data from the Danish Metropolit cohort of men born in 1953 ( N = 2,479) who completed ability tests at age 12, 18, and 56-58 linked to register-based information on paternal occupational class, educational attainment, and occupational level. Associations were assessed using structural equation models, and different models were estimated to examine the importance of accounting for childhood ability and measurement error. Associations between adult SEP measures and midlife ability decreased significantly when adjusting for childhood ability and measurement error. The association between childhood and midlife ability was by far the strongest. The impact of adult SEP on later life ability may be exaggerated when not accounting for the stability of individual differences in cognitive ability and measurement error in test scores.

Test Review: Wechsler, D., & Naglieri, J.A. (2006). "Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of Ability". San Antonio, TX--Harcourt Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massa, Idalia; Rivera, Vivina

2009-01-01

This article provides a review of the Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of Ability (WNV), a general cognitive ability assessment tool for individuals' aged 4 year 0 months through 21 years 11 months with English language and/or communicative limitations. The test targets a population whose performance on intelligence batteries might be compromised by…

The Information a Test Provides on an Ability Parameter. Research Report. ETS RR-07-18

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haberman, Shelby J.

2007-01-01

In item-response theory, if a latent-structure model has an ability variable, then elementary information theory may be employed to provide a criterion for evaluation of the information the test provides concerning ability. This criterion may be considered even in cases in which the latent-structure model is not valid, although interpretation of…

Expectancy Theory as a Predictor of Grade-Point Averages, Satisfaction, and Participation in the College Environment. ASHE 1983 Annual Meeting Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lincoln, Yvonna S.; And Others

The ability of Vroom's expectancy motivation theory to predict student satisfaction with the college environment, student participation at school, and student academic performance was studied. Specific objectives of the study were as follows: to test the ability of Vroom's valence model to predict student satisfaction, to test the ability of…

Computerized Classification Testing under the One-Parameter Logistic Response Model with Ability-Based Guessing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Wen-Chung; Huang, Sheng-Yun

2011-01-01

The one-parameter logistic model with ability-based guessing (1PL-AG) has been recently developed to account for effect of ability on guessing behavior in multiple-choice items. In this study, the authors developed algorithms for computerized classification testing under the 1PL-AG and conducted a series of simulations to evaluate their…

Measuring Management Abilities and Motivation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Ann

1983-01-01

The complexity of managerial abilities and motivation is displayed in the assessment center method, where judgments depend on a comprehensive package of such techniques as paper-and-pencil tests, interviews, simulations, and projective tests. (Author)

Computerized Adaptive Assessment of Cognitive Abilities among Disabled Adults.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engdahl, Brian

This study examined computerized adaptive testing and cognitive ability testing of adults with cognitive disabilities. Adult subjects (N=250) were given computerized tests on language usage and space relations in one of three administration conditions: paper and pencil, fixed length computer adaptive, and variable length computer adaptive.…

Educational Uses of Tests with Disadvantaged Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cleary, T. Anne; And Others

1975-01-01

A report of a special panel, appointed by the Board of Scientific Affairs of the American Psychological Association, which investigates the use of ability tests with disadvantaged students in the schools, focusing especially on intelligence tests. Various sections present a discussion of the theoretical rationale of human abilities underlying the…

Gender Differences in Patterns of Spatial Ability, Environmental Cognition, and Math and English Achievement in Late Adolescence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearson, Jane L.; Ferguson, Lucy Rau

1989-01-01

Explored relationships among three measures of spatial ability--Embedded Figures Test, Mental Rotations Test, and Differential Aptitude Spatial Relations subtest--an environmental cognition task, American College Testing mathematics and English achievement in undergraduates (N=282). Interpreted results as substantiating sex role socialization…

New Testing Methods to Assess Technical Problem-Solving Ability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hambleton, Ronald K.; And Others

Tests to assess problem-solving ability being provided for the Air Force are described, and some details on the development and validation of these computer-administered diagnostic achievement tests are discussed. Three measurement approaches were employed: (1) sequential problem solving; (2) context-free assessment of fundamental skills and…

Efficacy of ankle control balance training on postural balance and gait ability in community-dwelling older adults: a single-blinded, randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Lee, Kyeongjin; Lee, Yong Woo

2017-09-01

[Purpose] This study was conducted to investigate the effects of ankle control balance training (ACBT) on postural balance and gait ability in community-dwelling older adults. [Subjects and Methods] Fifty-four subjects were randomly divided into two groups, with 27 subjects in the ACBT group and 27 subjects in the control group. Subjects in the ACBT group received ACBT for 60 minutes, twice per week for 4 weeks, and all subjects had undergone fall prevention education for 60 minutes, once per week for 4 weeks. The main outcome measures, including the Berg balance scale; the functional reach test and one leg stance test for postural balance; and the timed up-and-go test and 10-meter walking test for gait ability, were assessed at baseline and after 4 weeks of training. [Results] The postural balance and gait ability in the ACBT group improved significantly compared to those in the control group, except BBS. [Conclusion] The results of this study showed improved postural balance and gait abilities after ACBT and that ACBT is a feasible method for improving postural balance and gait ability in community-dwelling older adults.

Efficacy of ankle control balance training on postural balance and gait ability in community-dwelling older adults: a single-blinded, randomized clinical trial

PubMed Central

Lee, Kyeongjin; Lee, Yong Woo

2017-01-01

[Purpose] This study was conducted to investigate the effects of ankle control balance training (ACBT) on postural balance and gait ability in community-dwelling older adults. [Subjects and Methods] Fifty-four subjects were randomly divided into two groups, with 27 subjects in the ACBT group and 27 subjects in the control group. Subjects in the ACBT group received ACBT for 60 minutes, twice per week for 4 weeks, and all subjects had undergone fall prevention education for 60 minutes, once per week for 4 weeks. The main outcome measures, including the Berg balance scale; the functional reach test and one leg stance test for postural balance; and the timed up-and-go test and 10-meter walking test for gait ability, were assessed at baseline and after 4 weeks of training. [Results] The postural balance and gait ability in the ACBT group improved significantly compared to those in the control group, except BBS. [Conclusion] The results of this study showed improved postural balance and gait abilities after ACBT and that ACBT is a feasible method for improving postural balance and gait ability in community-dwelling older adults. PMID:28931994

Spatial abilities and anatomy knowledge assessment: A systematic review.

PubMed

Langlois, Jean; Bellemare, Christian; Toulouse, Josée; Wells, George A

2017-06-01

Anatomy knowledge has been found to include both spatial and non-spatial components. However, no systematic evaluation of studies relating spatial abilities and anatomy knowledge has been undertaken. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the relationship between spatial abilities test and anatomy knowledge assessment. A literature search was done up to March 20, 2014 in Scopus and in several databases on the OvidSP and EBSCOhost platforms. Of the 556 citations obtained, 38 articles were identified and fully reviewed yielding 21 eligible articles and their quality were formally assessed. Non-significant relationships were found between spatial abilities test and anatomy knowledge assessment using essays and non-spatial multiple-choice questions. Significant relationships were observed between spatial abilities test and anatomy knowledge assessment using practical examination, three-dimensional synthesis from two-dimensional views, drawing of views, and cross-sections. Relationships between spatial abilities test and anatomy knowledge assessment using spatial multiple-choice questions were unclear. The results of this systematic review provide evidence for spatial and non-spatial methods of anatomy knowledge assessment. Anat Sci Educ 10: 235-241. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.

Cognitive ability at age 11 and 70 years, information processing speed, and APOE variation: the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 study.

PubMed

Luciano, Michelle; Gow, Alan J; Harris, Sarah E; Hayward, Caroline; Allerhand, Mike; Starr, John M; Visscher, Peter M; Deary, Ian J

2009-03-01

The e4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene confers risk of Alzheimer's disease and, in some studies, relates to cognitive ability and decline in older people without Alzheimer's disease. Its relationship with processing speed, a contributor to cognitive decline with age, is largely unknown. This study tests the association of APOE with cognition and speed, with and without covarying childhood mental ability. The 1,013 participants were tested on cognitive ability at age 11 as part of the Scottish Mental Survey of 1947 and, at age 70, were tested on reasoning, working memory, information processing speed, and executive function. The results showed that APOE was associated with the general cognitive factor, 2 nonverbal tests, and choice reaction time (RT) variability; as expected, the e4 allele was the risk allele. RT measures and a general speed factor were nonlinearly related to APOE when factoring childhood ability (p < .05): The correlation between childhood ability and speed was lower in e4 allele carriers. APOE has an influence on nonverbal cognition in old age and interacts with childhood IQ to influence processing speed.

Improvement of The Ability of Junior High School Students Thinking Through Visual Learning Assisted Geo gbra Tutorial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elvi, M.; Nurjanah

2017-02-01

This research is distributed on the issue of the lack of visual thinking ability is a must-have basic ability of students in learning geometry. The purpose of this research is to investigate and elucide: 1) the enhancement of visual thinking ability of students to acquire learning assisted with geogebra tutorial learning: 2) the increase in visual thinking ability of students who obtained a model of learning assisted with geogebra and students who obtained a regular study of KAM (high, medium, and low). This research population is grade VII in Bandung Junior High School. The instruments used to collect data in this study consisted of instruments of the test and the observation sheet. The data obtained were analyzed using the test average difference i.e. Test-t and ANOVA Test one line to two lines. The results showed that: 1) the attainment and enhancement of visual thinking ability of students to acquire learning assisted geogebra tutorial better than students who acquire learning; 2) there may be differences of visual upgrade thinking students who acquire the learning model assisted with geogebra tutorial earn regular learning of KAM (high, medium and low).

Relations between basic and specific motor abilities and player quality of young basketball players.

PubMed

Marić, Kristijan; Katić, Ratko; Jelicić, Mario

2013-05-01

Subjects from 5 first league clubs from Herzegovina were tested with the purpose of determining the relations of basic and specific motor abilities, as well as the effect of specific abilities on player efficiency in young basketball players (cadets). A battery of 12 tests assessing basic motor abilities and 5 specific tests assessing basketball efficiency were used on a sample of 83 basketball players. Two significant canonical correlations, i.e. linear combinations explained the relation between the set of twelve variables of basic motor space and five variables of situational motor abilities. Underlying the first canonical linear combination is the positive effect of the general motor factor, predominantly defined by jumping explosive power, movement speed of the arms, static strength of the arms and coordination, on specific basketball abilities: movement efficiency, the power of the overarm throw, shooting and passing precision, and the skill of handling the ball. The impact of basic motor abilities of precision and balance on specific abilities of passing and shooting precision and ball handling is underlying the second linear combination. The results of regression correlation analysis between the variable set of specific motor abilities and game efficiency have shown that the ability of ball handling has the largest impact on player quality in basketball cadets, followed by shooting precision and passing precision, and the power of the overarm throw.

[Visual perception abilities in children with reading disabilities].

PubMed

Werpup-Stüwe, Lina; Petermann, Franz

2015-05-01

Visual perceptual abilities are increasingly being neglected in research concerning reading disabilities. This study measures the visual perceptual abilities of children with disabilities in reading. The visual perceptual abilities of 35 children with specific reading disorder and 30 controls were compared using the German version of the Developmental Test of Visual Perception – Adolescent and Adult (DTVP-A). 11 % of the children with specific reading disorder show clinically relevant performance on the DTVP-A. The perceptual abilities of both groups differ significantly. No significant group differences exist after controlling for general IQ or Perceptional Reasoning Index, but they do remain after controlling for Verbal Comprehension, Working Memory, and Processing Speed Index. The number of children with reading difficulties suffering from visual perceptual disorders has been underestimated. For this reason, visual perceptual abilities should always be tested when making a reading disorder diagnosis. Profiles of IQ-test results of children suffering from reading and visual perceptual disorders should be interpreted carefully.

[Impact of work-related musculoskeletal disorders on work ability among workers].

PubMed

Zhang, Lei; Huang, Chunping; Lan, Yajia; Wang, Mianzhen; Shu, Liping; Zhang, Wenhui; Yu, Long; Yao, Shengcai; Liao, Yunhua

2015-04-01

To assess the impact of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs) on work ability among workers. A total of 1686 workers in various occupations, such as administration and education, were enrolled as subjects using the random cluster sampling method. The WRMDs and work ability of all subjects were evaluated using standardized Nordic questionnaires for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms and the Work Ability Index (WAI) scale, respectively. Comparison of work ability and its classification between the disease group and the non-disease group was performed by paired t test, RxC table χ2 test, and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. The relationship between work duration and work ability was analyzed by the Spearman correlation test and a multi-level model. (1). The work ability of workers in the disease group was significantly lower than that in the non-disease group (P<0.0 1). (2) There were significant differences in work ability between workers with different work durations (<10 years, 10-20 years, and ≥20 years) (F=22.124, P< 0.01). With the increase in work duration, the work ability of workers declined in both groups, and the work ability of workers in the disease group (Spearman coefficient rs=-0. 172, P<0.01) had a more significant decline than that in the non-disease group (Spearman coefficient rs=-0.104, P<0.01). WRMDs were important risk factors for the decrease in work ability among workers. (3) There were significant differences in constituent ratios and levels of work ability classification between the disease group and the non-disease group (χ2=121.097, P<0.01; Z=-10.699, P<0.01). The proportions of workers with poor and medium work ability in the disease group were significantly higher than those in the non-disease group, while the proportion of works with excellent work ability in the disease group was significantly lower than that in the non-disease group. The similar characteristics in constituent ratios and levels of work ability classification could be found between the disease group and the non- disease group in various occupations (P<0.01). WRMDs have a harmful effect on the work ability of workers, and the work ability of workers substantially declines with the increase in exposure time (work duration).

Exploring visuospatial abilities and their contribution to constructional abilities and nonverbal intelligence.

PubMed

Trojano, Luigi; Siciliano, Mattia; Cristinzio, Chiara; Grossi, Dario

2018-01-01

The present study aimed at exploring relationships among the visuospatial tasks included in the Battery for Visuospatial Abilities (BVA), and at assessing the relative contribution of different facets of visuospatial processing on tests tapping constructional abilities and nonverbal abstract reasoning. One hundred forty-four healthy subjects with a normal score on Mini Mental State Examination completed the BVA plus Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices and Constructional Apraxia test. We used Principal Axis Factoring and Parallel Analysis to investigate relationships among the BVA visuospatial tasks, and performed regression analyses to assess the visuospatial contribution to constructional abilities and nonverbal abstract reasoning. Principal Axis Factoring and Parallel Analysis revealed two eigenvalues exceeding 1, accounting for about 60% of the variance. A 2-factor model provided the best fit. Factor 1 included sub-tests exploring "complex" visuospatial skills, whereas Factor 2 included two subtests tapping "simple" visuospatial skills. Regression analyses revealed that both Factor 1 and Factor 2 significantly affected performance on Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices, whereas only the Factor 1 affected performance on Constructional Apraxia test. Our results supported functional segregation proposed by De Renzi, suggesting clinical caution to utilize a single test to assess visuospatial domain, and qualified the visuospatial contribution in drawing and non-verbal intelligence test.

The Harvard Beat Assessment Test (H-BAT): a battery for assessing beat perception and production and their dissociation.

PubMed

Fujii, Shinya; Schlaug, Gottfried

2013-01-01

Humans have the abilities to perceive, produce, and synchronize with a musical beat, yet there are widespread individual differences. To investigate these abilities and to determine if a dissociation between beat perception and production exists, we developed the Harvard Beat Assessment Test (H-BAT), a new battery that assesses beat perception and production abilities. H-BAT consists of four subtests: (1) music tapping test (MTT), (2) beat saliency test (BST), (3) beat interval test (BIT), and (4) beat finding and interval test (BFIT). MTT measures the degree of tapping synchronization with the beat of music, whereas BST, BIT, and BFIT measure perception and production thresholds via psychophysical adaptive stair-case methods. We administered the H-BAT on thirty individuals and investigated the performance distribution across these individuals in each subtest. There was a wide distribution in individual abilities to tap in synchrony with the beat of music during the MTT. The degree of synchronization consistency was negatively correlated with thresholds in the BST, BIT, and BFIT: a lower degree of synchronization was associated with higher perception and production thresholds. H-BAT can be a useful tool in determining an individual's ability to perceive and produce a beat within a single session.

The Harvard Beat Assessment Test (H-BAT): a battery for assessing beat perception and production and their dissociation

PubMed Central

Fujii, Shinya; Schlaug, Gottfried

2013-01-01

Humans have the abilities to perceive, produce, and synchronize with a musical beat, yet there are widespread individual differences. To investigate these abilities and to determine if a dissociation between beat perception and production exists, we developed the Harvard Beat Assessment Test (H-BAT), a new battery that assesses beat perception and production abilities. H-BAT consists of four subtests: (1) music tapping test (MTT), (2) beat saliency test (BST), (3) beat interval test (BIT), and (4) beat finding and interval test (BFIT). MTT measures the degree of tapping synchronization with the beat of music, whereas BST, BIT, and BFIT measure perception and production thresholds via psychophysical adaptive stair-case methods. We administered the H-BAT on thirty individuals and investigated the performance distribution across these individuals in each subtest. There was a wide distribution in individual abilities to tap in synchrony with the beat of music during the MTT. The degree of synchronization consistency was negatively correlated with thresholds in the BST, BIT, and BFIT: a lower degree of synchronization was associated with higher perception and production thresholds. H-BAT can be a useful tool in determining an individual's ability to perceive and produce a beat within a single session. PMID:24324421

The Effect of Schooling and Ability on Achievement Test Scores. NBER Working Paper Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Karsten; Heckman, James J.; Mullen, Kathleen J.

This study developed two methods for estimating the effect of schooling on achievement test scores that control for the endogeneity of schooling by postulating that both schooling and test scores are generated by a common unobserved latent ability. The methods were applied to data on schooling and test scores. Estimates from the two methods are in…

At the Interface between Language Testing and Second Language Acquisition: Language Ability and Context of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gu, Lin

2014-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between latent components of academic English language ability and test takers' study-abroad and classroom learning experiences through a structural equation modeling approach in the context of TOEFL iBT® testing. Data from the TOEFL iBT public dataset were used. The results showed that test takers'…

Some Observations on the Use of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability in Adults with Head Injury.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tupper, David E.

1990-01-01

The study provides descriptive data on use of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability with 39 adults with closed head injury. Correlational analyses indicated significant relationships between coma duration and performance on the Perceptual Speed and Memory clusters of the test. Time since injury did not correlate with test results.…

Are Cognitive "g" and Academic Achievement "g" One and the Same "g"? An Exploration on the Woodcock-Johnson and Kaufman Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufman, Scott Barry; Reynolds, Matthew R.; Liu, Xin; Kaufman, Alan S.; McGrew, Kevin S.

2012-01-01

We examined the degree to which the conventional notion of g associated with IQ tests and general cognitive ability tests ("COG-g") relate to the general ability that underlies tests of reading, math, and writing achievement ("ACH-g"). Two large, nationally representative data sets and two independent individually-administered…

Lexical and metaphonological abilities in preschoolers with phonological disorders.

PubMed

Costa, Ranilde Cristiane Cavalcante; Avila, Clara Regina Brandão de

2010-01-01

lexical and metaphonological abilities of phonologically disordered preschoolers. to investigate the influence of Phonological Disorder on the lexical and metaphonological abilities of a group of preschoolers and the correlation between them. participants were 56 preschoolers - 32 boys and 24 girls - with ages between 4 years and 6 months and 6 years and 11 months, divided into two different groups: the Research Group, composed of 28 preschoolers with Phonological Disorder, and the Control Group, composed of 28 preschoolers with normal speech and no oral speech-related complaints, paired to the research group by gender and age. All of the participants were initially assessed by the ABFW Test - Phonology. After that, they were assessed on their lexical and metaphonological abilities by the ABFW Test - Vocabulary and phonological awareness test: sequential assessment instrument, CONFIAS - identification tasks and, rhyme and alliteration production, respectively. regarding lexical ability, the preschoolers from both groups presented similar behavior. The disordered preschoolers presented the worst performance on the overall analysis of the metaphonological ability. Age had an influence on the performance of lexical ability for both groups and the metaphonological abilities only for the Control Group. Correlations were identified, mostly positive, good to moderate between lexical and metaphonological abilities. the influence of Phonological Disorder may only be observed on the metaphonological performance. Phonological Disorder did not interfere with the development of the lexical ability of this group of preschoolers. Positive correlations were identified between both abilities in the studied age group.

Contribution of psychological, social, and mechanical work exposures to low work ability: a prospective study.

PubMed

Emberland, Jan S; Knardahl, Stein

2015-03-01

To determine the contribution of specific psychological, social, and mechanical work exposures to the self-reported low level of work ability. Employees from 48 organizations were surveyed over a 2-year period (n = 3779). Changes in 16 work exposures and 3 work ability measures-the work ability index score, perceived current, and future work ability-were tested with Spearman rank correlations. Binary logistic regressions were run to determine contribution of work exposures to low work ability. Role conflict, human resource primacy, and positive challenge were the most consistent predictors of low work ability across test designs. Role clarity and fair leadership were less consistent but prominent predictors. Mechanical exposures were not predictive. To protect employee work ability, work place interventions would benefit from focusing on reducing role conflicts and on promoting positive challenges and human resource primacy.

Prognostic factors for work ability in women with chronic low back pain consulting primary health care: a 2-year prospective longitudinal cohort study.

PubMed

Nordeman, Lena; Gunnarsson, Ronny; Mannerkorpi, Kaisa

2014-05-01

To investigate prognostic factors for future work ability in women with chronic low back pain (CLBP) consulting primary health care. A 2-year prospective longitudinal cohort study of female patients with CLBP within the primary health care was conducted. Patients were assessed at the first assessment and after 2 years. Prognostic factors for work ability (yes/no) were analyzed by multivariate regression. A total of 130 patients were included at first assessment. After 2 years, 123 patients (95%) were followed up. The 6-minute walk test, depression, and earlier work ability predicted work ability at the 2-year follow-up. A nomogram was constructed to assess the probability of future work ability. The 6-minute walk test, work ability, and depression predicted work ability for women with CLBP after 2 years.

Validity evidence for the situational judgment test paradigm in emotional intelligence measurement.

PubMed

Libbrecht, Nele; Lievens, Filip

2012-01-01

To date, various measurement approaches have been proposed to assess emotional intelligence (EI). Recently, two new EI tests have been developed based on the situational judgment test (SJT) paradigm: the Situational Test of Emotional Understanding (STEU) and the Situational Test of Emotion Management (STEM). Initial attempts have been made to examine the construct-related validity of these new tests; we extend these findings by placing the tests in a broad nomological network. To this end, 850 undergraduate students completed a personality inventory, a cognitive ability test, a self-report EI test, a performance-based EI measure, the STEU, and the STEM. The SJT-based EI tests were not strongly correlated with personality and fluid cognitive ability. Regarding their relation with existing EI measures, the tests did not capture the same construct as self-report EI measures, but corresponded rather to performance-based EI measures. Overall, these results lend support for the SJT paradigm for measuring EI as an ability.

Alternate retrieval technology demonstrations program - test report (ARD Environmental, Inc.)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berglin, E.J.

A prototype vehicle, control system, and waste and water scavenging system were designed and fabricated with essentially the full capabilities of the vehicle system proposed by ARD Environmental. A test tank mockup, including riser and decontamination chamber were designed and fabricated, and approximately 830 cubic feet of six varieties of waste simulants poured. The tests were performed by ARD Environmental personnel at its site in Laurel, Maryland, from 4/22/97 through 5/2/97. The capabilities tested were deployment and retrieval, extended mobility and productivity, the ability to operate the system using video viewing only, retrieval after simulated failure, and retrieval and decontamination.more » Testing commenced with deployment of the vehicle into the tank. Deployment was accomplished using a crane and auxiliary winch to position the vehicle and lower it through the decontamination chamber, into the 36`` diameter x 6` high riser, and touch down on the waste field in the tank. The initial mobility tests were conducted immediately after deployment, prior to sluicing, as the waste field exhibited the greatest amount of variation at this time. This test demonstrated the ability of the vehicle to maneuver over the simulated waste field, and the ability of the operator to work with only video viewing available. In addition, the ability of the vehicle to right itself after being turned on its side was demonstrated. The production rate was evaluated daily through the testing period by measuring the surface and estimating the amount of material removed. The test demonstrated the ability of the vehicle to reduce the waste surface using 400 psi (nominal) water jets, scavenge water and material from the work area, and move to any location, even in the relatively confined space of the 20` diameter test tank. In addition, the ability to sluice to a remote scavenging module was demonstrated. The failure mode test demonstrated the ability to retrieve a stuck vehicle by pulling on the tether, even if the vehicle wheels were locked or the vehicle was on its side. Line pull required to retrieve the vehicle was measured, and side load on the riser calculated from the line pull and line angles. Finally, the decontamination test demonstrated the ability to effectively clean the umbilical and vehicle. The issues addressed and resolved during the testing were: Feasibility of deploying a vehicle- based system, mobility, production rate and limitation of water in the tank during sluicing, mining strategy, operator efficiency, vehicle recovery, and decontamination. Water usage and waste removal rates were used to estimate the time and water usage requirements for cleaning a Hanford SST.« less

Syndromic craniosynostosis: neuropsycholinguistic abilities and imaging analysis of the central nervous system.

PubMed

Maximino, Luciana Paula; Ducati, Luis Gustavo; Abramides, Dagma Venturini Marques; Corrêa, Camila de Castro; Garcia, Patrícia Fernandes; Fernandes, Adriano Yacubian

2017-12-01

To characterize patients with syndromic craniosynostosis with respect to their neuropsycholinguistic abilities and to present these findings together with the brain abnormalities. Eighteen patients with a diagnosis of syndromic craniosynostosis were studied. Eight patients had Apert syndrome and 10 had Crouzon syndrome. They were submitted to phonological evaluation, neuropsychological evaluation and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. The phonological evaluation was done by behavioral observation of the language, the Peabody test, Token test and a school achievement test. The neuropsychological evaluation included the WISC III and WAIS tests. Abnormalities in language abilities were observed and the school achievement test showed abnormalities in 66.67% of the patients. A normal intelligence quotient was observed in 39.3% of the patients, and congenital abnormalities of the central nervous system were observed in 46.4% of the patients. Abnormalities of language abilities were observed in the majority of patients with syndromic craniosynostosis, and low cognitive performance was also observed.

Performance on a virtual reality angled laparoscope task correlates with spatial ability of trainees.

PubMed

Rosenthal, Rachel; Hamel, Christian; Oertli, Daniel; Demartines, Nicolas; Gantert, Walter A

2010-08-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether trainees' performance on a virtual reality angled laparoscope navigation task correlates with scores obtained on a validated conventional test of spatial ability. 56 participants of a surgery workshop performed an angled laparoscope navigation task on the Xitact LS 500 virtual reality Simulator. Performance parameters were correlated with the score of a validated paper-and-pencil test of spatial ability. Performance at the conventional spatial ability test significantly correlated with performance at the virtual reality task for overall task score (p < 0.001), task completion time (p < 0.001) and economy of movement (p = 0.035), not for endoscope travel speed (p = 0.947). In conclusion, trainees' performance in a standardized virtual reality camera navigation task correlates with their innate spatial ability. This VR session holds potential to serve as an assessment tool for trainees.

I've Fallen and I Can't Get up: Can High-Ability Students Recover from Early Mistakes in CAT?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rulison, Kelly L.; Loken, Eric

2009-01-01

A difficult result to interpret in Computerized Adaptive Tests (CATs) occurs when an ability estimate initially drops and then ascends continuously until the test ends, suggesting that the true ability may be higher than implied by the final estimate. This study explains why this asymmetry occurs and shows that early mistakes by high-ability…

The Relationship between Students' Problem Posing and Problem Solving Abilities and Beliefs: A Small-Scale Study with Chinese Elementary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Limin, Chen; Van Dooren, Wim; Verschaffel, Lieven

2013-01-01

The goal of the present study is to investigate the relationship between pupils' problem posing and problem solving abilities, their beliefs about problem posing and problem solving, and their general mathematics abilities, in a Chinese context. Five instruments, i.e., a problem posing test, a problem solving test, a problem posing questionnaire,…

Math anxiety, self-efficacy, and ability in British undergraduate nursing students.

PubMed

McMullan, Miriam; Jones, Ray; Lea, Susan

2012-04-01

Nurses need to be able to make drug calculations competently. In this study, involving 229 second year British nursing students, we explored the influence of mathematics anxiety, self-efficacy, and numerical ability on drug calculation ability and determined which factors would best predict this skill. Strong significant relationships (p < .001) existed between anxiety, self-efficacy, and ability. Students who failed the numerical and/or drug calculation ability tests were more anxious (p < .001) and less confident (p ≤ .002) in performing calculations than those who passed. Numerical ability made the strongest unique contribution in predicting drug calculation ability (beta = 0.50, p < .001) followed by drug calculation self-efficacy (beta = 0.16, p = .04). Early testing is recommended for basic numerical skills. Faculty are advised to refresh students' numerical skills before introducing drug calculations. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evolutionary conserved longevity genes and human cognitive abilities in elderly cohorts

PubMed Central

Lopez, Lorna M; Harris, Sarah E; Luciano, Michelle; Liewald, Dave; Davies, Gail; Gow, Alan J; Tenesa, Albert; Payton, Antony; Ke, Xiayi; Whalley, Lawrence J; Fox, Helen; Haggerty, Paul; Ollier, William; Pickles, Andrew; Porteous, David J; Horan, Michael A; Pendleton, Neil; Starr, John M; Deary, Ian J

2012-01-01

Genetic influences have an important role in the ageing process. The genetic factors that influence success in bodily ageing may also contribute to the successful ageing of cognitive abilities. A comparative genomics approach found longevity genes conserved between yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We hypothesised that these longevity genes influence variance in cognitive ability and age-related cognitive decline in humans. Here, we investigated six of these genes that have human orthologs and show expression in the brain. We tested AFG3L2 (MIM: 604581, AFG3 ATPase family gene 3-like 2 (yeast)), FRAP1 (MIM: 601231, a FK506 binding protein 12-rapamycin associated protein), MAT1A, MAT2A (MIM: 610550 and 601468, methionine adenosyltransferases I alpha and II alpha, respectively), SYNJ1 and SYNJ2 (MIM: 604297 and 609410, synaptojanin-1 and synaptojanin-2, respectively) in approximately 1000 healthy older Scots: the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (LBC1936). They were tested on general cognitive ability at age 11 years. At a mean age of 70 years, they re-sat the same general cognitive ability test and underwent an additional battery of diverse cognitive tests. In all, 70 tag and functional SNPs in the six longevity genes were genotyped and tested for association with cognition and cognitive ageing in LBC1936. Suggestive associations were detected between SNPs in SYNJ2, MAT1A, AFG3L2 and SYNJ1 and a general memory factor and general cognitive ability at age 11 and 70 years. Replication studies for cognitive ability associations were performed in 2506 samples from the Cognitive Ageing Genetics in England and Scotland consortium. A meta-analysis replicated the SYNJ2 association with cognitive abilities (lowest P=0.00077). SYNJ2 is a novel gene in which variation is potentially associated with cognitive abilities. PMID:22045296

Multidimensional Ability Tests and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students: Evidence of Measurement Invariance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lakin, Joni M.

2012-01-01

Ability tests are used by teachers to provide additional context for interpreting student achievement and as a tool for differentiating instruction to the cognitive strengths and weaknesses of students. Tests that provide the most useful information for these purposes measure school-related content domains including verbal and quantitative…

Evaluating ToxCast™ High-Throughput Assays For Their Ability To Detect Direct-Acting Genotoxicants

EPA Science Inventory

A standard battery of tests has been in use for the several decades to screen chemicals for genotoxicity. However, the large number of environmental and industrial chemicals that need to be tested overwhelms our ability to test them. ToxCast™ is a multi-year effort to develop a ...

The Effects of Item by Item Feedback Given during an Ability Test.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whetton, C.; Childs, R.

1981-01-01

Answer-until-correct (AUC) is a procedure for providing feedback during a multiple-choice test, giving an increased range of scores. The performance of secondary students on a verbal ability test using AUC procedures was compared with a group using conventional instructions. AUC scores considerably enhanced reliability but not validity.…

Spatial Thinking Ability Assessment in Rwandan Secondary Schools: Baseline Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomaszewski, Brian; Vodacek, Anthony; Parody, Robert; Holt, Nicholas

2015-01-01

This article discusses use and modification of Lee and Bednarz's (2012) Spatial Thinking Ability Test (STAT) as a spatial thinking assessment device in Rwandan secondary schools. After piloting and modifying the STAT, 222 students total from our rural and urban test schools and one control school were tested. Statistical analysis revealed that…

Vision and night driving abilities of elderly drivers.

PubMed

Gruber, Nicole; Mosimann, Urs P; Müri, René M; Nef, Tobias

2013-01-01

In this article, we review the impact of vision on older people's night driving abilities. Driving is the preferred and primary mode of transport for older people. It is a complex activity where intact vision is seminal for road safety. Night driving requires mesopic rather than scotopic vision, because there is always some light available when driving at night. Scotopic refers to night vision, photopic refers to vision under well-lit conditions, and mesopic vision is a combination of photopic and scotopic vision in low but not quite dark lighting situations. With increasing age, mesopic vision decreases and glare sensitivity increases, even in the absence of ocular diseases. Because of the increasing number of elderly drivers, more drivers are affected by night vision difficulties. Vision tests, which accurately predict night driving ability, are therefore of great interest. We reviewed existing literature on age-related influences on vision and vision tests that correlate or predict night driving ability. We identified several studies that investigated the relationship between vision tests and night driving. These studies found correlations between impaired mesopic vision or increased glare sensitivity and impaired night driving, but no correlation was found among other tests; for example, useful field of view or visual field. The correlation between photopic visual acuity, the most commonly used test when assessing elderly drivers, and night driving ability has not yet been fully clarified. Photopic visual acuity alone is not a good predictor of night driving ability. Mesopic visual acuity and glare sensitivity seem relevant for night driving. Due to the small number of studies evaluating predictors for night driving ability, further research is needed.

Genotype-dependent characteristics of behavior in mice in cognitive tests. The effects of Noopept.

PubMed

Bel'nik, A P; Ostrovskaya, R U; Poletaeva, I I

2009-01-01

Male C57BL/6J, BALB/c, and DBA/2J mice showed differences in their abilities to perform two cognitive tests. C57BL/6J mice had good learning ability and memory trace retention (at 10 days) in a simplified Morris maze, while BALB/c mice had low levels of memory trace retention and DBA/2J mice had low learning ability in this test. I.p. administration of the nootropic agent Noopept (GVS-111, N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester) at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg 15 min before the start of the test induced significant improvements in long-term memory in this test in BALB/c mice but no further improvement in C57BL/6J mice, and had no effect in DBA/2J mice. On testing the ability to extrapolate the direction of movement of a stimulus, administration of Noopept increased the proportion of correct responses in C57BL/6J and BALB/c mice, but had no effect in DBA/2J mice.

A Comparison of Item Selection Procedures Using Different Ability Estimation Methods in Computerized Adaptive Testing Based on the Generalized Partial Credit Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Tsung-Han

2010-01-01

Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) provides a highly efficient alternative to the paper-and-pencil test. By selecting items that match examinees' ability levels, CAT not only can shorten test length and administration time but it can also increase measurement precision and reduce measurement error. In CAT, maximum information (MI) is the most…

The Haptic Test Battery: A New Instrument to Test Tactual Abilities in Blind and Visually Impaired and Sighted Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballesteros, Soledad; Bardisa, Dolores; Millar, Susanna; Reales, Jose M.

2005-01-01

A new psychological test battery was designed to provide a much-needed comprehensive tool for assessing the perceptual and cognitive abilities of visually handicapped children in using active touch. The test materials consist of raised-line, raised-dot, raised-surface shapes and displays, and familiar and novel 3-D objects. The research used 20…

Developing a Numerical Ability Test for Students of Education in Jordan: An Application of Item Response Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abed, Eman Rasmi; Al-Absi, Mohammad Mustafa; Abu shindi, Yousef Abdelqader

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present study is developing a test to measure the numerical ability for students of education. The sample of the study consisted of (504) students from 8 universities in Jordan. The final draft of the test contains 45 items distributed among 5 dimensions. The results revealed that acceptable psychometric properties of the test;…

Visuospatial ability correlates with performance in simulated gynecological laparoscopy.

PubMed

Ahlborg, Liv; Hedman, Leif; Murkes, Daniel; Westman, Bo; Kjellin, Ann; Felländer-Tsai, Li; Enochsson, Lars

2011-07-01

To analyze the relationship between visuospatial ability and simulated laparoscopy performed by consultants in obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN). This was a prospective cohort study carried out at two community hospitals in Sweden. Thirteen consultants in obstetrics and gynecology were included. They had previously independently performed 10-100 advanced laparoscopies. Participants were tested for visuospatial ability by the Mental Rotations Test version A (MRT-A). After a familiarization session and standardized instruction, all participants subsequently conducted three consecutive virtual tubal occlusions followed by three virtual salpingectomies. Performance in the simulator was measured by Total Time, Score and Ovarian Diathermy Damage. Linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between visuospatial ability and simulated laparoscopic performance. The learning curves in the simulator were assessed in order to interpret the relationship with the visuospatial ability. Visuospatial ability correlated with Total Time (r=-0.62; p=0.03) and Score (r=0.57; p=0.05) in the medium level of the virtual tubal occlusion. In the technically more advanced virtual salpingectomy the visuospatial ability correlated with Total Time (r=-0.64; p=0.02), Ovarian Diathermy Damage (r=-0.65; p=0.02) and with overall Score (r=0.64; p=0.02). Visuospatial ability appears to be related to the performance of gynecological laparoscopic procedures in a simulator. Testing visuospatial ability might be helpful when designing individual training programs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship between theory of mind and functional independence is mediated by executive function.

PubMed

Ahmed, Fayeza S; Miller, L Stephen

2013-06-01

Theory of mind (ToM) is the ability to comprehend another person's perspective. Although there is much literature of ToM in children, there is a limited and somewhat inconclusive amount of studies examining ToM in a geriatric population. This study examined ToM's relationship to functional independence. Two tests of ToM, tests of executive function, and a measure of functional ability were administered to cognitively intact older adults. Results showed that 1 test of ToM (Strange Stories test) significantly accounted for variance in functional ability, whereas the other did not (Faux Pas test). In addition, Strange Stories test performance was partially driven by a verbal abstraction-based executive function: proverb interpretation. A multiple mediation model was employed to examine whether executive functions explained the relationship between the Strange Stories test and functional ability. Results showed that both the combined and individual indirect effects of the executive function measures mediated the relationship. We argue that, although components of ToM are associated with functional independence, ToM does not appear to account for additional variance in functional independence beyond executive function measures. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

The Three Models of Emotional Intelligence and Performance in a Hot and Cool go/no-go Task in Undergraduate Students

PubMed Central

Gutiérrez-Cobo, María J.; Cabello, Rosario; Fernández-Berrocal, Pablo

2017-01-01

Emotional intelligence (EI), or the ability to perceive, use, understand and regulate emotions, appears to be helpful in the performance of “hot” (i.e., emotionally laden) cognitive tasks when using performance-based ability models, but not when using self-report EI models. The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between EI (as measured through a performance-based ability test, a self-report mixed test and a self-report ability test) and cognitive control ability during the performance of hot and “cool” (i.e., non-emotionally laden) “go/no-go” tasks. An experimental design was used for this study in which 187 undergraduate students (25% men) with a mean age of 21.93 years (standard deviation [SD] = 3.8) completed the three EI tests of interest (Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test [MSCEIT], Trait Meta-Mood Scale [TMMS] and Emotional Quotient Inventory–Short Form [EQi:S]) as well as go/no-go tasks using faces and geometric figures as stimuli. The results provide evidence for negative associations between the “managing” branch of EI measured through the performance-based ability test of EI and the cognitive control index of the hot go/no-go task, although similar evidence was not found when using the cool task. Further, the present study failed to observe consistent results when using the self-report EI instruments. These findings are discussed in terms of both the validity and implications of the various EI models. PMID:28275343

Fitness determinants of repeated-sprint ability in highly trained youth football players.

PubMed

Spencer, Matt; Pyne, David; Santisteban, Juanma; Mujika, Iñigo

2011-12-01

Variations in rates of growth and development in young football players can influence relationships among various fitness qualities. To investigate the relationships between repeated-sprint ability and other fundamental fitness qualities of acceleration, agility, explosive leg power, and aerobic conditioning through the age groups of U11 to U18 in highly trained junior football players. Male players (n = 119) across the age groups completed a fitness assessment battery over two testing sessions. The first session consisted of countermovement jumps without and with arm swing, 15-m sprint run, 15-m agility run, and the 20-m Shuttle Run (U11 to U15) or the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test, Level 1 (U16 to U18). The players were tested for repeated-sprint ability in the second testing session using a protocol of 6 × 30-m sprints on 30 s with an active recovery. The correlations of repeated-sprint ability with the assorted fitness tests varied considerably between the age groups, especially for agility (r = .02 to .92) and explosive leg power (r = .04 to .84). Correlations of repeated sprint ability with acceleration (r = .48 to .93) and aerobic conditioning (r = .28 to .68) were less variable with age. Repeated-sprint ability associates differently with other fundamental fitness tests throughout the teenage years in highly trained football players, although stabilization of these relationships occurs by the age of 18 y. Coaches in junior football should prescribe physical training accounting for variations in short-term disruptions or impairment of physical performance during this developmental period.

Surgical simulation tasks challenge visual working memory and visual-spatial ability differently.

PubMed

Schlickum, Marcus; Hedman, Leif; Enochsson, Lars; Henningsohn, Lars; Kjellin, Ann; Felländer-Tsai, Li

2011-04-01

New strategies for selection and training of physicians are emerging. Previous studies have demonstrated a correlation between visual-spatial ability and visual working memory with surgical simulator performance. The aim of this study was to perform a detailed analysis on how these abilities are associated with metrics in simulator performance with different task content. The hypothesis is that the importance of visual-spatial ability and visual working memory varies with different task contents. Twenty-five medical students participated in the study that involved testing visual-spatial ability using the MRT-A test and visual working memory using the RoboMemo computer program. Subjects were also trained and tested for performance in three different surgical simulators. The scores from the psychometric tests and the performance metrics were then correlated using multivariate analysis. MRT-A score correlated significantly with the performance metrics Efficiency of screening (p = 0.006) and Total time (p = 0.01) in the GI Mentor II task and Total score (p = 0.02) in the MIST-VR simulator task. In the Uro Mentor task, both the MRT-A score and the visual working memory 3-D cube test score as presented in the RoboMemo program (p = 0.02) correlated with Total score (p = 0.004). In this study we have shown that some differences exist regarding the impact of visual abilities and task content on simulator performance. When designing future cognitive training programs and testing regimes, one might have to consider that the design must be adjusted in accordance with the specific surgical task to be trained in mind.

Are teachers' judgements of pupils' ability influenced by body shape?

PubMed

Shackleton, N L; Campbell, T

2014-04-01

Evidence indicates that teachers can judge pupils on the basis of their physical appearance, including their body shape. Teacher bias towards obese pupils has been suggested as a potential pathway through which obese children attain relatively lower academic levels. The aim of this study was to investigate whether teachers' judgements of pupils' ability are influenced by the body shape of the child. The sample includes English, singleton children in state schools from the Millennium Cohort Study. The data were taken from the fourth wave of data collection, when the children were approximately 7 years old. In all, 5086/5072 children had teacher ability ratings of reading and maths. Logistic regression analyses were used to test whether teachers' perceptions of the child's reading and mathematics ability were influenced by the pupil's waist circumference, conditional upon cognitive test scores of reading and maths ability. After adjustment for cognitive test scores, no significant overall relationship was found between the pupil's waist circumference and the teacher's judgements of ability. No statistically significant differences were observed in the probability of being judged as above average after further adjustments were made for potential confounders. There is little evidence that teachers' judgements of pupils' ability are influenced by obesity.

Developmental prosopagnosia and super-recognition: no special role for surface reflectance processing.

PubMed

Russell, Richard; Chatterjee, Garga; Nakayama, Ken

2012-01-01

Face recognition by normal subjects depends in roughly equal proportions on shape and surface reflectance cues, while object recognition depends predominantly on shape cues. It is possible that developmental prosopagnosics are deficient not in their ability to recognize faces per se, but rather in their ability to use reflectance cues. Similarly, super-recognizers' exceptional ability with face recognition may be a result of superior surface reflectance perception and memory. We tested this possibility by administering tests of face perception and face recognition in which only shape or reflectance cues are available to developmental prosopagnosics, super-recognizers, and control subjects. Face recognition ability and the relative use of shape and pigmentation were unrelated in all the tests. Subjects who were better at using shape or reflectance cues were also better at using the other type of cue. These results do not support the proposal that variation in surface reflectance perception ability is the underlying cause of variation in face recognition ability. Instead, these findings support the idea that face recognition ability is related to neural circuits using representations that integrate shape and pigmentation information. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Students’ Mathematical Problem-Solving Abilities Through The Application of Learning Models Problem Based Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasution, M. L.; Yerizon, Y.; Gusmiyanti, R.

2018-04-01

One of the purpose mathematic learning is to develop problem solving abilities. Problem solving is obtained through experience in questioning non-routine. Improving students’ mathematical problem-solving abilities required an appropriate strategy in learning activities one of them is models problem based learning (PBL). Thus, the purpose of this research is to determine whether the problem solving abilities of mathematical students’ who learn to use PBL better than on the ability of students’ mathematical problem solving by applying conventional learning. This research included quasi experiment with static group design and population is students class XI MIA SMAN 1 Lubuk Alung. Class experiment in the class XI MIA 5 and class control in the class XI MIA 6. The instrument of final test students’ mathematical problem solving used essay form. The result of data final test in analyzed with t-test. The result is students’ mathematical problem solving abilities with PBL better then on the ability of students’ mathematical problem solving by applying conventional learning. It’s seen from the high percentage achieved by the group of students who learn to use PBL for each indicator of students’ mathematical problem solving.

Spatial Abilities of High-School Students in the Perception of Geologic Structures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kali, Yael; Orion, Nir

1996-01-01

Characterizes specific spatial abilities required in geology studies through the examination of the performance of high school students in solving structural geology problems on the geologic spatial ability test (GeoSAT). Concludes that visual penetration ability and the ability to perceive the spatial configuration of the structure are…

Childhood cognitive ability and its relationship with anxiety and depression in adolescence.

PubMed

Weeks, M; Wild, T C; Ploubidis, G B; Naicker, K; Cairney, J; North, C R; Colman, I

2014-01-01

Childhood cognitive ability may have protective effects against internalizing symptoms in adolescence, although this may depend on the time of symptom assessment and child gender. Also, the effects of childhood stressors on adolescent internalizing symptoms may be moderated by childhood cognitive ability. The sample included 4405 individuals from the Canadian National Longitudinal Study of Children and Youth (NLSCY). Between ages 4-5 and 10-11, children completed a test of verbal ability and scholastic aptitude and a series of mathematics computation tests. Internalizing symptoms were assessed via self-reports at ages 12-13 and 14-15. Greater cognitive ability was generally associated with decreased odds of internalizing symptoms at age 12-13. However, greater cognitive ability generally increased, or had no effect on, the odds of internalizing symptoms at age 14-15. Some of the effects of childhood cognitive ability varied with child gender. Also, childhood cognitive ability attenuated the effects of family dysfunction and chronic illness throughout childhood on subsequent internalizing symptoms. These data are largely subject to some degree of reporting bias, the tests of cognitive ability are limited and may not represent overall cognitive ability, and there may be intermediary variables that account for the relationship between childhood cognitive ability and adolescent internalizing symptoms. Results suggest that programs attempting to increase early cognitive skills may be particularly beneficial for girls. Also, an increased focus on cognitive skills may attenuate the negative effects of some stressors on subsequent anxious and depressive symptoms, regardless of child gender. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Joint Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities, Third Edition, and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition, with a Preschool Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Mei; Paulson, Sharon E.; Finch, W. Holmes; Mcintosh, David E.; Rothlisberg, Barbara A.

2014-01-01

This study examined the underlying constructs measured by the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities, Third Edition (WJ-III COG) and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition (SB5), based on the Cattell-Horn-Carrol (CHC) theory of cognitive abilities. This study reports the results of the first joint confirmatory factor analysis…

Survey of Opinions on the Primacy of "g" and Social Consequences of Ability Testing: A Comparison of Expert and Non-Expert Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reeve, Charlie L.; Charles, Jennifer E.

2008-01-01

The current study examines the views of experts in the science of mental abilities about the primacy and uniqueness of "g" and the social implications of ability testing, and compares their responses to the views of a group of non-expert psychologists. Results indicate expert consensus that "g" is an important, non-trivial determinant (or at least…

Intelligence and Creativity in Problem Solving: The Importance of Test Features in Cognition Research

PubMed Central

Jaarsveld, Saskia; Lachmann, Thomas

2017-01-01

This paper discusses the importance of three features of psychometric tests for cognition research: construct definition, problem space, and knowledge domain. Definition of constructs, e.g., intelligence or creativity, forms the theoretical basis for test construction. Problem space, being well or ill-defined, is determined by the cognitive abilities considered to belong to the constructs, e.g., convergent thinking to intelligence, divergent thinking to creativity. Knowledge domain and the possibilities it offers cognition are reflected in test results. We argue that (a) comparing results of tests with different problem spaces is more informative when cognition operates in both tests on an identical knowledge domain, and (b) intertwining of abilities related to both constructs can only be expected in tests developed to instigate such a process. Test features should guarantee that abilities can contribute to self-generated and goal-directed processes bringing forth solutions that are both new and applicable. We propose and discuss a test example that was developed to address these issues. PMID:28220098

Cognitive ability in young adulthood predicts risk of early-onset dementia in Finnish men.

PubMed

Rantalainen, Ville; Lahti, Jari; Henriksson, Markus; Kajantie, Eero; Eriksson, Johan G; Räikkönen, Katri

2018-06-06

To test if the Finnish Defence Forces Basic Intellectual Ability Test scores at 20.1 years predicted risk of organic dementia or Alzheimer disease (AD). Dementia was defined as inpatient or outpatient diagnosis of organic dementia or AD risk derived from Hospital Discharge or Causes of Death Registers in 2,785 men from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study, divided based on age at first diagnosis into early onset (<65 years) or late onset (≥65 years). The Finnish Defence Forces Basic Intellectual Ability Test comprises verbal, arithmetic, and visuospatial subtests and a total score (scores transformed into a mean of 100 and SD of 15). We used Cox proportional hazard models and adjusted for age at testing, childhood socioeconomic status, mother's age at delivery, parity, participant's birthweight, education, and stroke or coronary heart disease diagnosis. Lower cognitive ability total and verbal ability (hazard ratio [HR] per 1 SD disadvantage >1.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-2.63) scores predicted higher early-onset any dementia risk across the statistical models; arithmetic and visuospatial ability scores were similarly associated with early-onset any dementia risk, but these associations weakened after covariate adjustments (HR per 1 SD disadvantage >1.57, 95% CI 0.96-2.57). All associations were rendered nonsignificant when we adjusted for participant's education. Cognitive ability did not predict late-onset dementia risk. These findings reinforce previous suggestions that lower cognitive ability in early life is a risk factor for early-onset dementia. © 2018 American Academy of Neurology.

Growth trajectories and intellectual abilities in young adulthood: The Helsinki Birth Cohort study.

PubMed

Räikkönen, Katri; Forsén, Tom; Henriksson, Markus; Kajantie, Eero; Heinonen, Kati; Pesonen, Anu-Katriina; Leskinen, Jukka T; Laaksonen, Ilmo; Osmond, Clive; Barker, David J P; Eriksson, Johan G

2009-08-15

Slow childhood growth is associated with poorer intellectual ability. The critical periods of growth remain uncertain. Among 2,786 Finnish male military conscripts (1952-1972) born in 1934-1944, the authors tested how specific growth periods from birth to age 20 years predicted verbal, visuospatial, and arithmetic abilities at age 20. Small head circumference at birth predicted poorer verbal, visuospatial, and arithmetic abilities. The latter 2 measures were also associated with lower weight and body mass index (weight (kg)/height (m)(2)) at birth (for a 1-standard-deviation (SD) decrease in test score per SD decrease in body size > or = 0.05, P's < 0.04). Slow linear growth and weight gain between birth and age 6 months, between ages 6 months and 2 years, or both predicted poorer performance on all 3 tests (for a 1-SD decrease in test score per SD decrease in growth > or = 0.05, P's < 0.03). Reduced linear growth between ages 2 and 7 years predicted worse verbal ability, and between age 11 years and conscription it predicted worse performance on all 3 tests. Prenatal brain growth and linear growth up to 2 years after birth form a first critical period for intellectual development. There is a second critical period, specific for verbal development, between ages 2 and 7 years and a third critical period for all 3 tested outcomes during adolescence.

Ability Testing for Job Selection: Are the Economic Claims Justified?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levin, Henry M.

The use of ability testing for job selection has become widespread in the Federal Government and in the U.S. Employment Service, which assists private sector employers. The justification for the practice is based largely on research findings claiming a high level of validity for such tests in predicting job performance. More recently, such claims…

Effects of Differential Item Functioning on Examinees' Test Performance and Reliability of Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Yi-Hsuan; Zhang, Jinming

2017-01-01

Simulations were conducted to examine the effect of differential item functioning (DIF) on measurement consequences such as total scores, item response theory (IRT) ability estimates, and test reliability in terms of the ratio of true-score variance to observed-score variance and the standard error of estimation for the IRT ability parameter. The…

Development and Application of Detection Indices for Measuring Guessing Behaviors and Test-Taking Effort in Computerized Adaptive Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Shu-Ren; Plake, Barbara S.; Kramer, Gene A.; Lien, Shu-Mei

2011-01-01

This study examined the amount of time that different ability-level examinees spend on questions they answer correctly or incorrectly across different pretest item blocks presented on a fixed-length, time-restricted computerized adaptive testing (CAT). Results indicate that different ability-level examinees require different amounts of time to…

The Influence of Prompt on Group Oral Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leaper, David A.; Riazi, Mehdi

2014-01-01

This paper reports an investigation into how the prompt may influence the discourse of group oral tests. The group oral test, in which three or four participants are rated on their ability to discuss a prompt, is a format for assessing the spoken ability of language learners. In this study, 141 Japanese university students were videoed in 41 group…

Reducing the Impact of Inappropriate Items on Reviewable Computerized Adaptive Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yen, Yung-Chin; Ho, Rong-Guey; Liao, Wen-Wei; Chen, Li-Ju

2012-01-01

In a test, the testing score would be closer to examinee's actual ability when careless mistakes were corrected. In CAT, however, changing the answer of one item in CAT might cause the following items no longer appropriate for estimating the examinee's ability. These inappropriate items in a reviewable CAT might in turn introduce bias in ability…

Validating the Electric Maze Task as a Measure of Planning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheppard, Kelly W.; Cheatham, Carol L.

2017-01-01

The Electric Maze Task (EMT) is a novel planning task designed to allow flexible testing of planning abilities across a broad age range and to incorporate manipulations to test underlying planning abilities, such as working-memory and inhibitory control skills. The EMT was tested in a group of 63 typically developing 7- to 12-year-olds.…

Measuring Speed, Ability, or Motivation: A Comment on Goldhammer (2015)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuhn, Jörg-Tobias; Ranger, Jochen

2015-01-01

In this commentary, Kuhn and Ranger hypothesize that most people are aware that talent does not guarantee success in case one is lazy. This is also true for the performance in achievement tests that depends on, among other factors, achievement potential (ability) and willingness to achieve (test-taking motivation) of the test taker. They add that…

Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities Test Scores: A UK National Picture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strand, Steve; Deary, Ian J.; Smith, Pauline

2006-01-01

Background and aims: There is uncertainty about the extent or even existence of sex differences in the mean and variability of reasoning test scores ( Jensen, 1998; Lynn, 1994, ; Mackintosh, 1996). This paper analyses the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) scores of a large and representative sample of UK pupils to determine the extent of any sex…

The Impact of Time-Series Diagnostic Tests on the Writing Ability of Iranian EFL Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atashgahi, Bahareh Molazem

2014-01-01

This study aimed to show whether administering a battery of time-series diagnostic tests (screening) has any impact on Iranian EFL learners' writing ability. The study was conducted on the intermediate EFL learners at Islamic Azad University North Tehran branch. The researcher administered a homogenizing test in order to exclude the exceptional…

Contribution of Psychological, Social, and Mechanical Work Exposures to Low Work Ability

PubMed Central

Knardahl, Stein

2015-01-01

Objective: To determine the contribution of specific psychological, social, and mechanical work exposures to the self-reported low level of work ability. Methods: Employees from 48 organizations were surveyed over a 2-year period (n = 3779). Changes in 16 work exposures and 3 work ability measures—the work ability index score, perceived current, and future work ability—were tested with Spearman rank correlations. Binary logistic regressions were run to determine contribution of work exposures to low work ability. Results: Role conflict, human resource primacy, and positive challenge were the most consistent predictors of low work ability across test designs. Role clarity and fair leadership were less consistent but prominent predictors. Mechanical exposures were not predictive. Conclusions: To protect employee work ability, work place interventions would benefit from focusing on reducing role conflicts and on promoting positive challenges and human resource primacy. PMID:25470453

An Investigation of Calculator Use on Employment Tests of Mathematical Ability: Effects on Reliability, Validity, Test Scores, and Speed of Completion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bing, Mark N.; Stewart, Susan M.; Davison, H. Kristl

2009-01-01

Handheld calculators have been used on the job for more than 30 years, yet the degree to which these devices can affect performance on employment tests of mathematical ability has not been thoroughly examined. This study used a within-subjects research design (N = 167) to investigate the effects of calculator use on test score reliability, test…

Neuropsychological assessment of driving ability and self-evaluation: a comparison between driving offenders and a control group.

PubMed

Zingg, Christina; Puelschen, Dietrich; Soyka, Michael

2009-12-01

The relationship between performance in neuropsychological tests and actual driving performance is unclear and results of studies on this topic differ. This makes it difficult to use neuropsychological tests to assess driving ability. The ability to compensate cognitive deficits plays a crucial role in this context. We compared neuropsychological test results and self-evaluation ratings between three groups: driving offenders with a psychiatric diagnosis relevant for driving ability (mainly alcohol dependence), driving offenders without such a diagnosis and a control group of non-offending drivers. Subjects were divided into two age categories (19-39 and 40-66 years). It was assumed that drivers with a psychiatric diagnosis relevant for driving ability and younger driving offenders without a psychiatric diagnosis would be less able to adequately assess their own capabilities than the control group. The driving offenders with a psychiatric diagnosis showed poorer concentration, reactivity, cognitive flexibility and problem solving, and tended to overassess their abilities in intelligence and attentional functions, compared to the other two groups. Conversely, younger drivers rather underassessed their performance.

Exploring the general motor ability construct.

PubMed

Ibrahim, Halijah; Heard, N Paul; Blanksby, Brian

2011-10-01

Malaysian students ages 12 to 15 years (N = 330; 165 girls, 165 boys) took the Australian Institute of Sport Talent Identification Test (AIST) and the Balance and Movement Coordination Test (BMC), developed specifically to identify sport talent in Malaysian adolescents. To investigate evidence for general aptitude ("g") in motor ability, a higher-order factor analysis was applied to the motor skills subtests from the AIST and BMC. First-order principal components analysis indicated that scores for the adolescent boys and girls could be described by similar sets of specific motor abilities. In particular, sets of skills identified as Movement Coordination and Postural Control were found, with Balancing Ability also emerging. For the girls, a factor labeled Static Balance was indicated. However, for the boys a more general balance ability labeled Kinesthetic Integration was found, along with an ability labeled Explosive Power. These first-order analyses accounted for 45% to 60% of the variance in the scores on the motor skills tests for the boys and girls, respectively. Separate second-order factor analyses for the boys and girls extracted a single higher-order factor, which was consistent with the existence of a motoric "g".

High-Intensity Small-Sided Games versus Repeated Sprint Training in Junior Soccer Players.

PubMed

Eniseler, Niyazi; Şahan, Çağatay; Özcan, Ilker; Dinler, Kıvanç

2017-12-01

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of high-intensity small-sided games training (SSGT) versus repeated-sprint training (RST) on repeated-sprint ability (RSA), soccer specific endurance performance and short passing ability among junior soccer players. The junior soccer players were recruited from of a professional team (age 16.9 ± 1.1 years). The tests included the repeated-shuttle-sprint ability test (RSSAT), Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1) and Loughborough Soccer Passing Test (LSPT). Nineteen participants were randomly assigned to either the small-sided games training (SSGTG) (n = 10) or repeated-sprint training group (RSTG) (n = 9). Small-sided games or repeated-sprint training were added to the regular training sessions for two days of the regular practice week. The Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to examine differences in groups and training effects. A time x training group effect was found in the improvement of short-passing ability for the smallsided games training group which showed significantly better scores than the repeated-sprint training group (p ≤ 0.05). Both groups showed similar improvements in RSAdecrement (p < 0.05). Only the repeated-sprint training group improved in the Yo-Yo IR1 (p < 0.05). This study clearly shows that high-intensity small-sided games training can be used as an effective training mode to enhance both repeated sprint ability and short-passing ability.

The Two-Systems Account of Theory of Mind: Testing the Links to Social- Perceptual and Cognitive Abilities

PubMed Central

Meinhardt-Injac, Bozana; Daum, Moritz M.; Meinhardt, Günter; Persike, Malte

2018-01-01

According to the two-systems account of theory of mind (ToM), understanding mental states of others involves both fast social-perceptual processes, as well as slower, reflexive cognitive operations (Frith and Frith, 2008; Apperly and Butterfill, 2009). To test the respective roles of specific abilities in either of these processes we administered 15 experimental procedures to a large sample of 343 participants, testing ability in face recognition and holistic perception, language, and reasoning. ToM was measured by a set of tasks requiring ability to track and to infer complex emotional and mental states of others from faces, eyes, spoken language, and prosody. We used structural equation modeling to test the relative strengths of a social-perceptual (face processing related) and reflexive-cognitive (language and reasoning related) path in predicting ToM ability. The two paths accounted for 58% of ToM variance, thus validating a general two-systems framework. Testing specific predictor paths revealed language and face recognition as strong and significant predictors of ToM. For reasoning, there were neither direct nor mediated effects, albeit reasoning was strongly associated with language. Holistic face perception also failed to show a direct link with ToM ability, while there was a mediated effect via face recognition. These results highlight the respective roles of face recognition and language for the social brain, and contribute closer empirical specification of the general two-systems account. PMID:29445336

High-Intensity Small-Sided Games versus Repeated Sprint Training in Junior Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Şahan, Çağatay; Özcan, Ilker; Dinler, Kıvanç

2017-01-01

Abstract The aim of this study was to compare the effects of high-intensity small-sided games training (SSGT) versus repeated-sprint training (RST) on repeated-sprint ability (RSA), soccer specific endurance performance and short passing ability among junior soccer players. The junior soccer players were recruited from of a professional team (age 16.9 ± 1.1 years). The tests included the repeated-shuttle-sprint ability test (RSSAT), Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1) and Loughborough Soccer Passing Test (LSPT). Nineteen participants were randomly assigned to either the small-sided games training (SSGTG) (n = 10) or repeated-sprint training group (RSTG) (n = 9). Small-sided games or repeated-sprint training were added to the regular training sessions for two days of the regular practice week. The Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to examine differences in groups and training effects. A time x training group effect was found in the improvement of short-passing ability for the smallsided games training group which showed significantly better scores than the repeated-sprint training group (p ≤ 0.05). Both groups showed similar improvements in RSAdecrement (p < 0.05). Only the repeated-sprint training group improved in the Yo-Yo IR1 (p < 0.05). This study clearly shows that high-intensity small-sided games training can be used as an effective training mode to enhance both repeated sprint ability and short-passing ability. PMID:29339990

Use of a training program to enhance NICU nurses' cognitive abilities for assessing preterm infant behaviors and offering supportive interventions.

PubMed

Liaw, Jen-Jiuan

2003-06-01

This study tested the use of a developmentally supportive care (DSC) training program in the form of videotaped and personalized instruction to increase nurses' cognitive abilities for assessing preterm infant behavioral signals and offering supportive care. The study used a two-group pre-test post-test quasi-experimental repeated measures design. The participants were 25 NICU nurses, 13 in the intervention group, and 12 in the control group. An instrument developed for the purpose of the study was a video test that measured the effectiveness of the DSC training. The video test questionnaires were administered to the participants twice with an interval of four weeks. ANCOVA controlling the baseline scores was used for data analysis. In general, the results support the hypothesis that nurses' cognitive abilities were enhanced after the DSC training. The increase in nurses' cognitive abilities is the prerequisite for behavioral change, based on the assumptions of Bandura's Social Cognitive Learning Theory (Bandura, 1986). As nurses' cognitive abilities increased, it would be possible that nurse behaviors in taking care of these preterm infants might change. Therefore, the author recommends that in order to improve NICU care quality and the outcomes of preterm infants, the concepts of developmentally supportive care be incorporated into NICU caregiving practice by educating nurses.

Is generic physical activity or specific exercise associated with motor abilities?

PubMed

Rinne, Marjo; Pasanen, Matti; Miilunpalo, Seppo; Mälkiä, Esko

2010-09-01

Evidence of the effect of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) modes on the motor abilities of a mature population is scarce. The purpose of this study was to compare the motor abilities of physically active and inactive men and women and to examine the associations of different exercise modes and former and recent LTPA (R-LTPA) with motor ability and various physical tests. The LTPA of the participants (men n = 69, women n = 79; aged 41-47 yr) was ascertained by a modified Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire, including questions on the frequency, duration, and intensity of R-LTPA and former LTPA and on exercise modes. Motor abilities in terms of balance, agility, and coordination were assessed with a battery of nine tests supplemented with five physical fitness tests. Multiple statistical methods were used in analyses that were conducted separately for men and women. The MET-hours per week of R-LTPA correlated statistically significantly with the tests of agility and static balance (rs = -0.28, P = 0.022; rs = -0.25, P = 0.043, respectively) among men and with the static balance (rs = 0.41), 2-km walking (rs = 0.36), step squat (rs = 0.36) (P < or = 0.001, respectively), and static back endurance (rs = 0.25, P = 0.024) among women. In the stepwise regression among men, the most frequent statistically significant predictor was the playing of several games. For women, a history of LTPA for more than 3 yr was the strongest predictor for good results in almost all tests. Participants with long-term and regular LTPA had better motor performance, and especially a variety of games improve components of motor ability. Diverse, regular, and long-term exercise including both specific training and general activity develops both motor abilities and physical fitness.

The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Cool and Hot Cognitive Processes: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Gutiérrez-Cobo, María José; Cabello, Rosario; Fernández-Berrocal, Pablo

2016-01-01

Although emotion and cognition were considered to be separate aspects of the psyche in the past, researchers today have demonstrated the existence of an interplay between the two processes. Emotional intelligence (EI), or the ability to perceive, use, understand, and regulate emotions, is a relatively young concept that attempts to connect both emotion and cognition. While EI has been demonstrated to be positively related to well-being, mental and physical health, and non-aggressive behaviors, little is known about its underlying cognitive processes. The aim of the present study was to systematically review available evidence about the relationship between EI and cognitive processes as measured through “cool” (i.e., not emotionally laden) and “hot” (i.e., emotionally laden) laboratory tasks. We searched Scopus and Medline to find relevant articles in Spanish and English, and divided the studies following two variables: cognitive processes (hot vs. cool) and EI instruments used (performance-based ability test, self-report ability test, and self-report mixed test). We identified 26 eligible studies. The results provide a fair amount of evidence that performance-based ability EI (but not self-report EI tests) is positively related with efficiency in hot cognitive tasks. EI, however, does not appear to be related with cool cognitive tasks: neither through self-reporting nor through performance-based ability instruments. These findings suggest that performance-based ability EI could improve individuals’ emotional information processing abilities. PMID:27303277

Evaluation of 2 cognitive abilities tests in a dual-task environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vidulich, M. A.; Tsang, P. S.

1986-01-01

Most real world operators are required to perform multiple tasks simultaneously. In some cases, such as flying a high performance aircraft or trouble shooting a failing nuclear power plant, the operator's ability to time share or process in parallel" can be driven to extremes. This has created interest in selection tests of cognitive abilities. Two tests that have been suggested are the Dichotic Listening Task and the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire. Correlations between these test results and time sharing performance were obtained and the validity of these tests were examined. The primary task was a tracking task with dynamically varying bandwidth. This was performed either alone or concurrently with either another tracking task or a spatial transformation task. The results were: (1) An unexpected negative correlation was detected between the two tests; (2) The lack of correlation between either test and task performance made the predictive utility of the tests scores appear questionable; (3) Pilots made more errors on the Dichotic Listening Task than college students.

The Relationship between Students' Performance on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and the Fourth and Fifth Grade Reading and Math Achievement Tests in Ohio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warnimont, Chad S.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between students' performance on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and the fourth and fifth grade Reading and Math Achievement Tests in Ohio. The sample utilized students from a suburban school district in Northwest Ohio. Third grade CogAT scores (2006-2007 school year), 4th…

Wild Mammalian Biomonitors for Assessing Impacts of Environmental Contamination on Population and Community Ecology

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-06-01

will be compared to common laboratory bioassay tests (fathea minnow survival, rice seed germination test, etc.), relative to their ability to pre- ’dict...rice seed germination , and Ceriodaphnia assays. At the ecosystem level, in situ small mammal total biomass, sex ratios, reproduction, recruit- ment...bioassay tests (fathead minnow survival, rice seed germination test, etc.), relative to their ability to predict ecotoxicity risks (as indexed by

The use of geospatial technologies to increase students' spatial abilities and knowledge of certain atmospheric science content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hedley, Mikell Lynne

2008-10-01

The purpose of the study was to use geospatial technologies to improve the spatial abilities and specific atmospheric science content knowledge of students in high schools and junior highs in primarily high-needs schools. These technologies include remote sensing, geographic information systems, and global positioning systems. The program involved training the teachers in the use of the technologies at a five-day institute. Scientists who use the technologies in their research taught the basics of their use and scientific background. Standards-based activities were used to integrate the technologies in the classroom setting. Students were tested before any instruction in the technologies and then tested two other times. They used the technologies in field data collection and used that data in an inquiry-based project. Their projects were presented at a mini-science conference with scientists, teachers, parents, and other students in attendance. Significant differences were noted from pre-test to second post-test in the test in both the spatial abilities and science section. There was a gain in both spatial abilities and in specific atmospheric science content knowledge.

The Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities III's Cognitive Performance Model: Empirical Support for Intermediate Factors within CHC Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taub, Gordon E.; McGrew, Kevin S.

2014-01-01

The Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability Third Edition is developed using the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) measurement-theory test design as the instrument's theoretical blueprint. The instrument provides users with cognitive scores based on the Cognitive Performance Model (CPM); however, the CPM is not a part of CHC theory. Within the…

Ability or Access-Ability: Differential Item Functioning of Items on Alternate Performance-Based Assessment Tests for Students with Visual Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zebehazy, Kim T.; Zigmond, Naomi; Zimmerman, George J.

2012-01-01

Introduction: This study investigated differential item functioning (DIF) of test items on Pennsylvania's Alternate System of Assessment (PASA) for students with visual impairments and severe cognitive disabilities and what the reasons for the differences may be. Methods: The Wilcoxon signed ranks test was used to analyze differences in the scores…

English Language Proficiency and Test Performance: An Evaluation of Bilingual Students with the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sotelo-Dynega, Marlene; Ortiz, Samuel O.; Flanagan, Dawn P.; Chaplin, William F.

2013-01-01

In this article, we report the findings of an exploratory empirical study that investigated the relationship between English Language Proficiency (ELP) on performance on the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities-Third Edition (WJ III) when administered in English to bilingual students of varying levels of ELP. Sixty-one second-grade…

Do scores on a tachistoscope test correlate with baseball batting averages?

PubMed

Reichow, Alan W; Garchow, Kenneth E; Baird, Richard Y

2011-05-01

Millions of dollars are spent each year by individuals seeking to improve their athletic performance. One area of visual training is the use of the tachistoscope, which measures inspection time or visual recognition time. Although the potential of the tachistoscope as a training tool has received some research attention, its use as a means of measurement or predictor of athletic ability in sports has not been explored. The purpose of this pilot study is to assess the potential of the tachistoscope as a measurement instrument by determining if a baseball player's ability to identify a tachistoscopically presented picture of a pitch is correlated with hitting performance as measured by batting average. Using sport-specific slides, 20 subjects-all non-pitching members of the Pacific University Baseball Team-were administered a tachistoscopic test. The test consisted of identifying the type of pitch illustrated in 30 randomly ordered slides depicting a pitcher throwing four different baseball pitches. Each slide was presented for 0.2 sec. The results of the test were compared with the athlete's previous season's batting average. A positive correlation was found between an athlete's ability to correctly identify a picture of a pitch presented tachistoscopically and batting average (r=0.648; P<0.01). These results suggest that a superior ability to recognize pitches presented via tachistoscope may correlate with a higher skill level in batting. Tachistoscopic test scores correlated positively with batting averages. The tachistoscope may be an acceptable tool to help in assessing batting performance. Additional testing with players from different sports, different levels of ability, and different tachistoscopic times should be performed to determine if the tachistoscope is a valid measure of athletic ability. Implications may also be drawn in other areas such as military and police work.

"When Music Speaks": Auditory Cortex Morphology as a Neuroanatomical Marker of Language Aptitude and Musicality.

PubMed

Turker, Sabrina; Reiterer, Susanne M; Seither-Preisler, Annemarie; Schneider, Peter

2017-01-01

Recent research has shown that the morphology of certain brain regions may indeed correlate with a number of cognitive skills such as musicality or language ability. The main aim of the present study was to explore the extent to which foreign language aptitude, in particular phonetic coding ability, is influenced by the morphology of Heschl's gyrus (HG; auditory cortex), working memory capacity, and musical ability. In this study, the auditory cortices of German-speaking individuals ( N = 30; 13 males/17 females; aged 20-40 years) with high and low scores in a number of language aptitude tests were compared. The subjects' language aptitude was measured by three different tests, namely a Hindi speech imitation task (phonetic coding ability), an English pronunciation assessment, and the Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT). Furthermore, working memory capacity and musical ability were assessed to reveal their relationship with foreign language aptitude. On the behavioral level, significant correlations were found between phonetic coding ability, English pronunciation skills, musical experience, and language aptitude as measured by the MLAT. Parts of all three tests measuring language aptitude correlated positively and significantly with each other, supporting their validity for measuring components of language aptitude. Remarkably, the number of instruments played by subjects showed significant correlations with all language aptitude measures and musicality, whereas, the number of foreign languages did not show any correlations. With regard to the neuroanatomy of auditory cortex, adults with very high scores in the Hindi testing and the musicality test (AMMA) demonstrated a clear predominance of complete posterior HG duplications in the right hemisphere. This may reignite the discussion of the importance of the right hemisphere for language processing, especially when linked or common resources are involved, such as the inter-dependency between phonetic and musical aptitude.

Development of early numerical abilities of Spanish-speaking Mexican preschoolers: A new assessment tool.

PubMed

Beltrán-Navarro, Beatriz; Abreu-Mendoza, Roberto A; Matute, Esmeralda; Rosselli, Monica

2018-01-01

This article presents a tool for assessing the early numerical abilities of Spanish-speaking Mexican preschoolers. The Numerical Abilities Test, from the Evaluación Neuropsicológica Infantil-Preescolar (ENI-P), evaluates four core abilities of number development: magnitude comparison, counting, subitizing, and basic calculation. We evaluated 307 Spanish-speaking Mexican children aged 2 years 6 months to 4 years 11 months. Appropriate internal consistency and test-retest reliability were demonstrated. We also investigated the effect of age, children's school attendance, maternal education, and sex on children's numerical scores. The results showed that the four subtests captured development across ages. Critically, maternal education had an impact on children's performance in three out of the four subtests, but there was no effect associated with children's school attendance or sex. These results suggest that the Numerical Abilities Test is a reliable instrument for Spanish-speaking preschoolers. We discuss the implications of our outcomes for numerical development.

Self-reported craft expertise predicts maintenance of spatial ability in old age.

PubMed

Bailey, Shannon K T; Sims, Valerie K

2014-05-01

Three hundred and three female participants between the ages of 18 and 77 reported their experience in crafting (sewing, knitting, and crocheting) and completed a measure of spatial ability: The Paper Folding Test. To investigate the connection between spatial ability performance, age, and craft expertise, an ANOVA was conducted for the Paper Folding Test using two levels of crafting expertise (High and Low) and three age categories (younger adults: 18-39, middle-aged adults: 40-59, and older adults: 60-77). Performance on the spatial ability test declined with age as predicted from previous literature. However, there was a significant Age by Expertise interaction. No difference was found between High and Low craft expertise groups in younger adults (18-39), but there was a growing difference between expertise groups in middle-aged adults (40-59) and older adults (60-77). The results suggest that continued hands-on experience in spatial domains is a predictor of maintenance of spatial ability across the life span.

Evaluating the effectiveness of the abilities-focused approach to morning care of people with dementia.

PubMed

Sidani, Souraya; Streiner, David; Leclerc, Chantale

2012-03-01

The abilities-focused approach demonstrated efficacy in promoting engagement of residents with dementia in care. The extent to which these resident outcomes can be replicated when the abilities-focused approach is implemented by nursing staff under the conditions of day-to-day practice was investigated in this study. The aim was to examine changes in resident outcomes before and after nursing staff' implementation of the abilities-focused approach and the contribution of this approach to resident outcomes. A one-group pretest-post-test design was used. Observational data were obtained from 65 residents with dementia. The data pertained to the implementation of abilities-focused strategies during episodes of morning care and residents' level of agitation, participation in morning care and physical and psychosocial functioning. The number of abilities-focused strategies used during morning care increased at post-test. No clinically important changes in resident outcomes were observed over time. However, the implementation of some strategies was associated with residents' participation in care and functioning at post-test. The results provided preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of the abilities-focused approach in maintaining functioning in people with dementia. Additional research is needed to understand the mechanism underlying the effects of this person-centred approach to care on resident outcomes. Implementation of the abilities-focused approach assists people with dementia to participate in morning care. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Profile of mathematical reasoning ability of 8th grade students seen from communicational ability, basic skills, connection, and logical thinking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sumarsih; Budiyono; Indriati, D.

2018-04-01

This research aims to understand the students’ weaknesses in mathematical reasoning ability in junior secondary school. A set of multiple choice tests were used to measure this ability involve components mathematical communication, basic skills, connection, and logical thinking. A total of 259 respondents were determined by stratified cluster random sampling. Data were analyzed using one-way Anova test with Fobs = 109.5760 and F = 3.0000. The results show that students’ ability from schools with high National Exam in mathematics category was the best and followed by medium and low category. Mathematical connection is the most difficult component performed by students. In addition, most students also have difficulty in expressing ideas and developing logical arguments.

Factor structure of the Hooper Visual Organization Test: a cross-cultural replication and extension.

PubMed

Merten, Thomas

2005-01-01

To investigate construct validity of the Hooper Visual Organization Test (VOT), a principal-axis analysis was performed on the neuropsychological test results of 200 German-speaking neurological patients who received a comprehensive battery, encompassing tests of visuospatial functions, memory, attention, executive functions, naming ability, and vocabulary. A four-factor solution was obtained with substantial loadings of the VOT only on the first factor, interpreted as a global dimension of non-verbal cognitive functions. This factor loaded significantly on numerous measures of visuospatial processing and attention (with particularly high loadings on WAIS-R Block Design, Trails A and B, and Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices). The remaining three factors were interpreted as memory, verbal abilities (vocabulary), and a separate factor of naming abilities.

Genetic variants associated with altered plasma levels of C-reactive protein are not associated with late-life cognitive ability in four Scottish samples.

PubMed

Marioni, Riccardo E; Deary, Ian J; Murray, Gordon D; Lowe, Gordon D O; Rafnsson, Snorri B; Strachan, Mark W J; Luciano, Michelle; Houlihan, Lorna M; Gow, Alan J; Harris, Sarah E; Stewart, Marlene C; Rumley, Ann; Fowkes, F Gerry R; Price, Jackie F

2010-01-01

It is unknown whether the relationship between raised inflammatory biomarker levels and late-life cognitive ability is causal. We explored this issue by testing the association between genetic regulators of plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and cognition. Data were analysed from four cohorts based in central Scotland (Total N = 4,782). Associations were tested between variants in the CRP gene and both plasma CRP levels and a battery of neuropsychological tests, including a vocabulary-based estimate of peak prior cognitive ability and a general (summary) cognitive factor score, or 'g'. CRP levels were associated with a number of variants in the CRP gene (SNPs), including rs1205, rs1130864, rs1800947, and rs1417938 (P range 4.2e-06 to 0.041). Higher CRP levels were also associated with vocabulary-adjusted cognitive ability, used here to estimate lifetime cognitive change (P range 1.7e-04 to 0.038). After correction for multiple testing and adjustment for age and sex, no statistically significant associations were found between the SNPs and cognition. CRP is unlikely to be a causal determinant of late-life cognitive ability.

The music perception abilities of prelingually deaf children with cochlear implants.

PubMed

Stabej, Katja Kladnik; Smid, Lojze; Gros, Anton; Zargi, Miha; Kosir, Andrej; Vatovec, Jagoda

2012-10-01

To investigate the music perception abilities of prelingually deaf children with cochlear implants, in comparison to a group of normal-hearing children, and to consider the factors that contribute to music perception. The music perception abilities of 39 prelingually deaf children with unilateral cochlear implants were compared to the abilities of 39 normal hearing children. To assess the music listening abilities, the MuSIC perception test was adopted. The influence of the child's age, age at implantation, device experience and type of sound-processing strategy on the music perception were evaluated. The effects of auditory performance, nonverbal intellectual abilities, as well as the child's additional musical education on music perception were also considered. Children with cochlear implants and normal hearing children performed significantly differently with respect to rhythm discrimination (55% vs. 82%, p<0.001), instrument identification (57% vs. 88%, p<0.001) and emotion rating (p=0.022). However we found no significant difference in terms of melody discrimination and dissonance rating between the two groups. There was a positive correlation between auditory performance and melody discrimination (r=0.27; p=0.031), between auditory performance and instrument identification (r=0.20; p=0.059) and between the child's grade (mark) in school music classes and melody discrimination (r=0.34; p=0.030). In children with cochlear implant only, the music perception ability assessed by the emotion rating test was negatively correlated to the child's age (r(S)=-0.38; p=0.001), age at implantation (r(S)=-0.34; p=0.032), and device experience (r(S)=-0.38; p=0.019). The child's grade in school music classes showed a positive correlation to music perception abilities assessed by rhythm discrimination test (r(S)=0.46; p<0.001), melody discrimination test (r(S)=0.28; p=0.018), and instrument identification test (r(S)=0.23; p=0.05). As expected, there was a marked difference in the music perception abilities of prelingually deaf children with cochlear implants in comparison to the group of normal hearing children, but not for all the tests of music perception. Additional multi-centre studies, including a larger number of participants and a broader spectrum of music subtests, considering as many as possible of the factors that may contribute to music perception, seem reasonable. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

The Experimental Design Ability Test (EDAT)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sirum, Karen; Humburg, Jennifer

2011-01-01

Higher education goals include helping students develop evidence based reasoning skills; therefore, scientific thinking skills such as those required to understand the design of a basic experiment are important. The Experimental Design Ability Test (EDAT) measures students' understanding of the criteria for good experimental design through their…

Heredity Factors in Spatial Visualization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vandenberg, S. G.

Spatial visualization is not yet clearly understood. Some researchers have concluded that two factors or abilities are involved, spatial orientation and spatial visualization. Different definitions and different tests have been proposed for these two abilities. Several studies indicate that women generally perform more poorly on spatial tests than…

Cell buffer with built-in test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ott, William E. (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A cell buffer with built-in testing mechanism is provided. The cell buffer provides the ability to measure voltage provided by a power cell. The testing mechanism provides the ability to test whether the cell buffer is functioning properly and thus providing an accurate voltage measurement. The testing mechanism includes a test signal-provider to provide a test signal to the cell buffer. During normal operation, the test signal is disabled and the cell buffer operates normally. During testing, the test signal is enabled and changes the output of the cell buffer in a defined way. The change in the cell buffer output can then be monitored to determine if the cell buffer is functioning correctly. Specifically, if the voltage output of the cell buffer changes in a way that corresponds to the provided test signal, then the functioning of the cell buffer is confirmed. If the voltage output of the cell buffer does not change correctly, then the cell buffer is known not to be operating correctly. Thus, the built in testing mechanism provides the ability to quickly and accurately determine if the cell buffer is operating correctly. Furthermore, the testing mechanism provides this functionality without requiring excessive device size and complexity.

An investigation of the measurement properties of the Spot-the-Word test in a community sample.

PubMed

Mackinnon, Andrew; Christensen, Helen

2007-12-01

Intellectual ability is assessed with the Spot-the-Word (STW) test (A. Baddeley, H. Emslie, & I. Nimmo Smith, 1993) by asking respondents to identify a word in a word-nonword item pair. Results in moderate-sized samples suggest this ability is resistant to decline due to dementia. The authors used a 3-parameter item response theory model to investigate the measurement properties of the STW in a large community-dwelling sample (n=2,480) 60 to 64 years of age. A number of poorly performing items were identified. Substantial guessing was present; however, the number of words correctly identified was found to be an accurate index of ability. Performance was moderately related to a number of tests of cognitive performance and was effectively unrelated to visual acuity and to physical or mental health status. The STW is a promising test of ability that, in the future, may be refined by the deletion or replacement of poorly functioning items.

Profiling Online Poker Players: Are Executive Functions Correlated with Poker Ability and Problem Gambling?

PubMed

Schiavella, Mauro; Pelagatti, Matteo; Westin, Jerker; Lepore, Gabriele; Cherubini, Paolo

2018-01-12

Poker playing and responsible gambling both entail the use of the executive functions (EF), which are higher-level cognitive abilities. This study investigated if online poker players of different ability showed different performances in their EF and if so, which functions were the most discriminating for their playing ability. Furthermore, it assessed if the EF performance was correlated to the quality of gambling, according to self-reported questionnaires (PGSI, SOGS, GRCS). Three poker experts evaluated anonymized poker hand history files and, then, a trained professional administered an extensive neuropsychological test battery. Data analysis determined which variables of the tests correlated with poker ability and gambling quality scores. The highest correlations between EF test results and poker ability and between EF test results and gambling quality assessment showed that mostly different clusters of executive functions characterize the profile of the strong(er) poker player and those ones of the problem gamblers (PGSI and SOGS) and the one of the cognitions related to gambling (GRCS). Taking into consideration only the variables overlapping between PGSI and SOGS, we found some key predictive factors for a more risky and harmful online poker playing: a lower performance in the emotional intelligence competences (Emotional Quotient inventory Short) and, in particular, those grouped in the Intrapersonal scale (emotional self-awareness, assertiveness, self-regard, independence and self-actualization).

Effects of socioscientific issues-based instruction on argumentation ability and biology concepts of upper secondary school students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faelt, Surasak; Samiphak, Sara; Pattaradilokrat, Sittiporn

2018-01-01

Argumentation skill is an essential skill needed in students, and one of the competencies in scientific literacy. Through arguing on socioscientific issues, students may gain deeper conceptual understanding. The purpose of this research is to examine the efficacy of a socioscientific issues-based instruction compared with an inquirybased instruction. This is to determine which one is better in promoting 10th grade students' argumentation ability and biology concepts of digestive system and cellular respiration. The forty 10th grade students included in this study were from two mathematics-science program classes in a medium-sized secondary school located in a suburb of Buriram province, Thailand. The research utilizes a quasi-experimental design; pre-test post-test control group design. We developed and implemented 4 lesson plans for both socioscientific issues-based instruction and inquiry-based instruction. Ten weeks were used to collect the data. A paper-based questionnaire and informal interviews were designed to test students' argumentation ability, and the two-tier multiple-choice test was designed to test their biology concepts. This research explore qualitatively and quantitatively students' argumentation abilities and biology concepts, using arithmetic mean, mean of percentage, standard deviation and t-test. Results show that there is no significant difference between the two group regarding mean scores of the argumentation ability. However, there is significant difference between the two groups regarding mean scores of the biology concepts. This suggests that socioscientific issues-based instruction could be used to improve students' biology concepts.

The Evaluation of Foam Performance and Flooding Efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keliang, Wang; Yuhao, Chen; Gang, Wang; Gen, Li

2017-12-01

ROSS-Miles and spinning drop interfacial tensionmeter are used to select suitable foam system through foam composite index (FCI) and interfacial tension (IT). The selected foam system are taken to conduct further test. The further tests are evaluating the foam system resistance to adsorption with multi-round core flooding dynamic adsorption test and evaluating the performance of foam system with four kinds of different transport distance, quantitatively analyzing the foam system effective distance after dynamic adsorption. The result shows that the foaming ability and the mobilizing ability of the foam system decrease with the increase of the round of dynamic adsorption. As the transport distance increases, the foaming ability and the mobilizing ability of the foam system decrease. This result further reveals the flooding characteristics of nitrogen foam flooding, which provides a reference for the implementation of nitrogen foam flooding technology.

Literature Review: Validity and Potential Usefulness of Psychomotor Ability Tests for Personnel Selection and Classification

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-01

cognitive-purmpttidl JDTTTty tests. Taken together, these /ffndings suggest a need for further psychomotor test development and validation research...Leaetta N. Hough (ed.). The findings presented in these documents were used in the development of a battery of new tests and Inventories for use In...Project A. The focus of that development effort was to Identify abilities and other human attri- butes that seemed "best bets" for predicting

Empathy, and its relationship with cognitive and emotional functions in alcohol dependency.

PubMed

Erol, Almila; Akyalcin Kirdok, Asusinem; Zorlu, Nabi; Polat, Serap; Mete, Levent

2017-04-01

Empathy can be defined as the ability to understand the other's thoughts and feelings. It contains both cognitive and emotional components. The aim of this study was to investigate the empathy ability of patients with alcohol dependency in association with cognitive and emotional functions, after acute detoxification and during long-term abstinence. Thirty-three alcohol dependent inpatients that completed a detoxification process and stayed abstinent throughout the study, and 33 healthy comparison subjects that matched the patients for age, gender, and education level were included in the study. All the participants were administered the Facial Emotion Identification Test (FEIT), Facial Emotion Discrimination Test (FEDT), Trail Making Test (TMT), Digit Span Test (DST), Auditory Consonant Trigram Test (ACT), and Empathy Quotient Scale (EQS). All the tests were repeated after 3 months of abstinence. At the first evaluation conducted after detoxification, patients performed significantly worse than healthy comparisons in almost all tests. At the second evaluation, which was conducted after 3 months of abstinence, the patients improved significantly in all measures, and no significant differences were detected between the patient and comparison groups. There were significant correlations between the test scores and EQS score. Alcohol dependency has deleterious effects on empathy ability, and cognitive and emotional functions. Those impairments can improve with abstinence. Empathy ability has strong relationships with cognitive and emotional functions.

Phase II test plan for the evaluation of the performance of container filling systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

BOGER, R.M.

The PHMC will provide tank wastes for final treatment by BNFL from Hanford's waste tanks. Concerns about the ability for ''grab'' sampling to provide large volumes of representative waste samples has led to the development of a nested, fixed-depth sampling system. Preferred concepts for filling sample containers that meet RCRA organic sample criteria were identified by a PHMC Decision Board. These systems will replace the needle based sampling ''T'' that is currently on the sampling system. This test plan document identifies cold tests with simulants that will demonstrate the preferred bottle filling concepts abilities to provide representative waste samples andmore » will meet RCRA criteria. Additional tests are identified that evaluate the potential for cross-contamination between samples and the ability for the system to decontaminate surfaces which have contacted tank wastes. These tests will be performed with kaolid/water and sand/water slurry simulants in the test rig that was used by AEAT to complete Phase 1 tests in FY 1999.« less

Recent Developments in Language Assessment and the Case of Four Large-Scale Tests of ESOL Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoynoff, Stephen

2009-01-01

This review article surveys recent developments and validation activities related to four large-scale tests of L2 English ability: the iBT TOEFL, the IELTS, the FCE, and the TOEIC. In addition to describing recent changes to these tests, the paper reports on validation activities that were conducted on the measures. The results of this research…

A Monte Carlo Simulation Investigating the Validity and Reliability of Ability Estimation in Item Response Theory with Speeded Computer Adaptive Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitt, T. A.; Sass, D. A.; Sullivan, J. R.; Walker, C. M.

2010-01-01

Imposed time limits on computer adaptive tests (CATs) can result in examinees having difficulty completing all items, thus compromising the validity and reliability of ability estimates. In this study, the effects of speededness were explored in a simulated CAT environment by varying examinee response patterns to end-of-test items. Expectedly,…

Are Gender Differences in Spatial Ability Real or an Artifact? Evaluation of Measurement Invariance on the Revised PSVT:R

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maeda, Yukiko; Yoon, So Yoon

2016-01-01

We investigated the extent to which the observed gender differences in mental rotation ability among the 2,468 freshmen studying engineering at a Midwest public university attributed to the gender bias of a test. The Revised Purdue Spatial Visualization Tests: Visualization of Rotations (Revised PSVT:R) is a spatial test frequently used to measure…

Transferability of Norms and Its Implication in Cross-Cultural Gifted Education: Norming Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) in the Philippine Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vista, Alvin; Grantham, Tarek

2009-01-01

This is a normative study to investigate the transferability of norms from western-based intelligence tests to Filipino students. More than 2,700 Filipino sixth graders were sampled across the country and administered the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT). Scores were then compared to the US normative sample. The results showed no significant…

Cross-Year Comparison of Test-Retest MCAT Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Land, Marcia S.; Feitz, Robert H.

1976-01-01

Scores were examined for students who repeated the Medical School Admissions Test (MCAT) within the same calendar year for years 1970-74. Nearly all repeaters showed improvement, low ability groups more and high ability students less. No pattern of greater MCAT improvement over time was found. (JT)

2007 National Veterans Winter Sports Clinic - April 1-6, 2007 - U.S.

Science.gov Websites

know my abilities, test my limits, and become aware of new, everyday things I can do in life." opportunity to know my abilities, test my limits, and become aware of new, everyday things I can do in life

Evaluating Business School Undergraduates' Situation Analytical Ability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Ghee-Soon

2002-01-01

An instrument to test students' ability to analyze business situations was administered to 120 undergraduates. Level of study, achievement in business curriculum, and stress resilience were associated with test performance. Gender, age, family income, and high school results were not related to performance. (Contains 44 references.) (SK)

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Standardized Test-Taking Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutkowski, Leslie; Vasterling, Jennifer J.; Proctor, Susan P.; Anderson, Carolyn J.

2010-01-01

Given the widespread use and high-stakes nature of educational standardized assessments, understanding factors that affect test-taking ability in young adults is vital. Although scholarly attention has often focused on demographic factors (e.g., gender and race), sufficiently prevalent acquired characteristics may also help explain widespread…

Predictive value of background experiences and visual spatial ability testing on laparoscopic baseline performance among residents entering postgraduate surgical training.

PubMed

Louridas, Marisa; Quinn, Lauren E; Grantcharov, Teodor P

2016-03-01

Emerging evidence suggests that despite dedicated practice, not all surgical trainees have the ability to reach technical competency in minimally invasive techniques. While selecting residents that have the ability to reach technical competence is important, evidence to guide the incorporation of technical ability into selection processes is limited. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether background experiences and 2D-3D visual spatial test results are predictive of baseline laparoscopic skill for the novice surgical trainee. First-year residents were studied. Demographic data and background surgical and non-surgical experiences were obtained using a questionnaire. Visual spatial ability was evaluated using the PicSOr, cube comparison (CC) and card rotation (CR) tests. Technical skill was assessed using the camera navigation (LCN) task and laparoscopic circle cut (LCC) task. Resident performance on these technical tasks was compared and correlated with the questionnaire and visual spatial findings. Previous experience in observing laparoscopic procedures was associated with significantly better LCN performance, and experience in navigating the laparoscopic camera was associated with significantly better LCC task results. Residents who scored higher on the CC test demonstrated a more accurate LCN path length score (r s(PL) = -0.36, p = 0.03) and angle path (r s(AP) = -0.426, p = 0.01) score when completing the LCN task. No other significant correlations were found between the visual spatial tests (PicSOr, CC or CR) and LCC performance. While identifying selection tests for incoming surgical trainees that predict technical skill performance is appealing, the surrogate markers evaluated correlate with specific metrics of surgical performance related to a single task but do not appear to reliably predict technical performance of different laparoscopic tasks. Predicting the acquisition of technical skills will require the development of a series of evidence-based tests that measure a number of innate abilities as well as their inherent interactions.

Feeling Better About Self After Receiving Negative Feedback: When the Sense That Ability Can Be Improved Is Activated.

PubMed

Hu, Xinyi; Chen, Yinghe; Tian, Baowei

2016-01-01

Past studies suggest that managers and educators often consider negative feedback as a motivator for individuals to think about their shortcomings and improve their work, but delivering negative feedback does not always achieve desired results. The present study, based on incremental theory, employed an intervention method to activate the belief that a particular ability could be improved after negative feedback. Three experiments tested the intervention effect on negative self-relevant emotion. Study 1 indicated conveying suggestions for improving ability reduced negative self-relevant emotion after negative feedback. Study 2 tested whether activating the sense of possible improvement in the ability could reduce negative self-relevant emotion. Results indicated activating the belief that ability could be improved reduced negative self-relevant emotion after failure, but delivering emotion management information alone did not yield the same effect. Study 3 extended the results by affirming the effort participants made in doing the test, and found the affirmation reduced negative self-relevant emotion. Collectively, the findings indicated focusing on the belief that the ability could be improved in the future can reduce negative self-relevant emotion after negative feedback.

Development of inquiry-based learning activities integrated with the local learning resource to promote learning achievement and analytical thinking ability of Mathayomsuksa 3 student

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sukji, Paweena; Wichaidit, Pacharee Rompayom; Wichaidit, Sittichai

2018-01-01

The objectives of this study were to: 1) compare learning achievement and analytical thinking ability of Mathayomsuksa 3 students before and after learning through inquiry-based learning activities integrated with the local learning resource, and 2) compare average post-test score of learning achievement and analytical thinking ability to its cutting score. The target of this study was 23 Mathayomsuksa 3 students who were studying in the second semester of 2016 academic year from Banchatfang School, Chainat Province. Research instruments composed of: 1) 6 lesson plans of Environment and Natural Resources, 2) the learning achievement test, and 3) analytical thinking ability test. The results showed that 1) student' learning achievement and analytical thinking ability after learning were higher than that of before at the level of .05 statistical significance, and 2) average posttest score of student' learning achievement and analytical thinking ability were higher than its cutting score at the level of .05 statistical significance. The implication of this research is for science teachers and curriculum developers to design inquiry activities that relate to student's context.

Comparison of memory and meta-memory abilities of children with cochlear implant and normal hearing peers.

PubMed

Engel-Yeger, Batya; Durr, Doris H; Josman, Naomi

2011-01-01

This study aimed (1) to compare visual memory and meta-memory abilities, including the use of strategies as context, of children with cochlear implant (CI) and children with normal hearing; (2) to examine the concurrent and construct validity of 'The Contextual Memory Test for Children' (CMT-CH). Twenty children with CI and 20 children with normal hearing, aged 8-10 years, participated in this study. Memory abilities were measured by two subtests of the Children's Memory Scale (CMS) and by CMT-CH, which also measures meta-memory abilities. Children with CI scored significantly lower in both tests of memory and meta-memory and showed less efficient use of context to memorise. Significant positive correlations were found between CMS and CMT-CH memory tests in both groups. Visual memory and meta-memory abilities may be impaired in children with CI. Evaluation and intervention for children with CI should refer to their memory and meta-memory abilities in order to measure the outcomes of CIs, and enhance language development academic achievements. Although more studies on CMT-CH should be performed, the CMT-CH may be used for the evaluation of visual memory of children with CI.

Design and Development Computer-Based E-Learning Teaching Material for Improving Mathematical Understanding Ability and Spatial Sense of Junior High School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurjanah; Dahlan, J. A.; Wibisono, Y.

2017-02-01

This paper aims to make a design and development computer-based e-learning teaching material for improving mathematical understanding ability and spatial sense of junior high school students. Furthermore, the particular aims are (1) getting teaching material design, evaluation model, and intrument to measure mathematical understanding ability and spatial sense of junior high school students; (2) conducting trials computer-based e-learning teaching material model, asessment, and instrument to develop mathematical understanding ability and spatial sense of junior high school students; (3) completing teaching material models of computer-based e-learning, assessment, and develop mathematical understanding ability and spatial sense of junior high school students; (4) resulting research product is teaching materials of computer-based e-learning. Furthermore, the product is an interactive learning disc. The research method is used of this study is developmental research which is conducted by thought experiment and instruction experiment. The result showed that teaching materials could be used very well. This is based on the validation of computer-based e-learning teaching materials, which is validated by 5 multimedia experts. The judgement result of face and content validity of 5 validator shows that the same judgement result to the face and content validity of each item test of mathematical understanding ability and spatial sense. The reliability test of mathematical understanding ability and spatial sense are 0,929 and 0,939. This reliability test is very high. While the validity of both tests have a high and very high criteria.

33 CFR 154.806 - Application for acceptance as a certifying entity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) The ability to review and evaluate design drawings and failure analyses; (2) A knowledge of the... regulations; (3) The ability to monitor and evaluate test procedures and results; (4) The ability to perform...

33 CFR 154.806 - Application for acceptance as a certifying entity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) The ability to review and evaluate design drawings and failure analyses; (2) A knowledge of the... regulations; (3) The ability to monitor and evaluate test procedures and results; (4) The ability to perform...

33 CFR 154.806 - Application for acceptance as a certifying entity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) The ability to review and evaluate design drawings and failure analyses; (2) A knowledge of the... regulations; (3) The ability to monitor and evaluate test procedures and results; (4) The ability to perform...

33 CFR 154.806 - Application for acceptance as a certifying entity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) The ability to review and evaluate design drawings and failure analyses; (2) A knowledge of the... regulations; (3) The ability to monitor and evaluate test procedures and results; (4) The ability to perform...

Verbal working memory and reading abilities among students with visual impairment.

PubMed

Argyropoulos, Vassilios; Masoura, Elvira; Tsiakali, Thomai K; Nikolaraizi, Magda; Lappa, Christina

2017-05-01

This study investigated the relationship between working memory (WM) and reading abilities among students with visual impairment (VI). Seventy-five students with VI (visually impairment and blindness), aged 10-15 years old participated in the study, of whom 44 were visually impaired and 31 were blind. The participants' reading ability was assessed with the standardized reading ability battery Test-A (Padeliadu & Antoniou, 2008) and their verbal working memory ability was assessed with the listening recall task from the Working Memory Test Battery for Children (Pickering et al., 2001). Data analysis indicated a strong correlation between verbal WM and decoding, reading comprehension and overall reading ability among the participants with VI, while no correlation was found between reading fluency and verbal WM. The present study points out the important role of verbal WM in reading among students who are VI and carries implications for the education of those individuals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of case-based learning on the development of graduate nurses' problem-solving ability.

PubMed

Yoo, Moon-Sook; Park, Jin-Hee

2014-01-01

Case-based learning (CBL) is a teaching strategy which promotes clinical problem-solving ability. This research was performed to investigate the effects of CBL on problem-solving ability of graduate nurses. This research was a quasi-experimental design using pre-test, intervention, and post-test with a non-synchronized, non-equivalent control group. The study population was composed of 190 new graduate nurses from university hospital A in Korea. Results of the research indicate that there was a statistically significant difference in objective problem-solving ability scores of CBL group demonstrating higher scores. Subjective problem-solving ability was also significantly higher in CBL group than in the lecture-based group. These results may suggest that CBL is a beneficial and effective instructional method of training graduate nurses to improve their clinical problem-solving ability. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical approximation abilities correlate with and predict informal but not formal mathematics abilities

PubMed Central

Libertus, Melissa E.; Feigenson, Lisa; Halberda, Justin

2013-01-01

Previous research has found a relationship between individual differences in children’s precision when nonverbally approximating quantities and their school mathematics performance. School mathematics performance emerges from both informal (e.g., counting) and formal (e.g., knowledge of mathematics facts) abilities. It remains unknown whether approximation precision relates to both of these types of mathematics abilities. In the present study we assessed the precision of numerical approximation in 85 3- to 7-year-old children four times over a span of two years. Additionally, at the last time point, we tested children’s informal and formal mathematics abilities using the Test of Early Mathematics Ability (TEMA-3; Ginsburg & Baroody, 2003). We found that children’s numerical approximation precision correlated with and predicted their informal, but not formal, mathematics abilities when controlling for age and IQ. These results add to our growing understanding of the relationship between an unlearned, non-symbolic system of quantity representation and the system of mathematical reasoning that children come to master through instruction. PMID:24076381

Numerical approximation abilities correlate with and predict informal but not formal mathematics abilities.

PubMed

Libertus, Melissa E; Feigenson, Lisa; Halberda, Justin

2013-12-01

Previous research has found a relationship between individual differences in children's precision when nonverbally approximating quantities and their school mathematics performance. School mathematics performance emerges from both informal (e.g., counting) and formal (e.g., knowledge of mathematics facts) abilities. It remains unknown whether approximation precision relates to both of these types of mathematics abilities. In the current study, we assessed the precision of numerical approximation in 85 3- to 7-year-old children four times over a span of 2years. In addition, at the final time point, we tested children's informal and formal mathematics abilities using the Test of Early Mathematics Ability (TEMA-3). We found that children's numerical approximation precision correlated with and predicted their informal, but not formal, mathematics abilities when controlling for age and IQ. These results add to our growing understanding of the relationship between an unlearned nonsymbolic system of quantity representation and the system of mathematics reasoning that children come to master through instruction. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Perception of environmental sounds by experienced cochlear implant patients.

PubMed

Shafiro, Valeriy; Gygi, Brian; Cheng, Min-Yu; Vachhani, Jay; Mulvey, Megan

2011-01-01

Environmental sound perception serves an important ecological function by providing listeners with information about objects and events in their immediate environment. Environmental sounds such as car horns, baby cries, or chirping birds can alert listeners to imminent dangers as well as contribute to one's sense of awareness and well being. Perception of environmental sounds as acoustically and semantically complex stimuli may also involve some factors common to the processing of speech. However, very limited research has investigated the abilities of cochlear implant (CI) patients to identify common environmental sounds, despite patients' general enthusiasm about them. This project (1) investigated the ability of patients with modern-day CIs to perceive environmental sounds, (2) explored associations among speech, environmental sounds, and basic auditory abilities, and (3) examined acoustic factors that might be involved in environmental sound perception. Seventeen experienced postlingually deafened CI patients participated in the study. Environmental sound perception was assessed with a large-item test composed of 40 sound sources, each represented by four different tokens. The relationship between speech and environmental sound perception and the role of working memory and some basic auditory abilities were examined based on patient performance on a battery of speech tests (HINT, CNC, and individual consonant and vowel tests), tests of basic auditory abilities (audiometric thresholds, gap detection, temporal pattern, and temporal order for tones tests), and a backward digit recall test. The results indicated substantially reduced ability to identify common environmental sounds in CI patients (45.3%). Except for vowels, all speech test scores significantly correlated with the environmental sound test scores: r = 0.73 for HINT in quiet, r = 0.69 for HINT in noise, r = 0.70 for CNC, r = 0.64 for consonants, and r = 0.48 for vowels. HINT and CNC scores in quiet moderately correlated with the temporal order for tones. However, the correlation between speech and environmental sounds changed little after partialling out the variance due to other variables. Present findings indicate that environmental sound identification is difficult for CI patients. They further suggest that speech and environmental sounds may overlap considerably in their perceptual processing. Certain spectrotemproral processing abilities are separately associated with speech and environmental sound performance. However, they do not appear to mediate the relationship between speech and environmental sounds in CI patients. Environmental sound rehabilitation may be beneficial to some patients. Environmental sound testing may have potential diagnostic applications, especially with difficult-to-test populations and might also be predictive of speech performance for prelingually deafened patients with cochlear implants.

Role Taking Ability, Nonverbal Sensitivity, Language and Social Adjustment of Deaf Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weisel, Amatzia; Bar-Lev, Hagit

1992-01-01

Presents study results regarding the social cognitive abilities of deaf adolescents. Explains that role taking ability and nonverbal sensitivity was evaluated in a series of tests. Reports low performance in social cognitive abilities. Suggests that language plays a role in social adjustment. Concludes that nonverbal sensitivity is an important…

Readability and Reading Ability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Benjamin D.; Stenner, A. Jackson

This document discusses the measurement of reading ability and the readability of books by application of the Lexile framework. It begins by stating the importance of uniform measures. It then discusses the history of reading ability testing, based on the assumption that no researcher has been able to measure more than one kind of reading ability.…

Why Ambiguity Detection Is a Predictor of Early Reading Skill

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wankoff, Lorain Szabo; Cairns, Helen Smith

2009-01-01

This study was designed to determine the contributions of metalinguistic skill and psycholinguistic processing ability to children's ability to detect the ambiguity of sentences and the relationship among all three factors to early reading ability. A total of 20 first graders and 20 second graders were given tasks testing the following abilities:…

The Contribution of Cognitive Factors to Individual Differences in Understanding Noise-Vocoded Speech in Young and Older Adults

PubMed Central

Rosemann, Stephanie; Gießing, Carsten; Özyurt, Jale; Carroll, Rebecca; Puschmann, Sebastian; Thiel, Christiane M.

2017-01-01

Noise-vocoded speech is commonly used to simulate the sensation after cochlear implantation as it consists of spectrally degraded speech. High individual variability exists in learning to understand both noise-vocoded speech and speech perceived through a cochlear implant (CI). This variability is partly ascribed to differing cognitive abilities like working memory, verbal skills or attention. Although clinically highly relevant, up to now, no consensus has been achieved about which cognitive factors exactly predict the intelligibility of speech in noise-vocoded situations in healthy subjects or in patients after cochlear implantation. We aimed to establish a test battery that can be used to predict speech understanding in patients prior to receiving a CI. Young and old healthy listeners completed a noise-vocoded speech test in addition to cognitive tests tapping on verbal memory, working memory, lexicon and retrieval skills as well as cognitive flexibility and attention. Partial-least-squares analysis revealed that six variables were important to significantly predict vocoded-speech performance. These were the ability to perceive visually degraded speech tested by the Text Reception Threshold, vocabulary size assessed with the Multiple Choice Word Test, working memory gauged with the Operation Span Test, verbal learning and recall of the Verbal Learning and Retention Test and task switching abilities tested by the Comprehensive Trail-Making Test. Thus, these cognitive abilities explain individual differences in noise-vocoded speech understanding and should be considered when aiming to predict hearing-aid outcome. PMID:28638329

Investigating the mental abilities of rural Zulu primary school children in South Africa.

PubMed

Jinabhai, C C; Taylor, M; Rangongo, M F; Mkhize, N J; Anderson, S; Pillay, B J; Sullivan, K R

2004-02-01

Maximising the full potential of health and educational interventions in South African schools requires assessment of the current level of mental abilities of the school children as measured by cognitive and scholastic tests and the identification of any barriers to improved performance. This study reports on the application and interpretation of a selected battery of mental ability tests among Zulu school children and the methodological and analytical issues that need to be addressed. The test scores of 806 primary school children from a rural community are presented, based on four tests: Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM), an Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and Young's Group Mathematics Test (GMT). Significant gender differences were found in the test scores, and the mean scores of Zulu children in this study were lower than those reported in other studies. The results of this selected test battery provide data for the further development of appropriate test instruments for South African conditions. These results can contribute towards the development of a test battery for South African children that can be used to assess and improve their school performance.

The Measurement of Auditory Abilities of Blind, Partially Sighted, and Sighted Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stankov, Lazar; Spilsbury, Georgina

1979-01-01

Auditory tests were administered to 30 blind, partially sighted, and sighted children. Overall, the blind and sighted were equal on most of the measured abilities. Blind children performed well on tonal memory tests. Partially sighted children performed more poorly than the other two groups. (MH)

Problems in air traffic management. V., Identification and potential aptitude test measures for selection of tower air traffic controller trainees.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1965-07-01

A study of over 200 Terminal Air Traffic Control Specialists indicated that their training performance could be well predicted by a composite of four aptitude tests measuring: numerical ability, non-verbal abstract reasoning, ability to solve simplif...

A non-verbal technique for the assessment of general intellectual ability in selection of aviation personnel.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1971-06-01

A study was conducted in which performance on a non-verbal problem- solving task was correlated with the Otis Quick Scoring Mental Ability Test and the Raven Progressive Matrices Test. The problem-solving task, called 'code- lock' required the subjec...

Regularities in Spearman's Law of Diminishing Returns.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Arthur R.

2003-01-01

Examined the assumption that Spearman's law acts unsystematically and approximately uniformly for various subtests of cognitive ability in an IQ test battery when high- and low-ability IQ groups are selected. Data from national standardization samples for Wechsler adult and child IQ tests affirm regularities in Spearman's "Law of Diminishing…

Occupational BAB Norms. Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sung, Yong H.; Dong, Hei-Ki

The Ball Aptitude Battery (BAB) is a multiple ability test battery of specific work skills. It is designed for use in career counseling and personnel selection. The 14 BAB tests yield 16 ability scores: Clerical, Idea Fluency, Tonal Memory, Pitch Descrimination, Inductive Reasoning, Word Association, Writing Speed, Paper Folding, Vocabulary,…

A Review of Scoring Algorithms for Ability and Aptitude Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chevalier, Shirley A.

In conventional practice, most educators and educational researchers score cognitive tests using a dichotomous right-wrong scoring system. Although simple and straightforward, this method does not take into consideration other factors, such as partial knowledge or guessing tendencies and abilities. This paper discusses alternative scoring models:…

The Relationships between Cognitive Ability and Dynamic Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez, C.; Thomas, R.P.; Vanyukov, P.

2005-01-01

This study investigated the relationships between cognitive ability (as assessed by the Raven Progressive Matrices Test [RPM] and the Visual-Span Test [VSPAN]) and individuals' performance in three dynamic decision making (DDM) tasks (i.e., regular Water Purification Plant [WPP], Team WPP, and Firechief). Participants interacted repeatedly with…

Metabolic Pathways Visualization Skills Development by Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

dos Santos, Vanessa J. S. V.; Galembeck, Eduardo

2015-01-01

We have developed a metabolic pathways visualization skill test (MPVST) to gain greater insight into our students' abilities to comprehend the visual information presented in metabolic pathways diagrams. The test is able to discriminate students' visualization ability with respect to six specific visualization skills that we identified as key to…

The Vane Kindergarten Test: Temporal Stability And Ability to Predict Behavioral Criteria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Sandra M.

1977-01-01

The Vane Kindergarten Test (VKT) is judged to have limited usefulness in early detection of learning handicaps for two reasons: (a) Its reliability is too low to allow discrimination between individuals, and (b) The ability of the VKT to predict problem behaviors is quite limited. (Author)

Evaluation of physicochemical properties of root-end filling materials using conventional and Micro-CT tests.

PubMed

Torres, Fernanda Ferrari Esteves; Bosso-Martelo, Roberta; Espir, Camila Galletti; Cirelli, Joni Augusto; Guerreiro-Tanomaru, Juliane Maria; Tanomaru-Filho, Mario

2017-01-01

To evaluate solubility, dimensional stability, filling ability and volumetric change of root-end filling materials using conventional tests and new Micro-CT-based methods. 7. The results suggested correlated or complementary data between the proposed tests. At 7 days, BIO showed higher solubility and at 30 days, showed higher volumetric change in comparison with MTA (p<0.05). With regard to volumetric change, the tested materials were similar (p>0.05) at 7 days. At 30 days, they presented similar solubility. BIO and MTA showed higher dimensional stability than ZOE (p<0.05). ZOE and BIO showed higher filling ability (p<0.05). ZOE presented a higher dimensional change, and BIO had greater solubility after 7 days. BIO presented filling ability and dimensional stability, but greater volumetric change than MTA after 30 days. Micro-CT can provide important data on the physicochemical properties of materials complementing conventional tests.

Cognitive ability influences on written expression: Evidence for developmental and sex-based differences in school-age children.

PubMed

Hajovsky, Daniel B; Villeneuve, Ethan F; Reynolds, Matthew R; Niileksela, Christopher R; Mason, Benjamin A; Shudak, Nicholas J

2018-04-01

Some studies have demonstrated that the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) cognitive abilities influence writing; however, little research has investigated whether CHC cognitive abilities influence writing the same way for males and females across grades. We used multiple group structural equation models to investigate whether CHC cognitive ability influences on written expression differed between grades or sex using the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition and the Kaufman Tests of Educational Achievement, Second Edition co-normed standardization sample data (N=2117). After testing for consistent measurement of cognitive abilities across grades and sex, we tested whether the cognitive ability influences on written expression were moderated by grade level or sex. An important developmental shift was observed equally across sex groups: Learning Efficiency (Gl) influences decreased whereas Crystallized Ability (Gc) influences increased after fourth grade. Further, Short-Term Memory (Gsm) and Retrieval Fluency (Gr) influences on written expression depended on sex at grades 1-4, with larger Gr influences for females and larger Gsm influences for males. We internally replicated our main findings using two different cognitive explanatory models, adding further support for the developmental and sex-based differential cognitive ability influences on writing. Explanatory cognitive models of writing need to incorporate development, and possibly, sex to provide an expanded understanding of writing development and guard against potential generalizability issues characteristic of special population (i.e., male-female) studies. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

James Webb Space Telescope primary mirror integration: testing the multiwavelength interferometer on the test bed telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olczak, Gene; Fischer, David J.; Connelly, Mark; Wells, Conrad

2011-09-01

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) integration includes a center of curvature test on its 18 primary mirror segment assemblies (PMSAs). This important test is the only ground test that will demonstrate the ability to align all 18 PMSAs. Using a multi-wavelength interferometer (MWIF) integrated to the test bed telescope (TBT), a one-sixth scale model of the JWST, we verify our ability to align and phase the 18 PMSAs. In this paper we will discuss data analysis and test results when using the MWIF to align the segments of the TBT in preparation for alignment of the JWST.

Administering Spatial and Cognitive Instruments In-class and On-line: Are These Equivalent?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williamson, Kenneth C.; Williamson, Vickie M.; Hinze, Scott R.

2017-02-01

Standardized, well-established paper-and-pencil tests, which measure spatial abilities or which measure reasoning abilities, have long been found to be predictive of success in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. Instructors can use these tests for prediction of success and to inform instruction. A comparative administration of spatial visualization and cognitive reasoning tests, between in-class (proctored paper and pencil) and on-line (unproctored Internet) ( N = 457), was used to investigate and to determine whether the differing instrument formats yielded equal measures of spatial ability and reasoning ability in large first-semester general chemistry sections. Although some gender differences were found, findings suggest that some differences across administration formats, but that on-line administration had similar properties of predicting chemistry performance as the in-class version. Therefore, on-line administration is a viable option for instructors to consider especially when dealing with large classes.

Enhancement of problem solving ability of high school students through learning with real engagement in active problem solving (REAPS) model on the concept of heat transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yulindar, A.; Setiawan, A.; Liliawati, W.

2018-05-01

This study aims to influence the enhancement of problem solving ability before and after learning using Real Engagement in Active Problem Solving (REAPS) model on the concept of heat transfer. The research method used is quantitative method with 35 high school students in Pontianak as sample. The result of problem solving ability of students is obtained through the test in the form of 3 description questions. The instrument has tested the validity by the expert judgment and field testing that obtained the validity value of 0.84. Based on data analysis, the value of N-Gain is 0.43 and the enhancement of students’ problem solving ability is in medium category. This was caused of students who are less accurate in calculating the results of answers and they also have limited time in doing the questions given.

Development of a Culture Specific Critical Thinking Ability Test and Using It as a Supportive Diagnostic Test for Giftedness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Köksal, Mustafa Serdar

2016-01-01

The purposes of this study were to develop a culture specific critical thinking ability test for 6, 7, and 8. grade students in Turkey and to use it as an assessment instrument for giftedness. For these purposes, item pool involving 22 items was formed by writing items focusing on the current and common events presented in (Turkish) media from…

Contribution of Morphological Awareness and Lexical Inferencing Ability to L2 Vocabulary Knowledge and Reading Comprehension among Advanced EFL Learners: Testing Direct and Indirect Effects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Dongbo; Koda, Keiko

2012-01-01

Within the Structural Equation Modeling framework, this study tested the direct and indirect effects of morphological awareness and lexical inferencing ability on L2 vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension among advanced Chinese EFL readers in a university in China. Using both regular z-test and the bootstrapping (data-based resampling)…

Selecting for Ethnically Diverse Children Who May Be Gifted Using Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices and Naglieri Nonverbal Abilities Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Joan D.; DeCamp-Fritson, Stephanie S.; Ramage, Jean C.; McFarland, Max A.; Archwamety, Teara

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices, the Naglieri Nonverbal Abilities Test (NNAT), and the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) in selecting for ethnically diverse students who may be gifted. The participants of the study were 175 students enrolled in Grades 3-5 and Grade 8 in a…

Learning and Individual Differences: An Ability/Information - Processing Framework for Skill Acquisition

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-03-15

1992, Journal of Applied Psychology ).] This study represented an attempt to extend and test the Ackerman (1988) theory of the cognitive ability...both the physical state of the test -taker (e.g., time-of-day, arousal level; see Revelle, Humphreys, Simon, & Gilliland, 1980) and the psychological ...little consideration in the psychology of individual differences. -. Test directions almost never tell the examinee how to approach the task. Theoretically

Clinical application of high throughput molecular screening techniques for pharmacogenomics

PubMed Central

Wiita, Arun P; Schrijver, Iris

2011-01-01

Genetic analysis is one of the fastest-growing areas of clinical diagnostics. Fortunately, as our knowledge of clinically relevant genetic variants rapidly expands, so does our ability to detect these variants in patient samples. Increasing demand for genetic information may necessitate the use of high throughput diagnostic methods as part of clinically validated testing. Here we provide a general overview of our current and near-future abilities to perform large-scale genetic testing in the clinical laboratory. First we review in detail molecular methods used for high throughput mutation detection, including techniques able to monitor thousands of genetic variants for a single patient or to genotype a single genetic variant for thousands of patients simultaneously. These methods are analyzed in the context of pharmacogenomic testing in the clinical laboratories, with a focus on tests that are currently validated as well as those that hold strong promise for widespread clinical application in the near future. We further discuss the unique economic and clinical challenges posed by pharmacogenomic markers. Our ability to detect genetic variants frequently outstrips our ability to accurately interpret them in a clinical context, carrying implications both for test development and introduction into patient management algorithms. These complexities must be taken into account prior to the introduction of any pharmacogenomic biomarker into routine clinical testing. PMID:23226057

Relationship between college success and employer competency ratings for graduates of a baccalaureate nursing program.

PubMed

Bolin, S E; Hogle, E L

1984-01-01

This expost facto correlational study sought to determine which measures of academic success in one class of BSN graduates predicted their competence as employees one year after graduation, as judged by their employers. The relationship between pre-entrance test scores, clinical experience grades, GPA, State Board Test Pool examination scores, and employer competency ratings were also determined. In keeping with the literature in fields other than nursing, the findings suggest that there may be little relationship between academic performance in a nursing program and subsequent job performance as a nurse, even though verbal ability may be predictive of success in school. While significant positive correlations were found between pre-entrance test data and final grade point averages, as well as pre-entrance test scores and State Board Test Pool examination scores, there was little evidence that pre-entrance test scores were predictive of nursing abilities. Isolated correlations were found between the clinical components of some nursing courses and specific nursing abilities. Using multiple regression analysis, no clinical course grade was found to be a significant predictor of the mean employer competency rating. Significant predictors were found for only four of the individual nursing abilities, with the clinical component of Leadership in Nursing being the most frequent and best predictor.

An in vitro Comparative Evaluation of Efficacy of Disinfecting Ability of Garlic Oil, Neem Oil, Clove Oil, and Tulsi Oil with autoclaving on Endodontic K Files tested against Enterococcus faecalis.

PubMed

Hugar, Shivayogi; M Patel, Punit; Nagmoti, Jyoti; Uppin, Chaitanya; Mistry, Laresh; Dhariwal, Neha

2017-01-01

To comparatively evaluate the efficacy of disinfecting ability of garlic oil, neem oil, clove oil, and tulsi oil with autoclaving on endodontic K files tested against Enterococcus faecalis. Fifty endodontic K files were exposed to the test micro-organism and checked for its disinfecting ability using three different methods. Garlic oil, clove oil, tulsi oil and autoclave showed considerable effectiveness against E. faecalis except neem oil. Garlic oil, clove oil and tulsi oil are an effective disinfectant and can be used as an alternative to autoclaving against the test micro-organism. Herbs and herbal extracts are a natural and harmless way of controlling infection. These products are readily available and comparable to gold standard, thus can have its applications in rural India. Hugar S, Patel PM, Nagmoti J, Uppin C, Mistry L, Dhariwal N. An in vitro Comparative Evaluation of Efficacy of Disinfecting Ability of Garlic Oil, Neem Oil, Clove Oil, and Tulsi Oil with autoclaving on Endodontic K Files tested against Enterococcus faecalis. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017;10(3):283-288.

[Examination of the hypothesis 'the factors and mechanisms of superiority'].

PubMed

Sierra-Fitzgerald, O; Quevedo-Caicedo, J; López-Calderón, M G

INTRODUCTION. The hypothesis of Geschwind and Galaburda suggests that specific cognitive superiority arises as a result of an alteration in development of the nervous system. In this article we review the co existence of superiority and inferiority . PATIENTS AND METHODS. A study was made of six children aged between 6 and 8 years old at the Instituto de Belles Artes Antonio Maria Valencia in Cali,Columbia with an educational level between second and third grade at a primary school and of medium low socio economic status. The children were considered to have superior musical ability by music experts, which is the way in which the concept of superiority was to be tested. The concept of inferiority was tested by neuropsychological tests = 1.5 DE below normal for the same age. We estimated the perinatal neurological risk in each case. Subsequently the children s general intelligence and specific cognitive abilities were evaluated. In the first case the WISC R and MSCA were used. The neuropsychological profiles were obtained by broad evaluation using a verbal fluency test, a test using counters, Boston vocabulary test, the Wechster memory scale, sequential verbal memory test, super imposed figures test, Piaget Head battery, Rey Osterrieth complex figure and the Wisconsin card classification test. The RESULTS showed slight/moderate deficits in practical construction ability and mild defects of memory and concept abilities. In general the results supported the hypothesis tested. The mechanisms of superiority proposed in the classical hypothesis mainly involve the contralateral hemisphere: in this study the ipsilateral mechanism was more important.

Orofacial Praxis Abilities in Children with Speech Disorders

PubMed Central

Bertagnolli, Ana Paula Coitino; Gubiani, Marileda Barichello; Ceron, Marizete; Keske-Soares, Márcia

2015-01-01

Introduction Phonological development occurs in a gradual manner until the age of 7 years. The phonological system is constructed in a similar way for all children, despite presenting some variations in terms of age, paths taken, or repair strategies used. Objective To compare the orofacial praxis abilities of children with typical phonological development (DFT), children with phonetic-phonological impairment (DFoFe), and children with phonological impairment (DF), using two tests to assess the orofacial praxis abilities. Methods The sample consisted of 82 subjects between 4 and 8 years of age who attended public schools (from preschool to the second year of secondary school) in the city of Santa Maria, Brazil. Of these, 29 were diagnosed with DFT, 29 with DF, and 24 with DFoFe; much of this sample was male. Two tests of praxis abilities and assessment of the stomatognathic system were administered. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test, with a significance level of 5%. Results Generally children with DFoFe underperformed in tests of praxis when compared with subjects with DF and DFT. Conclusion The results showed that children with DFoFe have more difficulty in orofacial praxis abilities than subjects in the other groups studied. This result could be expected, because subjects with DFoFe show changes in both phonetic and phonological levels of speech. PMID:26491472

Cognitive and emotional empathy in typical and impaired readers and its relationship to reading competence.

PubMed

Gabay, Yafit; Shamay-Tsoory, Simone G; Goldfarb, Liat

2016-12-01

Studies indicate a strong relationship between empathy and language skills, but the relationship between reading and empathy remains elusive, although a shared neural substrate (the temporoparietal junction; TPJ) has been implicated in both reading and empathy. Motivated by these observations, the purpose of the current study was to examine empathic skills in a large spectrum of reading abilities, including typical readers and individuals with dyslexia, and their relationship to reading competence. We administered the Intrapersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) test, which differentiates between two subscales of empathy (cognitive and emotional empathy), to a group of participants with dyslexia and typical readers. Results indicate that the general reading score (average z scores of all reading tests) was significantly positively correlated with empathic scores. In addition, tests of specific reading abilities-decoding, reading fluency, and reading-related measures of phonological awareness-were significantly positively correlated with empathic scores. Finally, participants with dyslexia who showed low reading abilities had significantly lower scores in total empathy and cognitive empathy, as measured by the IRI test, than did typical participants with high reading abilities. Taken together, these results indicate a strong association between reading-related skills and empathic abilities and may point to involvement of the TPJ in both empathy and reading.

Music Training Increases Phonological Awareness and Reading Skills in Developmental Dyslexia: A Randomized Control Trial

PubMed Central

Flaugnacco, Elena; Lopez, Luisa; Terribili, Chiara; Montico, Marcella; Zoia, Stefania; Schön, Daniele

2015-01-01

There is some evidence for a role of music training in boosting phonological awareness, word segmentation, working memory, as well as reading abilities in children with typical development. Poor performance in tasks requiring temporal processing, rhythm perception and sensorimotor synchronization seems to be a crucial factor underlying dyslexia in children. Interestingly, children with dyslexia show deficits in temporal processing, both in language and in music. Within this framework, we test the hypothesis that music training, by improving temporal processing and rhythm abilities, improves phonological awareness and reading skills in children with dyslexia. The study is a prospective, multicenter, open randomized controlled trial, consisting of test, rehabilitation and re-test (ID NCT02316873). After rehabilitation, the music group (N = 24) performed better than the control group (N = 22) in tasks assessing rhythmic abilities, phonological awareness and reading skills. This is the first randomized control trial testing the effect of music training in enhancing phonological and reading abilities in children with dyslexia. The findings show that music training can modify reading and phonological abilities even when these skills are severely impaired. Through the enhancement of temporal processing and rhythmic skills, music might become an important tool in both remediation and early intervention programs. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02316873 PMID:26407242

Music Training Increases Phonological Awareness and Reading Skills in Developmental Dyslexia: A Randomized Control Trial.

PubMed

Flaugnacco, Elena; Lopez, Luisa; Terribili, Chiara; Montico, Marcella; Zoia, Stefania; Schön, Daniele

2015-01-01

There is some evidence for a role of music training in boosting phonological awareness, word segmentation, working memory, as well as reading abilities in children with typical development. Poor performance in tasks requiring temporal processing, rhythm perception and sensorimotor synchronization seems to be a crucial factor underlying dyslexia in children. Interestingly, children with dyslexia show deficits in temporal processing, both in language and in music. Within this framework, we test the hypothesis that music training, by improving temporal processing and rhythm abilities, improves phonological awareness and reading skills in children with dyslexia. The study is a prospective, multicenter, open randomized controlled trial, consisting of test, rehabilitation and re-test (ID NCT02316873). After rehabilitation, the music group (N = 24) performed better than the control group (N = 22) in tasks assessing rhythmic abilities, phonological awareness and reading skills. This is the first randomized control trial testing the effect of music training in enhancing phonological and reading abilities in children with dyslexia. The findings show that music training can modify reading and phonological abilities even when these skills are severely impaired. Through the enhancement of temporal processing and rhythmic skills, music might become an important tool in both remediation and early intervention programs.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02316873

Association of birthweight and head circumference at birth to cognitive performance in 9- to 10-year-old children in South India: prospective birth cohort study.

PubMed

Veena, Sargoor R; Krishnaveni, Ghattu V; Wills, Andrew K; Kurpad, Anura V; Muthayya, Sumithra; Hill, Jacqueline C; Karat, Samuel C; Nagarajaiah, Kiran K; Fall, Caroline H D; Srinivasan, Krishnamachari

2010-04-01

To examine whether birthweight and head circumference at birth are associated with childhood cognitive ability in South India, cognitive function was assessed using three core tests from the Kaufman Assessment Battery for children and additional tests measuring long-term retrieval/storage, attention and concentration, and visuospatial and verbal abilities among 505 full-term born children (mean age 9.7 y). In multiple linear regression adjusted for age, sex, gestation, socioeconomic status, parent's education, maternal age, parity, body mass index, height, rural/urban residence, and time of testing, Atlantis score (learning ability/long-term storage and retrieval) rose by 0.1 SD per SD increase in newborn weight and head circumference, respectively (p < 0.05 for all), and Kohs' block design score (visuospatial ability) increased by 0.1 SD per SD increase in birthweight (p < 0.05). The associations were reduced after further adjustment for current head circumference. There were no associations of birthweight and/or head circumference with measures of short-term memory, fluid reasoning, verbal abilities, and attention and concentration. In conclusion, higher birthweight and larger head circumference at birth are associated with better childhood cognitive ability. The effect may be specific to learning, long-term storage and retrieval, and visuospatial abilities, but this requires confirmation by further research.

A Manual Control Test for the Detection and Deterrence of Impaired Drivers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stein, A. C.; Allen, R. W.; Jex, H. R.

1984-01-01

A brief manual control test and a decision strategy were developed, laboratory tested, and field validated which provide a means for detecting human operator impairment from alcohol or other drugs. The test requires the operator to stabilize progressively unstable controlled element dynamics. Control theory and experimental data verify that the human operator's control ability on this task is constrained by basic cybernetic characteristics, and that task performance is reliably affected by impairment effects on these characteristics. Assessment of human operator control ability is determined by a statistically based decision strategy. The operator is allowed several chances to exceed a preset pass criterion. Procedures are described for setting the pass criterion based on individual ability and a desired unimpaired failure rate. These procedures were field tested with apparatus installed in automobiles that were designed to discourage drunk drivers from operating their vehicles. This test program demonstrated that the control task and detection strategy could be applied in a practical setting to screen human operators for impairment in their basic cybernetic skills.

Are empathic abilities impaired in posttraumatic stress disorder?

PubMed

Nietlisbach, Gabriela; Maercker, Andreas; Rössler, Wulf; Haker, Helene

2010-06-01

Trauma survivors with PTSD show social interaction and relationship impairments. It is hypothesized that traumatic experiences lead to known PTSD symptoms, empathic ability impairment, and difficulties in sharing affective, emotional, or cognitive states. A PTSD group (N=16) and a nontraumatized Control group (N=16) were compared on empathic abilities, namely the Empathic Resonance Test, Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, and Faux Pas Test. The Interpersonal Reactivity Index as a self-report measure of empathy and measures of non-social cognitive functions, namely the Verbal Fluency Test, the Five-Point Test, and the Stroop Test, were also administered. The PTSD group showed lower empathic resonance. No clear indications of other impairments in social cognitive functions were found. The PTSD group had significantly higher personal distress. Empathic resonance impairments did not correlate with subjective severity of PTSD symptomatology. This article discusses whether impaired empathic resonance in PTSD trauma survivors is a consequence of trauma itself or a protective coping strategy.

Comparison of peer-tutoring learning model through problem-solving approach and traditional learning model on the cognitive ability of grade 10 students at SMKN 13 Bandung on the topic of Stoichiometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayat, A. Z.; Wahyu, W.; Kurnia

2018-05-01

This study aims to find out the improvement of cognitive ability of students on the implementation of cooperative learning model of peer-tutoring by using problem-solving approach. The research method used is mix method of Sequential Explanatory strategy and pretest post-test non-equivalent control group design. The participants involved in this study were 68 grade 10 students of Vocational High School in Bandung that consisted of 34 samples of experimental class and 34 samples of control class. The instruments used include written test and questionnaires. The improvement of cognitive ability of students was calculated using the N- gain formula. Differences of two average scores were calculated using t-test at significant level of α = 0.05. The result of study shows that the improvement of cognitive ability in experimental class was significantly different compared to the improvement in the control class at significant level of α = 0.05. The improvement of cognitive ability in experimental class is higher than in control class.

Cognitive ability across the life course and cortisol levels in older age.

PubMed

Harris, Mathew A; Cox, Simon R; Brett, Caroline E; Deary, Ian J; MacLullich, Alasdair M J

2017-11-01

Elevated cortisol levels have been hypothesized to contribute to cognitive aging, but study findings are inconsistent. In the present study, we examined the association between salivary cortisol in older age and cognitive ability across the life course. We used data from 370 members of the 36-Day Sample of the Scottish Mental Survey 1947, who underwent cognitive testing at age 11 years and were then followed up at around age 78 years, completing further cognitive tests and providing diurnal salivary cortisol samples. We hypothesized that higher cortisol levels would be associated with lower cognitive ability in older age and greater cognitive decline from childhood to older age but also lower childhood cognitive ability. Few of the tested associations were significant, and of those that were, most suggested a positive relationship between cortisol and cognitive ability. Only 1 cognitive measure showed any sign of cortisol-related impairment. However, after correcting for multiple comparisons, no results remained significant. These findings suggest that cortisol may not play an important role in cognitive aging across the life course. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Monitoring the efficiency of hearing aid fitting in the aged by the Social Hearing Handicap Index.

PubMed

von Wedel, H; von Wedel, U C; Streppel, M

1990-01-01

The unsatisfactory results obtained from tone and speech audiometric studies in identifying the effects of hearing disability, in particular the psychosocial factors, prompted us to adopt a psychological test to determine the "social hearing ability". The test consists of 20 questions which all relate to "social hearing ability" in urban society. Ten questions concern hearing ability in situations where background noise plays either a negligible role or none at all. The remaining 10 questions concern selectivity ability, that is hearing with additional background noise. The evaluation of the questionnaire results in a classification of the so-called Social Hearing Handicap Index (SHHI) in percentages together with a breakdown of the deafness components and the selectivity components into percentages. This differentiation provides additional information about the demands placed on the hearing ability of humans in quiet or noisy surroundings. The information obtained from the test enables longitudinal studies on the course of a hearing disability or the effectivity of a particular therapy, e.g. hearing aid, to be carried out in the elderly.

Identification of stair climbing ability levels in community-dwelling older adults based on the geometric mean of stair ascent and descent speed: The GeMSS classifier.

PubMed

Mayagoitia, Ruth E; Harding, John; Kitchen, Sheila

2017-01-01

The aim was to develop a quantitative approach to identify three stair-climbing ability levels of older adults: no, somewhat and considerable difficulty. Timed-up-and-go test, six-minute-walk test, and Berg balance scale were used for statistical comparison to a new stair climbing ability classifier based on the geometric mean of stair speeds (GeMSS) in ascent and descent on a flight of eight stairs with a 28° pitch in the housing unit where the participants, 28 (16 women) urban older adults (62-94 years), lived. Ordinal logistic regression revealed the thresholds between the three ability levels for each functional test were more stringent than thresholds found in the literature to classify walking ability levels. Though a small study, the intermediate classifier shows promise of early identification of difficulties with stairs, in order to make timely preventative interventions. Further studies are necessary to obtain scaling factors for stairs with other pitches. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of 3D vascular stereoscopic models in anatomy instruction for first year medical students.

PubMed

Cui, Dongmei; Wilson, Timothy D; Rockhold, Robin W; Lehman, Michael N; Lynch, James C

2017-01-01

The head and neck region is one of the most complex areas featured in the medical gross anatomy curriculum. The effectiveness of using three-dimensional (3D) models to teach anatomy is a topic of much discussion in medical education research. However, the use of 3D stereoscopic models of the head and neck circulation in anatomy education has not been previously studied in detail. This study investigated whether 3D stereoscopic models created from computed tomographic angiography (CTA) data were efficacious teaching tools for the head and neck vascular anatomy. The test subjects were first year medical students at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The assessment tools included: anatomy knowledge tests (prelearning session knowledge test and postlearning session knowledge test), mental rotation tests (spatial ability; presession MRT and postsession MRT), and a satisfaction survey. Results were analyzed using a Wilcoxon rank-sum test and linear regression analysis. A total of 39 first year medical students participated in the study. The results indicated that all students who were exposed to the stereoscopic 3D vascular models in 3D learning sessions increased their ability to correctly identify the head and neck vascular anatomy. Most importantly, for students with low-spatial ability, 3D learning sessions improved postsession knowledge scores to a level comparable to that demonstrated by students with high-spatial ability indicating that the use of 3D stereoscopic models may be particularly valuable to these students with low-spatial ability. Anat Sci Educ 10: 34-45. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.

Effects of human SAMHD1 polymorphisms on HIV-1 susceptibility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

White, Tommy E.; Brandariz-Nuñez, Alberto; Valle-Casuso, Jose Carlos

SAMHD1 is a human restriction factor that prevents efficient infection of macrophages, dendritic cells and resting CD4+ T cells by HIV-1. Here we explored the antiviral activity and biochemical properties of human SAMHD1 polymorphisms. Our studies focused on human SAMHD1 polymorphisms that were previously identified as evolving under positive selection for rapid amino acid replacement during primate speciation. The different human SAMHD1 polymorphisms were tested for their ability to block HIV-1, HIV-2 and equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). All studied SAMHD1 variants block HIV-1, HIV-2 and EIAV infection when compared to wild type. We found that these variants did notmore » lose their ability to oligomerize or to bind RNA. Furthermore, all tested variants were susceptible to degradation by Vpx, and localized to the nuclear compartment. We tested the ability of human SAMHD1 polymorphisms to decrease the dNTP cellular levels. In agreement, none of the different SAMHD1 variants lost their ability to reduce cellular levels of dNTPs. Finally, we found that none of the tested human SAMHD1 polymorphisms affected the ability of the protein to block LINE-1 retrotransposition. - Highlights: • Human SAMHD1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms block HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection. • SAMHD1 polymorphisms do not affect its ability to block LINE-1 retrotransposition. • SAMHD1 polymorphisms decrease the cellular levels of dNTPs.« less

Expanding Talent Search Procedures by Including Measures of Spatial Ability: CTY's Spatial Test Battery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stumpf, Heinrich; Mills, Carol J.; Brody, Linda E.; Baxley, Philip G.

2013-01-01

The importance of spatial ability for success in a variety of domains, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), is widely acknowledged. Yet, students with high spatial ability are rarely identified, as Talent Searches for academically talented students focus on identifying high mathematical and verbal abilities.…

Evaluating the Relationship between Teacher Credential Students' Ability to Read and Their Interest in Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cockerham, Barbara Jean

2013-01-01

Teacher enthusiasm for reading has considerable influence on students' reading interest and reading ability. The purpose of this study was to better understand the relationship between reading ability and reading interest among adults who plan to become teachers. This study tested whether there is a relationship between reading ability as measured…

Physique and Performance of Young Wheelchair Basketball Players in Relation with Classification

PubMed Central

Zancanaro, Carlo

2015-01-01

The relationships among physical characteristics, performance, and functional ability classification of younger wheelchair basketball players have been barely investigated to date. The purpose of this work was to assess anthropometry, body composition, and performance in sport-specific field tests in a national sample of Italian younger wheelchair basketball players as well as to evaluate the association of these variables with the players’ functional ability classification and game-related statistics. Several anthropometric measurements were obtained for 52 out of 91 eligible players nationwide. Performance was assessed in seven sport-specific field tests (5m sprint, 20m sprint with ball, suicide, maximal pass, pass for accuracy, spot shot and lay-ups) and game-related statistics (free-throw points scored per match, two- and three-point field-goals scored per match, and their sum). Association between variables, and predictivity was assessed by correlation and regression analysis, respectively. Players were grouped into four Classes of increasing functional ability (A-D). One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s correction for multiple comparisons was used to assess differences between Classes. Sitting height and functional ability Class especially correlated with performance outcomes, but wheelchair basketball experience and skinfolds did not. Game-related statistics and sport-specific field-test scores all showed significant correlation with each other. Upper arm circumference and/or maximal pass and lay-ups test scores were able to explain 42 to 59% of variance in game-related statistics (P<0.001). A clear difference in performance was only found for functional ability Class A and D. Conclusion: In younger wheelchair basketball players, sitting height positively contributes to performance. The maximal pass and lay-ups test should be carefully considered in younger wheelchair basketball training plans. Functional ability Class reflects to a limited extent the actual differences in performance. PMID:26606681

Morphological and motor characteristics of Croatian first league female football players.

PubMed

Jelaska, Petra Mandić; Katić, Ratko; Jelaska, Igor

2013-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine the structure of morphological and motor characteristics of Croatian first league female football players and their impact on the estimated quality of the players. According to the goal of the research, a sample consisted of 70 Croatian first league female football players. Participants were measured in 18 tests for assessing morphological characteristics, a set of 12 basic motor abilities tests and a set of 7 tests for assessing football-specific motor abilities. Exploratory factor analysis strategy was applied separately to all measured tests: morphological, basic motor abilities and football specific motor abilities. Factor analysis of morphological tests has shown existence of 3 significant latent dimensions that explain 64% of the total variability. Factors are defined as transverse dimensionality of the skeleton and voluminosity (35%), subcutaneous fat tissue (16%) and longitudinal dimensionality of the skeleton (13%). In the area of basic motor abilities, four factors were extracted. The first factor is responsible for the integration of agility and explosive power of legs, i.e. a factor of movement regulation (agility/lower body explosiveness) (23%), the second one defines muscle tone regulation (15%), the third one defines the frequency of leg movements (12%), while the fourth one is recognized as responsible for the manifestation of basic strength, particularly of basic core strength (19%). Two factors were isolated in the space of football-specific motor abilities: football-specific efficiency (53%) and situational football coordination (27%). Furthermore, by use of factor analysis on extracted latent dimensions (morphological, basic and football specific motor abilities) two higher order factors (explaining 87% of common variability) were extracted. They were named morphological-motor factor (54%) and football-specific motor abilities factor (33%). It is assumed that two extracted higher-order factors fully describe morphological and motor status of first league female football players. Furthermore, the linear regression results in latent space showed that the identified factors are very good predictors of female football players quality (delta = 0.959). In doing so, both specific motor abilities factors and the first factor of basic motor abilities as a factor of general motor efficiency have the greatest impact on player quality, and these factors have been identified as most important predictors of player quality in Croatian women's first league and elite female football players in general. Obtained results provide deep insight into the structure of relations between the morphological, motor and specific motor variables and also indicate the importance of such definition of specific motor abilities. Consequently, results explicitly indicate the necessity of early, continuous, and systematic development of football-specific motor abilities in female football players of high competitive level but also, adjusted, to the younger age categories.

Addressing criticisms of existing predictive bias research: cognitive ability test scores still overpredict African Americans' job performance.

PubMed

Berry, Christopher M; Zhao, Peng

2015-01-01

Predictive bias studies have generally suggested that cognitive ability test scores overpredict job performance of African Americans, meaning these tests are not predictively biased against African Americans. However, at least 2 issues call into question existing over-/underprediction evidence: (a) a bias identified by Aguinis, Culpepper, and Pierce (2010) in the intercept test typically used to assess over-/underprediction and (b) a focus on the level of observed validity instead of operational validity. The present study developed and utilized a method of assessing over-/underprediction that draws on the math of subgroup regression intercept differences, does not rely on the biased intercept test, allows for analysis at the level of operational validity, and can use meta-analytic estimates as input values. Therefore, existing meta-analytic estimates of key parameters, corrected for relevant statistical artifacts, were used to determine whether African American job performance remains overpredicted at the level of operational validity. African American job performance was typically overpredicted by cognitive ability tests across levels of job complexity and across conditions wherein African American and White regression slopes did and did not differ. Because the present study does not rely on the biased intercept test and because appropriate statistical artifact corrections were carried out, the present study's results are not affected by the 2 issues mentioned above. The present study represents strong evidence that cognitive ability tests generally overpredict job performance of African Americans. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Absolute pitch memory: its prevalence among musicians and dependence on the testing context.

PubMed

Wong, Yetta Kwailing; Wong, Alan C-N

2014-04-01

Absolute pitch (AP) is widely believed to be a rare ability possessed by only a small group of gifted and special individuals (AP possessors). While AP has fascinated psychologists, neuroscientists, and musicians for more than a century, no theory can satisfactorily explain why this ability is so rare and difficult to learn. Here, we show that AP ability appears rare because of the methodological issues of the standard pitch-naming test. Specifically, the standard test unnecessarily poses a high decisional demand on AP judgments and uses a testing context that is highly inconsistent with one's musical training. These extra cognitive challenges are not central to AP memory per se and have thus led to consistent underestimation of AP ability in the population. Using the standard test, we replicated the typical findings that the accuracy for general violinists was low (12.38 %; chance level = 0 %). With identical stimuli, scoring criteria, and participants, violinists attained 25 % accuracy in a pitch verification test in which the decisional demand of AP judgment was reduced. When the testing context was increasingly similar to their musical experience, verification accuracy improved further and reached 39 %, three times higher than that for the standard test. Results were replicated with a separate group of pianists. Our findings challenge current theories about AP and suggest that the prevalence of AP among musicians has been highly underestimated in prior work. A multimodal framework is proposed to better explain AP memory.

A test of the circumvention-of-limits hypothesis in scientific problem solving: the case of geological bedrock mapping.

PubMed

Hambrick, David Z; Libarkin, Julie C; Petcovic, Heather L; Baker, Kathleen M; Elkins, Joe; Callahan, Caitlin N; Turner, Sheldon P; Rench, Tara A; Ladue, Nicole D

2012-08-01

Sources of individual differences in scientific problem solving were investigated. Participants representing a wide range of experience in geology completed tests of visuospatial ability and geological knowledge, and performed a geological bedrock mapping task, in which they attempted to infer the geological structure of an area in the Tobacco Root Mountains of Montana. A Visuospatial Ability × Geological Knowledge interaction was found, such that visuospatial ability positively predicted mapping performance at low, but not high, levels of geological knowledge. This finding suggests that high levels of domain knowledge may sometimes enable circumvention of performance limitations associated with cognitive abilities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

A Note on the Heritability of Memory Span.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Arthur R.; Marisi, Daniel Q.

The contribution of heredity to scores on a digit span intelligence test, Jensen's Memory for Numbers, was estimated with a standard heritability formula. The test measures level I mental ability--the capacity to store and recall, but not ability to elaborate or manipulate stimuli. Subjects were 35 monozygotic (MZ) twins and 35 same-sex dizygotic…

Does Listening to Mozart Affect Listening Ability?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowman, Becki J.; Punyanunt-Carter, Narissra; Cheah, Tsui Yi; Watson, W. Joe; Rubin, Rebecca B.

2007-01-01

Considerable research has been conducted testing Rauscher, Shaw, and Ky's (1993) Mozart Effect (ME). This study attempts to replicate, in part, research that tested the ME on listening comprehension abilities. Also included in this study is an examination of control group issues in current day research. We hypothesized that students who listen to…

Item Selection and Ability Estimation Procedures for a Mixed-Format Adaptive Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Tsung-Han; Dodd, Barbara G.

2012-01-01

In this study we compared five item selection procedures using three ability estimation methods in the context of a mixed-format adaptive test based on the generalized partial credit model. The item selection procedures used were maximum posterior weighted information, maximum expected information, maximum posterior weighted Kullback-Leibler…

Comparing Two Tests of Formal Reasoning in a College Chemistry Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Bo; Xu, Xiaoying; Garcia, Alicia; Lewis, Jennifer E.

2010-01-01

The Test of Logical Thinking (TOLT) and the Group Assessment of Logical Thinking (GALT) are two of the instruments most widely used by science educators and researchers to measure students' formal reasoning abilities. Based on Piaget's cognitive development theory, formal thinking ability has been shown to be essential for student achievement in…

Nonverbal and Language-Reduced Measures of Cognitive Ability: A Review and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drevon, Daniel D.; Knight, Rachel M.; Bradley-Johnson, Sharon

2017-01-01

With the number of new and revised nonverbal and language-reduced tests of cognitive ability, selection and interpretation of appropriate measures can be complicated. Seven nonverbal or language-reduced tests with normative data collected within the last 15 years were evaluated. Besides evaluating technical adequacy, other variables affecting test…

Mental Abilities and School Achievement: A Test of a Mediation Hypothesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vock, Miriam; Preckel, Franzis; Holling, Heinz

2011-01-01

This study analyzes the interplay of four cognitive abilities--reasoning, divergent thinking, mental speed, and short-term memory--and their impact on academic achievement in school in a sample of adolescents in grades seven to 10 (N = 1135). Based on information processing approaches to intelligence, we tested a mediation hypothesis, which states…

Amusics Can Imitate What They Cannot Discriminate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchins, Sean; Peretz, Isabelle

2012-01-01

A longstanding issue in psychology is the relationship between how we perceive the world and how we act upon it. Pitch deafness provides an interesting opportunity to test for the independence of perception and production abilities in the speech domain. We tested eight amusics and eight matched controls for their ability to perceive pitch shifts…

Components of Spatial Thinking: Evidence from a Spatial Thinking Ability Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jongwon; Bednarz, Robert

2012-01-01

This article introduces the development and validation of the spatial thinking ability test (STAT). The STAT consists of sixteen multiple-choice questions of eight types. The STAT was validated by administering it to a sample of 532 junior high, high school, and university students. Factor analysis using principal components extraction was applied…

Fluctuation in Spatial Ability Scores during the Menstrual Cycle.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moody, M. Suzanne

Whether or not fluctuations in spatial ability as measured by S. G. Vandenberg's Mental Rotations Test occur during the menstrual cycle was studied with 133 female students from 9 undergraduate educational psychology and nursing classes. For comparison, 28 male students also took the test. Scores from 55 females fell into the relevant menstrual…

The Controversy Over Ability Grouping in American Education, 1916-1970.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDermott, John W., Jr.

This study traces the controversy over the classification of children according to their ability from its origins in the development of the mental testing movement after 1916. The campaign to organize the schools largely on the basis of standardized tests of intelligence drew substantial support after 1920 from the development of research bureaus…

Intuition as a Brain Skill in Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agor, Weston H.

1985-01-01

Over 2,900 managers were studied to test their ability to use intuition. The intuition portion of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was the test instrument. Results indicate that ability to use intuition does vary by management level, by level of government service, by sex, by occupational speciality, and to some degree by ethnic background.…

Is Education Associated with Improvements in General Cognitive Ability, or in Specific Skills?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritchie, Stuart J.; Bates, Timothy C.; Deary, Ian J.

2015-01-01

Previous research has indicated that education influences cognitive development, but it is unclear what, precisely, is being improved. Here, we tested whether education is associated with cognitive test score improvements via domain-general effects on general cognitive ability ("g"), or via domain-specific effects on particular cognitive…

Administering Spatial and Cognitive Instruments In-Class and On-Line: Are These Equivalent?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williamson, Kenneth C.; Williamson, Vickie M.; Hinze, Scott R.

2017-01-01

Standardized, well-established paper-and-pencil tests, which measure spatial abilities or which measure reasoning abilities, have long been found to be predictive of success in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. Instructors can use these tests for prediction of success and to inform instruction. A comparative…

Fitting the Mixed Rasch Model to a Reading Comprehension Test: Identifying Reader Types

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baghaei, Purya; Carstensen, Claus H.

2013-01-01

Standard unidimensional Rasch models assume that persons with the same ability parameters are comparable. That is, the same interpretation applies to persons with identical ability estimates as regards the underlying mental processes triggered by the test. However, research in cognitive psychology shows that persons at the same trait level may…

Language Facility and Theory of Mind Development in Deaf Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, A. Lyn

2001-01-01

Deaf children with signing parents, nonnative signing deaf children, children from a hearing impaired unit, oral deaf children, and hearing controls were tested on theory of Mind (ToM) tasks and a British sign language receptive language test. Language ability correlated positively and significantly with ToM ability. Age underpinned the…

Predicting Performance on a Firefighter's Ability Test from Fitness Parameters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michaelides, Marcos A.; Parpa, Koulla M.; Thompson, Jerald; Brown, Barry

2008-01-01

The purpose of this project was to identify the relationships between various fitness parameters such as upper body muscular endurance, upper and lower body strength, flexibility, body composition and performance on an ability test (AT) that included simulated firefighting tasks. A second intent was to create a regression model that would predict…

Developing an Academic Ability Scale for the Kuder Occupational Interest Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Figel, William J.

Earlier studies had shown that differences in measured interests are related to differences in scores on tests of academic ability. Specifically, scores on the college major interest scales of the Kuder Occupational Interest Survey (KOIS) were found to be related to scores on the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). This suggested…

A Factor Analysis of Learning Data and Selected Ability Test Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Dorothy L.

1976-01-01

A verbal concept-learning task permitting the externalizing and quantifying of learning behavior and 16 ability tests were administered to female graduate students. Data were analyzed by alpha factor analysis and incomplete image analysis. Six alpha factors and 12 image factors were extracted and orthogonally rotated. Four areas of cognitive…

Simulating the Effects of Common and Specific Abilities on Test Performance: An Evaluation of Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFarland, Dennis J.

2014-01-01

Purpose: Factor analysis is a useful technique to aid in organizing multivariate data characterizing speech, language, and auditory abilities. However, knowledge of the limitations of factor analysis is essential for proper interpretation of results. The present study used simulated test scores to illustrate some characteristics of factor…

Stereotypes and the Achievement Gap: Stereotype Threat Prior to Test Taking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appel, Markus; Kronberger, Nicole

2012-01-01

Stereotype threat is known as a situational predicament that prevents members of negatively stereotyped groups to perform up to their full ability. This review shows that the detrimental influence of stereotype threat goes beyond test taking: It impairs stereotyped students to build abilities in the first place. Guided by current theory on…

The Pediatric Test of Brain Injury: Development and Interpretation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hotz, Gillian A.; Helm-Estabrooks, Nancy; Nelson, Nickola Wolf; Plante, Elena

2009-01-01

The Pediatric Test of Brain Injury (PTBI) is designed to assess neurocognitive, language, and literacy abilities that are relevant to the school curriculum of children and adolescents recovering from brain injury. The PTBI is intended to help clinicians establish baseline levels of cognitive-linguistic abilities in the acute stages of recovery,…

34 CFR 668.143 - Approval of State tests or assessments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... State uses to measure a student's skills and abilities for the purpose of determining whether the student has the skills and abilities the State expects of a high school graduate in that State. (b) The... those tests and assessments measure at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may prescribe; (2...

Spatial and numerical abilities without a complete natural language.

PubMed

Hyde, Daniel C; Winkler-Rhoades, Nathan; Lee, Sang-Ah; Izard, Veronique; Shapiro, Kevin A; Spelke, Elizabeth S

2011-04-01

We studied the cognitive abilities of a 13-year-old deaf child, deprived of most linguistic input from late infancy, in a battery of tests designed to reveal the nature of numerical and geometrical abilities in the absence of a full linguistic system. Tests revealed widespread proficiency in basic symbolic and non-symbolic numerical computations involving the use of both exact and approximate numbers. Tests of spatial and geometrical abilities revealed an interesting patchwork of age-typical strengths and localized deficits. In particular, the child performed extremely well on navigation tasks involving geometrical or landmark information presented in isolation, but very poorly on otherwise similar tasks that required the combination of the two types of spatial information. Tests of number- and space-specific language revealed proficiency in the use of number words and deficits in the use of spatial terms. This case suggests that a full linguistic system is not necessary to reap the benefits of linguistic vocabulary on basic numerical tasks. Furthermore, it suggests that language plays an important role in the combination of mental representations of space. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Innovative testing of spatial ability: interactive responding and the use of complex stimuli material.

PubMed

Jelínek, Martin; Květon, Petr; Vobořil, Dalibor

2015-02-01

Despite initial expectations, which have emerged with the advancement of computer technology over the last decade of the twentieth century, scientific literature does not contain many relevant references regarding the development and use of innovative items in psychological testing. Our study presents and evaluates two novel item types. One item type is derived from a standard schematic test item used for the assessment of the spatial perception aspect of spatial ability, enhanced by an interactive response module. The performance on this item type is correlated with the performance on its paper and pencil counterpart. The other innovative item type used complex stimuli in the form of a short video of a ride through a city presented in an on-route perspective, which is intended to measure navigation skills and the ability to keep oneself oriented in space. In this case, the scores were related to the capacity of visuo-spatial working memory and also to the overall score in the paper/pencil test of spatial ability. The second relationship was moderated by gender.

Improvement of Repeated-Sprint Ability and Horizontal-Jumping Performance in Elite Young Basketball Players With Low-Volume Repeated-Maximal-Power Training.

PubMed

Gonzalo-Skok, Oliver; Tous-Fajardo, Julio; Arjol-Serrano, José Luis; Suarez-Arrones, Luis; Casajús, José Antonio; Mendez-Villanueva, Alberto

2016-05-01

To examine the effects of a low-volume repeated-power-ability (RPA) training program on repeated-sprint and change-of- direction (COD) ability and functional jumping performance. Twenty-two male elite young basketball players (age 16.2 ± 1.2 y, height 190.0 ± 10.0 cm, body mass 82.9 ± 10.1 kg) were randomly assigned either to an RPA-training group (n = 11) or a control group (n = 11). RPA training consisted of leg-press exercise, twice a week for 6 wk, of 1 or 2 blocks of 5 sets × 5 repetitions with 20 s of passive recovery between sets and 3 min between blocks with the load that maximized power output. Before and after training, performance was assessed by a repeated-sprint-ability (RSA) test, a repeated-COD-ability test, a hop for distance, and a drop jump followed by tests of a double unilateral hop with the right and left legs. Within-group and between-groups differences showed substantial improvements in slowest (RSAs) and mean time (RSAm) on RSA; best, slowest and mean time on repeated-COD ability; and unilateral right and left hop in the RPA group in comparison with control. While best time on RSA showed no improvement in any group, there was a large relationship (r = .68, 90% CI .43;.84) between the relative decrement in RSAm and RSAs, suggesting better sprint maintenance with RPA training. The relative improvements in best and mean repeated-COD ability were very largely correlated (r = .89, 90% CI .77;.94). Six weeks of lowvolume (4-14 min/wk) RPA training improved several physical-fitness tests in basketball players.

The association of children's mathematic abilities with both adults' cognitive abilities and intrinsic fronto-parietal networks is altered in preterm-born individuals.

PubMed

Bäuml, J G; Meng, C; Daamen, M; Baumann, N; Busch, B; Bartmann, P; Wolke, D; Boecker, H; Wohlschläger, A; Sorg, C; Jaekel, Julia

2017-03-01

Mathematic abilities in childhood are highly predictive for long-term neurocognitive outcomes. Preterm-born individuals have an increased risk for both persistent cognitive impairments and long-term changes in macroscopic brain organization. We hypothesized that the association of childhood mathematic abilities with both adulthood general cognitive abilities and associated fronto-parietal intrinsic networks is altered after preterm delivery. 72 preterm- and 71 term-born individuals underwent standardized mathematic and IQ testing at 8 years and resting-state fMRI and full-scale IQ testing at 26 years of age. Outcome measure for intrinsic networks was intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC). Controlling for IQ at age eight, mathematic abilities in childhood were significantly stronger positively associated with adults' IQ in preterm compared with term-born individuals. In preterm-born individuals, the association of children's mathematic abilities and adults' fronto-parietal iFC was altered. Likewise, fronto-parietal iFC was distinctively linked with preterm- and term-born adults' IQ. Results provide evidence that preterm birth alters the link of mathematic abilities in childhood and general cognitive abilities and fronto-parietal intrinsic networks in adulthood. Data suggest a distinct functional role of intrinsic fronto-parietal networks for preterm individuals with respect to mathematic abilities and that these networks together with associated children's mathematic abilities may represent potential neurocognitive targets for early intervention.

Dry and wet arc track propagation resistance testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beach, Rex

1995-01-01

The wet arc-propagation resistance test for wire insulation provides an assessment of the ability of an insulation to prevent damage in an electrical environment. Results of an arc-propagation test may vary slightly due to the method of arc initiation; therefore a standard test method must be selected to evaluate the general arc-propagation resistance characteristics of an insulation. This test method initiates an arc by dripping salt water over pre-damaged wires which creates a conductive path between the wires. The power supply, test current, circuit resistances, and other variables are optimized for testing 20 guage wires. The use of other wire sizes may require modifications to the test variables. The dry arc-propagation resistance test for wire insulation also provides an assessment of the ability of an insulation to prevent damage in an electrical arc environment. In service, electrical arcs may originate form a variety of factors including insulation deterioration, faulty installation, and chafing. Here too, a standard test method must be selected to evaluate the general arc-propagation resistance characteristics of an insulation. This test method initiates an arc with a vibrating blade. The test also evaluates the ability of the insulation to prevent further arc-propagation when the electrical arc is re-energized.

Evaluating the "TOEFL Junior"® Standard Test as a Measure of Progress for Young English Language Learners. Research Report. ETS RR-15-22

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gu, Lin; Lockwood, John; Powers, Donald E.

2015-01-01

Standardized tests are often designed to provide only a snapshot of test takers' knowledge, skills, or abilities at a single point in time. Sometimes, however, they are expected to serve more demanding functions, one of them is assessing change in knowledge, skills, or ability over time because of learning effects.The latter is the case for the…

Item Response Theory Analyses of the Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT)

PubMed Central

Cho, Sun-Joo; Wilmer, Jeremy; Herzmann, Grit; McGugin, Rankin; Fiset, Daniel; Van Gulick, Ana E.; Ryan, Katie; Gauthier, Isabel

2014-01-01

We evaluated the psychometric properties of the Cambridge face memory test (CFMT; Duchaine & Nakayama, 2006). First, we assessed the dimensionality of the test with a bi-factor exploratory factor analysis (EFA). This EFA analysis revealed a general factor and three specific factors clustered by targets of CFMT. However, the three specific factors appeared to be minor factors that can be ignored. Second, we fit a unidimensional item response model. This item response model showed that the CFMT items could discriminate individuals at different ability levels and covered a wide range of the ability continuum. We found the CFMT to be particularly precise for a wide range of ability levels. Third, we implemented item response theory (IRT) differential item functioning (DIF) analyses for each gender group and two age groups (Age ≤ 20 versus Age > 21). This DIF analysis suggested little evidence of consequential differential functioning on the CFMT for these groups, supporting the use of the test to compare older to younger, or male to female, individuals. Fourth, we tested for a gender difference on the latent facial recognition ability with an explanatory item response model. We found a significant but small gender difference on the latent ability for face recognition, which was higher for women than men by 0.184, at age mean 23.2, controlling for linear and quadratic age effects. Finally, we discuss the practical considerations of the use of total scores versus IRT scale scores in applications of the CFMT. PMID:25642930

Measures of Dogs' Inhibitory Control Abilities Do Not Correlate across Tasks

PubMed Central

Brucks, Désirée; Marshall-Pescini, Sarah; Wallis, Lisa Jessica; Huber, Ludwig; Range, Friederike

2017-01-01

Inhibitory control, the ability to overcome prepotent but ineffective behaviors, has been studied extensively across species, revealing the involvement of this ability in many different aspects of life. While various different paradigms have been created in order to measure inhibitory control, only a limited number of studies have investigated whether such measurements indeed evaluate the same underlying mechanism, especially in non-human animals. In humans, inhibitory control is a complex construct composed of distinct behavioral processes rather than of a single unified measure. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the validity of inhibitory control paradigms in dogs. Sixty-seven dogs were tested in a battery consisting of frequently used inhibitory control tests. Additionally, dog owners were asked to complete an impulsivity questionnaire about their dog. No correlation of dogs' performance across tasks was found. In order to understand whether there are some underlying behavioral aspects explaining dogs' performance across tests, we performed principle component analyses. Results revealed that three components (persistency, compulsivity and decision speed) explained the variation across tasks. The questionnaire and dogs' individual characteristics (i.e., age and sex) provided only limited information for the derived components. Overall, results suggest that no unique measurement for inhibitory control exists in dogs, but tests rather measure different aspects of this ability. Considering the context-specificity of inhibitory control in dogs and most probably also in other non-human animals, extreme caution is needed when making conclusions about inhibitory control abilities based on a single test. PMID:28596749

Is education associated with improvements in general cognitive ability, or in specific skills?

PubMed

Ritchie, Stuart J; Bates, Timothy C; Deary, Ian J

2015-05-01

Previous research has indicated that education influences cognitive development, but it is unclear what, precisely, is being improved. Here, we tested whether education is associated with cognitive test score improvements via domain-general effects on general cognitive ability (g), or via domain-specific effects on particular cognitive skills. We conducted structural equation modeling on data from a large (n = 1,091), longitudinal sample, with a measure of intelligence at age 11 years and 10 tests covering a diverse range of cognitive abilities taken at age 70. Results indicated that the association of education with improved cognitive test scores is not mediated by g, but consists of direct effects on specific cognitive skills. These results suggest a decoupling of educational gains from increases in general intellectual capacity. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Motor and cognitive development: the role of karate.

PubMed

Alesi, Marianha; Bianco, Antonino; Padulo, Johnny; Vella, Francesco Paolo; Petrucci, Marco; Paoli, Antonio; Palma, Antonio; Pepi, Annamaria

2014-04-01

regular physical activity has an effect on biological responses in both muscles and organs that, in turn, alter the structure and functions of the brain. Therefore, this study aims at comparing motor (sprint, coordination ability and explosive legs strength skills) and cognitive abilities (working memory, attention, executive functioning) in children. 39 children with average chronological age of 9 years were divided in: Karatekas (n=19) and Sedentary (n=20) groups. Their abilities were measured by motor and cognitive tests. Motor skills were assessed through a battery composed by the 20 mt Sprint test, the Agility test and the Standing board jump Test. Cognitive profile was assessed by a battery of tests derived from BVN 5-11, "Batteria di Valutazione Neuropsicologica per l'Et à Evolutiva": Visual discrimination test, Reaction time test, Forwards and Backwards Digit Span Tests, Corsi Block-Tapping test and Tower of London. our results reveal significant differences between two groups (p < 0.05). Karate children show better speed times, explosive legs strength and coordination skills. They scored better on working memory, visual selective attention and executive functions. karate exercise training shows global benefits resulting in physiological and psychological gains in children.

Motor and cognitive development: the role of karate

PubMed Central

Alesi, Marianha; Bianco, Antonino; Padulo, Johnny; Vella, Francesco Paolo; Petrucci, Marco; Paoli, Antonio; Palma, Antonio; Pepi, Annamaria

2014-01-01

Summary Background: regular physical activity has an effect on biological responses in both muscles and organs that, in turn, alter the structure and functions of the brain. Therefore, this study aims at comparing motor (sprint, coordination ability and explosive legs strength skills) and cognitive abilities (working memory, attention, executive functioning) in children. Methods: 39 children with average chronological age of 9 years were divided in: Karatekas (n=19) and Sedentary (n=20) groups. Their abilities were measured by motor and cognitive tests. Motor skills were assessed through a battery composed by the 20 mt Sprint test, the Agility test and the Standing board jump Test. Cognitive profile was assessed by a battery of tests derived from BVN 5–11, “Batteria di Valutazione Neuropsicologica per l’Et à Evolutiva”: Visual discrimination test, Reaction time test, Forwards and Backwards Digit Span Tests, Corsi Block-Tapping test and Tower of London. Results: our results reveal significant differences between two groups (p < 0.05). Karate children show better speed times, explosive legs strength and coordination skills. They scored better on working memory, visual selective attention and executive functions. Conclusion: karate exercise training shows global benefits resulting in physiological and psychological gains in children. PMID:25332920

The influence of test mode and visuospatial ability on mathematics assessment performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Logan, Tracy

2015-12-01

Mathematics assessment and testing are increasingly situated within digital environments with international tests moving to computer-based testing in the near future. This paper reports on a secondary data analysis which explored the influence the mode of assessment—computer-based (CBT) and pencil-and-paper based (PPT)—and visuospatial ability had on students' mathematics test performance. Data from 804 grade 6 Singaporean students were analysed using the knowledge discovery in data design. The results revealed statistically significant differences between performance on CBT and PPT test modes across content areas concerning whole number algebraic patterns and data and chance. However, there were no performance differences for content areas related to spatial arrangements geometric measurement or other number. There were also statistically significant differences in performance between those students who possess higher levels of visuospatial ability compared to those with lower levels across all six content areas. Implications include careful consideration for the comparability of CBT and PPT testing and the need for increased attention to the role of visuospatial reasoning in student's mathematics reasoning.

Effect of Education of Principles of Drug Prescription and Calculation through Lecture and Designed Multimedia Software on Nursing Students' Learning Outcomes.

PubMed

Valizadeh, Sousan; Feizalahzadeh, Hossein; Avari, Mina; Virani, Faza

2016-07-01

Medication errors are risk factors for patients' health and may have irrecoverable effects. These errors include medication miscalculations by nurses and nursing students. This study aimed to design a multimedia application in the field of education for drug calculations in order to compare its effectiveness with the lecture method. This study selected 82 nursing students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in their second and third semesters in 2015. They were pre-tested by a researcher-made multiple-choice questionnaire on their knowledge of drug administration principles and ability to carry out medicinal calculations before training and were then divided through a random block design into two groups of intervention (education with designed software) and control (lecturing) based on the mean grade of previous semesters and the pre-test score. The knowledge and ability post-test was performed using the same questions after 4 weeks of training, and the data were analyzed with IBM SPSS 20 using independent samples t-test, paired-samples t-test, and ANCOVA. Drug calculation ability significantly increased after training in both the control and experimental groups (p<0.05). However, no significant difference emerged between the two groups in terms of medicinal calculation ability after training (p>0.05). The results showed that both training methods had no significant effect on study participants' knowledge of medicinal principles (p>0.05), whereas the score of knowledge of medicinal principles in the control group increased non-significantly. The results of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test show that, since p>0.05, the data in the variable of knowledge of drug prescription principles and ability of medicinal calculations had a normal distribution. The use of educational software has no significant effect on nursing students' drug knowledge or medicinal calculation ability. However, an e-learning program can reduce the lecture time and cost of repeated topics, such as medication, suggesting that it can be an effective component in nurse education programs.

Severe hypoglycaemia and late-life cognitive ability in older people with Type 2 diabetes: the Edinburgh Type 2 Diabetes Study.

PubMed

Aung, P P; Strachan, M W J; Frier, B M; Butcher, I; Deary, I J; Price, J F

2012-03-01

To determine the association between lifetime severe hypoglycaemia and late-life cognitive ability in older people with Type 2 diabetes. Cross-sectional, population-based study of 1066 men and women aged 60-75 years, with Type 2 diabetes. Frequency of severe hypoglycaemia over a person's lifetime and in the year prior to cognitive testing was assessed using a previously validated self-completion questionnaire. Results of age-sensitive neuropsychological tests were combined to derive a late-life general cognitive ability factor, 'g'. Vocabulary test scores, which are stable during ageing, were used to estimate early life (prior) cognitive ability. After age- and sex- adjustment, 'g' was lower in subjects reporting at least one prior severe hypoglycaemia episode (n = 113), compared with those who did not report severe hypoglycaemia (mean 'g'-0.34 vs. 0.05, P < 0.001). Mean vocabulary test scores did not differ significantly between the two groups (30.2 vs. 31.0, P = 0.13). After adjustment for vocabulary, difference in 'g' between the groups persisted (means -0.25 vs. 0.04, P < 0.001), with the group with severe hypoglycaemia demonstrating poorer performance on tests of Verbal Fluency (34.5 vs. 37.3, P = 0.02), Digit Symbol Testing (45.9 vs. 49.9, P = 0.002), Letter-Number Sequencing (9.1 vs. 9.8, P = 0.005) and Trail Making (P < 0.001). These associations persisted after adjustment for duration of diabetes, vascular disease and other potential confounders. Self-reported history of severe hypoglycaemia was associated with poorer late-life cognitive ability in people with Type 2 diabetes. Persistence of this association after adjustment for estimated prior cognitive ability suggests that the association may be attributable, at least in part, to an effect of hypoglycaemia on age-related cognitive decline. © 2011 The Authors. Diabetic Medicine © 2011 Diabetes UK.

“When Music Speaks”: Auditory Cortex Morphology as a Neuroanatomical Marker of Language Aptitude and Musicality

PubMed Central

Turker, Sabrina; Reiterer, Susanne M.; Seither-Preisler, Annemarie; Schneider, Peter

2017-01-01

Recent research has shown that the morphology of certain brain regions may indeed correlate with a number of cognitive skills such as musicality or language ability. The main aim of the present study was to explore the extent to which foreign language aptitude, in particular phonetic coding ability, is influenced by the morphology of Heschl’s gyrus (HG; auditory cortex), working memory capacity, and musical ability. In this study, the auditory cortices of German-speaking individuals (N = 30; 13 males/17 females; aged 20–40 years) with high and low scores in a number of language aptitude tests were compared. The subjects’ language aptitude was measured by three different tests, namely a Hindi speech imitation task (phonetic coding ability), an English pronunciation assessment, and the Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT). Furthermore, working memory capacity and musical ability were assessed to reveal their relationship with foreign language aptitude. On the behavioral level, significant correlations were found between phonetic coding ability, English pronunciation skills, musical experience, and language aptitude as measured by the MLAT. Parts of all three tests measuring language aptitude correlated positively and significantly with each other, supporting their validity for measuring components of language aptitude. Remarkably, the number of instruments played by subjects showed significant correlations with all language aptitude measures and musicality, whereas, the number of foreign languages did not show any correlations. With regard to the neuroanatomy of auditory cortex, adults with very high scores in the Hindi testing and the musicality test (AMMA) demonstrated a clear predominance of complete posterior HG duplications in the right hemisphere. This may reignite the discussion of the importance of the right hemisphere for language processing, especially when linked or common resources are involved, such as the inter-dependency between phonetic and musical aptitude. PMID:29250017

Measurement of talent in volleyball: 15-month follow-up of elite adolescent players.

PubMed

Lidor, R; Hershko, Y; Bilkevitz, A; Arnon, M; Falk, B

2007-06-01

The purpose of this study was two-fold: first, to examine the contribution of a battery of physical and motor tests to early phases of talent detection and early development in volleyball, and second, to differentiate between and compare the motor ability of 16-year-old starter (S) and non-starter (NS) volleyball players. Fifteen male adolescent volleyball players underwent assessment of physical and motor ability 6 times during a 15-month training program; however, not all of them took part in each testing phase. The battery was composed of 8 physical and motor tests and 2 skill tests. The physical and motor tests included 2 speed tests, an agility run, 4 explosive power tests, and an endurance test. The skill tests evaluated service accuracy at rest and following effort. All participants improved their results in all but 2 tests (endurance and skill tests) across testing phases. Comparisons between the S (n=8) and NS (n=7) revealed that only one physical explosive power test (vertical jump with approach), was found to be a good indicator for distinguishing between the 2 groups of players. It was concluded that the volleyball battery of tests was not sensitive enough to distinguish between the ''good'' and ''very good'' players suggesting that physical and motor tests do not reflect open skill ability in volleyball.

The applied model of imagery use: Examination of moderation and mediation effects.

PubMed

Koehn, S; Stavrou, N A M; Young, J A; Morris, T

2016-08-01

The applied model of mental imagery use proposed an interaction effect between imagery type and imagery ability. This study had two aims: (a) the examination of imagery ability as a moderating variable between imagery type and dispositional flow, and (b) the testing of alternative mediation models. The sample consisted of 367 athletes from Scotland and Australia, who completed the Sport Imagery Questionnaire, Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire, and Dispositional Flow Scale-2. Hierarchical regression analysis showed direct effects of imagery use and imagery ability on flow, but no significant interaction. Mediation analysis revealed a significant indirect path, indicating a partially mediated relationship (P = 0.002) between imagery use, imagery ability, and flow. Partial mediation was confirmed when the effect of cognitive imagery use and cognitive imagery ability was tested, and a full mediation model was found between motivational imagery use, motivational imagery ability, and flow. The results are discussed in conjunction with potential future research directions on advancing theory and applications. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Sport Students’ Ability of Literacy and Statistical Reasoning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hidayah, N.

2017-03-01

The ability of literacy and statistical reasoning is very important for the students of sport education college due to the materials of statistical learning can be taken from their many activities such as sport competition, the result of test and measurement, predicting achievement based on training, finding connection among variables, and others. This research tries to describe the sport education college students’ ability of literacy and statistical reasoning related to the identification of data type, probability, table interpretation, description and explanation by using bar or pie graphic, explanation of variability, interpretation, the calculation and explanation of mean, median, and mode through an instrument. This instrument is tested to 50 college students majoring in sport resulting only 26% of all students have the ability above 30% while others still below 30%. Observing from all subjects; 56% of students have the ability of identification data classification, 49% of students have the ability to read, display and interpret table through graphic, 27% students have the ability in probability, 33% students have the ability to describe variability, and 16.32% students have the ability to read, count and describe mean, median and mode. The result of this research shows that the sport students’ ability of literacy and statistical reasoning has not been adequate and students’ statistical study has not reached comprehending concept, literary ability trining and statistical rasoning, so it is critical to increase the sport students’ ability of literacy and statistical reasoning

Apolipoprotein E genotype does not moderate the associations of depressive symptoms, neuroticism and allostatic load with cognitive ability and cognitive aging in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936.

PubMed

Crook, Zander; Booth, Tom; Cox, Simon R; Corley, Janie; Dykiert, Dominika; Redmond, Paul; Pattie, Alison; Taylor, Adele M; Harris, Sarah E; Starr, John M; Deary, Ian J

2018-01-01

In this replication-and-extension study, we tested whether depressive symptoms, neuroticism, and allostatic load (multisystem physiological dysregulation) were related to lower baseline cognitive ability and greater subsequent cognitive decline in older adults, and whether these relationships were moderated by the E4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene. We also tested whether allostatic load mediated the relationships between neuroticism and cognitive outcomes. We used data from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (n at Waves 1-3: 1,028 [M age = 69.5 y]; 820 [M duration since Wave 1 = 2.98 y]; 659 [M duration since Wave 1 = 6.74 y]). We fitted latent growth curve models of general cognitive ability (modeled using five cognitive tests) with groups of APOE E4 non-carriers and carriers. In separate models, depressive symptoms, neuroticism, and allostatic load predicted baseline cognitive ability and subsequent cognitive decline. In addition, models tested whether allostatic load mediated relationships between neuroticism and cognitive outcomes. Baseline cognitive ability had small-to-moderate negative associations with depressive symptoms (β range = -0.20 to -0.17), neuroticism (β range = -0.27 to -0.23), and allostatic load (β range = -0.11 to 0.09). Greater cognitive decline was linked to baseline allostatic load (β range = -0.98 to -0.83) and depressive symptoms (β range = -1.00 to -0.88). However, APOE E4 allele possession did not moderate the relationships of depressive symptoms, neuroticism and allostatic load with cognitive ability and cognitive decline. Additionally, the associations of neuroticism with cognitive ability and cognitive decline were not mediated through allostatic load. Our results suggest that APOE E4 status does not moderate the relationships of depressive symptoms, neuroticism, and allostatic load with cognitive ability and cognitive decline in healthy older adults. The most notable positive finding in the current research was the strong association between allostatic load and cognitive decline.

Bootstrap Standard Errors for Maximum Likelihood Ability Estimates When Item Parameters Are Unknown

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patton, Jeffrey M.; Cheng, Ying; Yuan, Ke-Hai; Diao, Qi

2014-01-01

When item parameter estimates are used to estimate the ability parameter in item response models, the standard error (SE) of the ability estimate must be corrected to reflect the error carried over from item calibration. For maximum likelihood (ML) ability estimates, a corrected asymptotic SE is available, but it requires a long test and the…

Cabri 3D - assisted collaborative learning to enhance junior high school students’ spatial ability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muntazhimah; Miatun, A.

2018-01-01

The main purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine the enhancement of spatial ability of junior high school students who learned through Cabri-3D assisted collaborative learning. The methodology of this study was the nonequivalent group that was conducted to students of the eighth grade in a junior high school as a population. Samples consisted one class of the experimental group who studied with Cabri-3D assisted collaborative learning and one class as a control group who got regular learning activity. The instrument used in this study was a spatial ability test. Analyzing normalized gain of students’ spatial ability based on mathemathical prior knowledge (MPK) and its interactions was tested by two-way ANOVA at a significance level of 5% then continued with using Post Hoc Scheffe test. The research results showed that there was significant difference in enhancement of the spatial ability between students who learnt with Cabri 3D assisted collaborative learning and students who got regular learning, there was significant difference in enhancement of the spatial ability between students who learnt with cabri 3D assisted collaborative learning and students who got regular learning in terms of MPK and there is no significant interaction between learning (Cabri-3D assisted collaborative learning and regular learning) with students’ MPK (high, medium, and low) toward the enhancement of students’ spatial abilities. From the above findings, it can be seen that cabri-3D assisted collaborative learning could enhance spatial ability of junior high school students.

The analysis of mathematics literacy on PMRI learning with media schoology of junior high school students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wardono; Mariani, S.

2018-03-01

Indonesia as a developing country in the future will have high competitiveness if its students have high mathematics literacy ability. The current reality from year to year rankings of PISA mathematics literacy Indonesian students are still not good. This research is motivated by the importance and low ability of the mathematics literacy. The purpose of this study is to: (1) analyze the effectiveness of PMRI learning with media Schoology, (2) describe the ability of students' mathematics literacy on PMRI learning with media Schoology which is reviewed based on seven components of mathematics literacy, namely communication, mathematizing, representation, reasoning, devising strategies, using symbols, and using mathematics tool. The method used in this research is the method of sequential design method mix. Techniques of data collection using observation, interviews, tests, and documentation. Data analysis techniques use proportion test, appellate test, and use descriptive analysis. Based on the data analysis, it can be concluded; (1) PMRI learning with media Schoology effectively improve the ability of mathematics literacy because of the achievement of classical completeness, students' mathematics literacy ability in PMRI learning with media Schoology is higher than expository learning, and there is increasing ability of mathematics literacy in PMRI learning with media Schoology of 30%. (2) Highly capable students attain excellent mathematics literacy skills, can work using broad thinking with appropriate resolution strategies. Students who are capable of achieving good mathematics literacy skills can summarize information, present problem-solving processes, and interpret solutions. low-ability students have reached the level of ability of mathematics literacy good enough that can solve the problem in a simple way.

Improving students’ understanding of mathematical concept using maple

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ningsih, Y. L.; Paradesa, R.

2018-01-01

This study aimed to improve students’ understanding of mathematical concept ability through implementation of using Maple in learning and expository learning. This study used a quasi-experimental research with pretest-posttest control group design. The sample on this study was 61 students in the second semester of Mathematics Education of Universitas PGRI Palembang, South Sumatera in academic year 2016/2017. The sample was divided into two classes, one class as the experiment class who using Maple in learning and the other class as a control class who received expository learning. Data were collective through the test of mathematical initial ability and mathematical concept understanding ability. Data were analyzed by t-test and two ways ANOVA. The results of this study showed (1) the improvement of students’ mathematical concept understanding ability who using Maple in learning is better than those who using expository learning; (2) there is no interaction between learning model and students’ mathematical initial ability toward the improvement of students’ understanding of mathematical concept ability.

A case study of analyzing 11th graders’ problem solving ability on heat and temperature topic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yulianawati, D.; Muslim; Hasanah, L.; Samsudin, A.

2018-05-01

Problem solving ability must be owned by students after the process of physics learning so that the concept of physics becomes meaningful. Consequently, the research aims to describe their problem solving ability. Metacognition is contributed to physics learning to the success of students in solving problems. This research has already been implemented to 37 science students (30 women and 7 men) of eleventh grade from one of the secondary schools in Bandung. The research methods utilized the single case study with embedded research design. The instrument is Heat and Temperature Problem Solving Ability Test (HT-PSAT) which consists of twelve questions from three context problems. The result shows that the average value of the test is 8.27 out of the maximum total value of 36. In conclusion, eleventh graders’ problem-solving ability is still under expected. The implication of the findings is able to create learning situations which are probably developing students to embrace better problem solving ability.

Analysis on the science literacy ability of vocational school physics teacher using NOSLiT indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahayu, P. P.; Masykuri, M.; Soeparmi

2018-04-01

Professional Physics teacher must be able to manage science learning process by associating science itself with the daily life. At first the teacher must have competency in the ability of science literacy. The target of this research is vocational school Physics teachers for the purpose to describe their ability on science literacy. This research is a survey research using test method. The test instrument is The NOSLiT by Wenning.Research results are: 1) Scientific Nomenclature : 38.46 %, 2) Basic experimental and observational abilities : 38.46 %, 3) Rules of scientific evidence : 0%, 4) Postulate science: 15.38%, 5) scientific disposition: 7. 69%.Conclusion: The result of each indicator shows that the ability of science literacy of vocational school Physics teachers has not met the expectations yet. It’s can be used as the reflection for education experts to improve their science literacy ability so that can be applied to the learning process that directly or indirectly will have an impact on improving the students’ science literacy.

Variations in working memory capacity predict individual differences in general learning abilities among genetically diverse mice.

PubMed

Kolata, Stefan; Light, Kenneth; Townsend, David A; Hale, Gregory; Grossman, Henya C; Matzel, Louis D

2005-11-01

Up to 50% of an individuals' performance across a wide variety of distinct cognitive tests can be accounted for by a single factor (i.e., "general intelligence"). Despite its ubiquity, the processes or mechanisms regulating this factor are a matter of considerable debate. Although it has been hypothesized that working memory may impact cognitive performance across various domains, tests have been inconclusive due to the difficulty in isolating working memory from its overlapping operations, such as verbal ability. We address this problem using genetically diverse mice, which exhibit a trait analogous to general intelligence. The general cognitive abilities of CD-1 mice were found to covary with individuals' working memory capacity, but not with variations in long-term retention. These results provide evidence that independent of verbal abilities, variations in working memory are associated with general cognitive abilities, and further, suggest a conservation across species of mechanisms and/or processes that regulate cognitive abilities.

Pattern of mathematic representation ability in magnetic electricity problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hau, R. R. H.; Marwoto, P.; Putra, N. M. D.

2018-03-01

The mathematic representation ability in solving magnetic electricity problem gives information about the way students understand magnetic electricity. Students have varied mathematic representation pattern ability in solving magnetic electricity problem. This study aims to determine the pattern of students' mathematic representation ability in solving magnet electrical problems.The research method used is qualitative. The subject of this study is the fourth semester students of UNNES Physics Education Study Program. The data collection is done by giving a description test that refers to the test of mathematical representation ability and interview about field line topic and Gauss law. The result of data analysis of student's mathematical representation ability in solving magnet electric problem is categorized into high, medium and low category. The ability of mathematical representations in the high category tends to use a pattern of making known and asked symbols, writing equations, using quantities of physics, substituting quantities into equations, performing calculations and final answers. The ability of mathematical representation in the medium category tends to use several patterns of writing the known symbols, writing equations, using quantities of physics, substituting quantities into equations, performing calculations and final answers. The ability of mathematical representations in the low category tends to use several patterns of making known symbols, writing equations, substituting quantities into equations, performing calculations and final answer.

Role of cognitive assessment for high school graduates prior to choosing their college major.

PubMed

AlAbdulwahab, Sami S; Kachanathu, Shaji John; AlSaeed, Abdullah Saad

2018-02-01

[Purpose] Academic performance of college students can be impacted by the efficacy of students' ability and teaching methods. It is important to assess the progression of college students' cognitive abilities among different college majors and as they move from junior to senior levels. However, dearth of studies have been examined the role of cognitive ability tests as a tool to determine the aptitude of the perspective students. Therefore, this study assessed cognitive abilities of computer science and ART students. [Subjects and Methods] Participants were 130 college students (70 computer and 60 art students) in their first and final years of study at King Saud University. Cognitive ability was assessed using the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence, Third Edition. [Results] The cognitive ability of computer science students were statistically better than that of art students and were shown improvement from junior to senior levels, while the cognitive ability of art students did not. [Conclusion] The cognitive ability of computer science college students was superior compared to those in art, indicating the importance of cognitive ability assessment for high school graduates prior to choosing a college major. Cognitive scales should be included as an aptitude assessment tool for decision-makers and prospective students to determine an appropriate career, which might reduce the rate of university drop out.

Time Limits in Testing: An Analysis of Eye Movements and Visual Attention in Spatial Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roach, Victoria A.; Fraser, Graham M.; Kryklywy, James H.; Mitchell, Derek G. V.; Wilson, Timothy D.

2017-01-01

Individuals with an aptitude for interpreting spatial information (high mental rotation ability: HMRA) typically master anatomy with more ease, and more quickly, than those with low mental rotation ability (LMRA). This article explores how visual attention differs with time limits on spatial reasoning tests. Participants were assorted to two…

Profile Analysis of the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities with Gifted Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rizza, Mary G.; McIntosh, David E.; McCunn, Alice

2001-01-01

The Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) factor clusters of the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities (WJ III COG) were studied with a group of gifted and nongifted individuals. Results found both groups display similar patterns of performance across the CHC factor clusters. Discusses clinical and educational considerations when using the WJ III…

The Implications of Symptom Validity Test Failure for Ability-Based Test Performance in a Pediatric Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirkwood, Michael W.; Yeates, Keith Owen; Randolph, Christopher; Kirk, John W.

2012-01-01

If an examinee exerts inadequate effort to perform well during a psychological or neuropsychological exam, the resulting data will represent an inaccurate representation of the individual's true abilities and difficulties. In adult populations, methodologies to identify noncredible effort have grown exponentially in the last 2 decades. Though a…

Construct Validity of the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence and Wide Range Intelligence Test: Convergent and Structural Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canivez, Gary L.; Konold, Timothy R.; Collins, Jason M.; Wilson, Greg

2009-01-01

The Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI; Psychological Corporation, 1999) and the Wide Range Intelligence Test (WRIT; Glutting, Adams, & Sheslow, 2000) are two well-normed brief measures of general intelligence with subtests purportedly assessing verbal-crystallized abilities and nonverbal-fluid-visual abilities. With a sample of…

The Score Reliability of Draw-a-Person Intellectual Ability Test (DAP: IQ) for Rural Malawi Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khasu, Denis S.; Williams, Thomas O., Jr.

2016-01-01

In this brief article, the reliability of scores for the Draw-A-Person Intellectual Ability Test for Children, Adolescents, and Adults (DAP: IQ; Reynolds & Hickman, 2004) was examined through several analyses with a sample of 147 children from rural Malawi, Africa using a Chichewa translation of instructions. Cronbach alpha coefficients for…

Effects of Content Balancing and Item Selection Method on Ability Estimation in Computerized Adaptive Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Alper; Ozbasi, Durmus

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to reveal effects of content balancing and item selection method on ability estimation in computerized adaptive tests by comparing Fisher's maximum information (FMI) and likelihood weighted information (LWI) methods. Research Methods: Four groups of examinees (250, 500, 750, 1000) and a bank of 500 items with 10 different…

Testing microdensitometric ability to determine Monterey pine urban tree stress

Treesearch

David J. Nowak; Joe R. McBride

1993-01-01

Microdensitometric analysis of aerial photographs has been used to quantify urban tree stress of deciduous species. A test of this procedure applied to Monterey pine indicates that variations in ground cover beneath urban trees among cities and variations in crown morphology among tree species can limit the ability of microdensitometry to quantify urban tree stress....

On Maximizing Item Information and Matching Difficulty with Ability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bickel, Peter; Buyske, Steven; Chang, Huahua; Ying, Zhiliang

2001-01-01

Examined the assumption that matching difficulty levels of test items with an examinee's ability makes a test more efficient and challenged this assumption through a class of one-parameter item response theory models. Found the validity of the fundamental assumption to be closely related to the van Zwet tail ordering of symmetric distributions (W.…

A Comparative Study of a Research-Oriented High School Advanced Biology Class and a Conventional Textbook-Centered Class.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Alva Nelson

Two instructional methods were identified and compared to determine if any significant differences could be noted on three criterion measures. Measurements were conducted in the areas of achievement in biology, science attitudes, and critical thinking ability. Student ability was measured using pre-tests and the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Students…

Predicting Job Performance by Use of Ability Tests and Studying Job Satisfaction as a Moderating Variable

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivancevich, John M.

1976-01-01

This empirically based study of 324 technicians investigated the moderating impact of job satisfaction in the prediction of job performance criteria from ability test scores. The findings suggest that the type of job satisfaction facet and the performance criterion used are important considerations when examining satisfaction as a moderator.…

What Specific Science Abilities and Skills Are Romanian Students Developing during Primary Education? A Comparison with the Abilities Tested by the TIMSS 2011 Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciascai, Liliana; Dulama, Maria-Eliza

2013-01-01

The results of Romanian students at international comparative TIMSS and PISA tests have constantly proven to be unsatisfactory. The present paper aims at analyzing the school syllabi "Mathematics and Environment exploration", "Environmental Education" and "Natural Sciences" studied during primary education in Romania…

49 CFR 173.467 - Tests for demonstrating the ability of Type B and fissile materials packagings to withstand...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Tests for demonstrating the ability of Type B and fissile materials packagings to withstand accident conditions in transportation. 173.467 Section 173.467 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION...

49 CFR 173.467 - Tests for demonstrating the ability of Type B and fissile materials packagings to withstand...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Tests for demonstrating the ability of Type B and fissile materials packagings to withstand accident conditions in transportation. 173.467 Section 173.467 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION...

Cloze Listening Test (Form Lisbon and Form Waco).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowdidge, John S.

Designed to measure recall of specific information, ability to grasp the thought of a passage as a whole, and ability to apply various contextual clues while listening to a passage of aural communication, each of the alternate forms of the cloze listening test consists of an audio tape recording of approximately twenty minutes duration and a…

Test Performance and Social Comparison Choices of High School Men and Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golden, Gail Anna; Cherry, Frances

1982-01-01

Hypothesized that high school girls would perform better if they anticipated test results to be private, and that boys would perform better under conditions of anticipated public feedback. Found the hypothesis to be supported for girls in average ability classes; girls in advanced ability classes performed better with public feedback. (Author/GC)

Long-Term Impact of Improving Visualization Abilities of Minority Engineering and Technology Students: Preliminary Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Study, Nancy E.

2011-01-01

Previous studies found that students enrolled in introductory engineering graphics courses at a historically black university (HBCU) had significantly lower than average test scores on the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Visualization of Rotations (PSVT) when it was administered during the first week of class. Since the ability to visualize is…

Concurrent Validity of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability with the WISC-R: EMR Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cummings, Jack A.; Sanville, David

1983-01-01

Administered the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) and the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability (WJTCA) to educable mentally retarded children (N=30). Results showed significant mean differences between WISC-R and WJTCA full-scale standard scores, providing implications for placement of children in classes for the…

The Incidence of Dyslexia among Young Offenders in Kuwait

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elbeheri, Gad; Everatt, John; Malki, Mohammad Al

2009-01-01

This paper investigates the incidence of dyslexia among young offenders in Kuwait. A total of 91 children/young adults from 8 juvenile delinquent welfare centres across Kuwait were interviewed and tested. A measure of non-verbal reasoning ability was used to exclude those with low general ability. The remaining 53 participants were tested on their…

Cognitive Ability and Personality Variables as Predictors of School Grades and Test Scores in Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hofer, Manfred; Kuhnle, Claudia; Kilian, Britta; Fries, Stefan

2012-01-01

The predictive power of cognitive ability and self-control strength for self-reported grades and an achievement test were studied. It was expected that the variables use of time structure, academic procrastination, and motivational interference during learning further aid in predicting students' achievement because they are operative in situations…

Using Automatic Speech Recognition Technology with Elicited Oral Response Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Troy L.; Davies, Randall S.

2012-01-01

This study examined the use of automatic speech recognition (ASR) scored elicited oral response (EOR) tests to assess the speaking ability of English language learners. It also examined the relationship between ASR-scored EOR and other language proficiency measures and the ability of the ASR to rate speakers without bias to gender or native…

Linking Outcomes from Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test Forms Using Item Response Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Lesa; Templin, Jonathan; Rice, Mabel L.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The present work describes how vocabulary ability as assessed by 3 different forms of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT; Dunn & Dunn, 1997) can be placed on a common latent metric through item response theory (IRT) modeling, by which valid comparisons of ability between samples or over time can then be made. Method: Responses…

Development of the Spatial Ability Test for Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildiz, Sevda Göktepe; Özdemir, Ahmet Sükrü

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a test to determine spatial ability of middle school students. The participants were 704 middle school students (6th, 7th and 8th grade) who were studying at different schools from Istanbul. Item analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis were used to analyse the data.…

Identifying Gifted Children: Congruence among Different IQ Measures

PubMed Central

Fernández, Estrella; García, Trinidad; Arias-Gundín, Olga; Vázquez, Almudena; Rodríguez, Celestino

2017-01-01

This study has two main aims: (1) analysing the relationship between intellectual capacities and levels of creativity in a sample of Spanish students from the third and sixth grades; and (2) examining the discrimination capacities and degree of congruence among different tests of intellectual ability that are commonly used to identify high-ability students. The study sample comprised 236 primary school students. Participants completed different tests of intellectual ability, which were based on both fluid and crystallized intelligence, as well as creativity. Results indicated that it is advisable to use varying tests in the assessment process, and a complementary measure (i.e., creativity) in order to create a multi-criteria means of detection that can more efficiently distinguish this population of students. PMID:28775702

Identification and Evaluation of Methods to Determine Ability Requirements for Air Force Occupational Specialties

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-08-01

specific elements identified as useful for selection (Primoff & Eyde , 1988). The JEM approach uses a slightly different scale when test development is not...related to GATB scores and tests developed to measure specific elements (Primoff & Eyde , 1988). Of the ability taxonomies reviewed in this study, the...only formative at this point in time, the results of recent research in cognitive psychology and in use of the computer as a testing medium have not

A foundation for savantism? Visuo-spatial synaesthetes present with cognitive benefits.

PubMed

Simner, Julia; Mayo, Neil; Spiller, Mary-Jane

2009-01-01

Individuals with 'time-space' synaesthesia have conscious awareness of mappings between time and space (e.g., they may see months arranged in an ellipse, or years as columns or spirals). These mappings exist in the 3D space around the body or in a virtual space within the mind's eye. Our study shows that these extra-ordinary mappings derive from, or give rise to, superior abilities in the two domains linked by this cross-modal phenomenon (i.e., abilities relating to time, and visualised space). We tested ten time-space synaesthetes with a battery of temporal and visual/spatial tests. Our temporal battery (the Edinburgh [Public and Autobiographical] Events Battery - EEB) assessed both autobiographical and non-autobiographical memory for events. Our visual/spatial tests assessed the ability to manipulate real or imagined objects in 3D space (the Three Dimensional Constructional Praxis test; Visual Object and Space Perception Battery, University of Southern California Mental Rotation Test) as well as assessing visual memory recall (Visual Patterns Test - VPT). Synaesthetes' performance was superior to the control population in every assessment, but was not superior in tasks that do not draw upon abilities related to their mental calendars. Our paper discusses the implications of this temporal-spatial advantage as it relates to normal processing, synaesthetic processing, and to the savant-like condition of hyperthymestic syndrome (Parker et al., 2006).

Behavioural interactions between West African dwarf nanny goats and their twin-born kids during the first 48 h post-partum.

PubMed

Awotwi; Oppong-Anane; Addae; Oddoye

2000-07-01

West African dwarf nanny goats and their twin-born kids were tested to determine their behavioural response to separation and their mutual recognition during the first 48 h post-partum. Does and their kids were given scores ranging from 1 to 5, depending on how they performed in the tests. Animals that showed maximum response and recognition ability were given a score of 5, while those with minimum response and recognition ability scored 1. The kids were prevented from sucking 2 h prior to the tests, which were carried out at 18, 24, 36 and 48 h post-partum. Chi-square procedure was used to determine whether age, sex and birthweight of kids as well as hours post-partum and parity of dams had any effect on these post-partum behaviours. Out of 48 twin-born kids tested, 32 (67%) responded actively to separation from dams (i.e. had scores of 3 or more). The age, sex and birthweight of kids did not significantly affect (P>0.05) their response to separation from their dams. The hours post-partum and the parity of does also did not affect their response to separation from their kids. The dam recognition ability of twin-born kids was very poor. Out of a total of 48 kids tested, only 17 (35%) were able to recognize their dams (i.e. had scores of 3 or more). Even at 36 h, only four out of 14 (26%) could recognize their dams. It was only at 48 h that the majority of kids tested (i.e. 75%) successfully identified their dams. At 48 h, the dam recognition ability of kids was significantly better (P<0.05) than that of 18-h-old kids. Sex and birthweight of 24-48-h-old twin-born kids did not significantly affect (P>0.05) their ability to recognize their dams. The majority of does tested (i.e. 20 out of 24) were able to recognize their twin-born kids. The hour post-partum and parity of does did not significantly affect (P>0.05) their kid recognition ability.

Self-estimation of physical ability in stepping over an obstacle is not mediated by visual height perception: a comparison between young and older adults.

PubMed

Sakurai, Ryota; Fujiwara, Yoshinori; Ishihara, Masami; Yasunaga, Masashi; Ogawa, Susumu; Suzuki, Hiroyuki; Imanaka, Kuniyasu

2017-07-01

Older adults tend to overestimate their step-over ability. However, it is unclear as to whether this is caused by inaccurate self-estimation of physical ability or inaccurate perception of height. We, therefore, measured both visual height perception ability and self-estimation of step-over ability among young and older adults. Forty-seven older and 16 young adults performed a height perception test (HPT) and a step-over test (SOT). Participants visually judged the height of vertical bars from distances of 7 and 1 m away in the HPT, then self-estimated and, subsequently, actually performed a step-over action in the SOT. The results showed no significant difference between young and older adults in visual height perception. In the SOT, young adults tended to underestimate their step-over ability, whereas older adults either overestimated their abilities or underestimated them to a lesser extent than did the young adults. Moreover, visual height perception was not correlated with the self-estimation of step-over ability in both young and older adults. These results suggest that the self-overestimation of step-over ability which appeared in some healthy older adults may not be caused by the nature of visual height perception, but by other factor(s), such as the likely age-related nature of self-estimation of physical ability, per se.

Differential item functioning analysis of the Vanderbilt Expertise Test for cars.

PubMed

Lee, Woo-Yeol; Cho, Sun-Joo; McGugin, Rankin W; Van Gulick, Ana Beth; Gauthier, Isabel

2015-01-01

The Vanderbilt Expertise Test for cars (VETcar) is a test of visual learning for contemporary car models. We used item response theory to assess the VETcar and in particular used differential item functioning (DIF) analysis to ask if the test functions the same way in laboratory versus online settings and for different groups based on age and gender. An exploratory factor analysis found evidence of multidimensionality in the VETcar, although a single dimension was deemed sufficient to capture the recognition ability measured by the test. We selected a unidimensional three-parameter logistic item response model to examine item characteristics and subject abilities. The VETcar had satisfactory internal consistency. A substantial number of items showed DIF at a medium effect size for test setting and for age group, whereas gender DIF was negligible. Because online subjects were on average older than those tested in the lab, we focused on the age groups to conduct a multigroup item response theory analysis. This revealed that most items on the test favored the younger group. DIF could be more the rule than the exception when measuring performance with familiar object categories, therefore posing a challenge for the measurement of either domain-general visual abilities or category-specific knowledge.

The Mediating Relation between Symbolic and Nonsymbolic Foundations of Math Competence

PubMed Central

Price, Gavin R.; Fuchs, Lynn S.

2016-01-01

This study investigated the relation between symbolic and nonsymbolic magnitude processing abilities with 2 standardized measures of math competence (WRAT Arithmetic and KeyMath Numeration) in 150 3rd- grade children (mean age 9.01 years). Participants compared sets of dots and pairs of Arabic digits with numerosities 1–9 for relative numerical magnitude. In line with previous studies, performance on both symbolic and nonsymbolic magnitude processing was related to math ability. Performance metrics combining reaction and accuracy, as well as weber fractions, were entered into mediation models with standardized math test scores. Results showed that symbolic magnitude processing ability fully mediates the relation between nonsymbolic magnitude processing and math ability, regardless of the performance metric or standardized test. PMID:26859564

The Mediating Relation between Symbolic and Nonsymbolic Foundations of Math Competence.

PubMed

Price, Gavin R; Fuchs, Lynn S

2016-01-01

This study investigated the relation between symbolic and nonsymbolic magnitude processing abilities with 2 standardized measures of math competence (WRAT Arithmetic and KeyMath Numeration) in 150 3rd-grade children (mean age 9.01 years). Participants compared sets of dots and pairs of Arabic digits with numerosities 1-9 for relative numerical magnitude. In line with previous studies, performance on both symbolic and nonsymbolic magnitude processing was related to math ability. Performance metrics combining reaction and accuracy, as well as weber fractions, were entered into mediation models with standardized math test scores. Results showed that symbolic magnitude processing ability fully mediates the relation between nonsymbolic magnitude processing and math ability, regardless of the performance metric or standardized test.

Temporal cognition in children with autistic spectrum disorders: tests of diachronic thinking.

PubMed

Boucher, Jill; Pons, Francisco; Lind, Sophie; Williams, David

2007-09-01

Impaired diachronic thinking-(the propensity and capacity to think about events spreading across time)-was demonstrated in a 2-Phase study in which children with autism were compared with age and ability matched controls. Identical tests of diachronic thinking were administered in both phases of the study, but to different participant groups, with the same results. The marked impairments shown are therefore robust. Various non-temporal explanations of the findings were eliminated by the results of control tasks in Phase 2. Diachronic thinking did not correlate with verbal or non-verbal ability, age, or mentalising ability, consistent with other evidence of the specificity of diachronic thinking ability. Possible causes of impaired diachronic thinking in autism are discussed.

Using science digital storytelling to increase students’ cognitive ability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dewi, N. R.; Savitri, E. N.; Taufiq, M.; Khusniati, M.

2018-04-01

The purpose of this research is to understand whether or not science digital storytelling can improve cognitive ability. The research design used in this study was one shoot case study. The population of the research was seventh-grade students of junior high school. The number of samples involved in this study was two classes with a total of 68 students. Data of students' cognitive ability were collected using a test. The data that has been collected were then analyzed using N-gain test. Results of data analysis showed that N-gain values of experimental groups are equal to 0.48 and 0.42 which are categorized into medium category. This finding indicates that science digital storytelling can improve students' cognitive ability.

Profile of biology prospective teachers’ representation on plant anatomy learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ermayanti; Susanti, R.; Anwar, Y.

2018-04-01

This study aims to obtaining students’ representation ability in understanding the structure and function of plant tissues in plant anatomy course. Thirty students of The Biology Education Department of Sriwijaya University were involved in this study. Data on representation ability were collected using test and observation. The instruments had been validated by expert judgment. Test scores were used to represent students’ ability in 4 categories: 2D-image, 3D-image, spatial, and verbal representations. The results show that students’ representation ability is still low: 2D-image (40.0), 3D-image (25.0), spatial (20.0), and verbal representation (45.0). Based on the results of this study, it is suggested that instructional strategies be developed for plant anatomy course.

Associations between Private Speech, Behavioral Self-Regulation, and Cognitive Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aro, Tuija; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija; Laakso, Marja-Leena; Tolvanen, Asko; Ahonen, Timo

2015-01-01

We examined the associations between 5-year-old children's private speech, behavioural self-regulation, and cognitive abilities. Behavioural self-regulation was assessed using parental and preschool teacher questionnaires. Cognitive abilities (i.e., language, inhibition, planning and fluency, and memory) were assessed with neurocognitive tests,…

Intellectual Abilities That Discriminate Good and Poor Problem Solvers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Ruth Ann

1981-01-01

This study compared good and poor fourth-grade problem solvers on a battery of 19 "reference" tests for verbal, induction, numerical, word fluency, memory, perceptual speed, and simple visualization abilities. Results suggest verbal, numerical, and especially induction abilities are important to successful mathematical problem solving.…

The Measurement of Translation Ability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stansfield, Charles W.; And Others

1992-01-01

Variables that constitute translation ability are discussed, based on a two-year development and validation study of job-related tests of translation ability for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The project involved the development of two parallel forms of the Spanish into English Verbatim Translation Exam (SEVTE). (five references) (LB)

Neurocognitive abilities in young adults with very low birth weight.

PubMed

Pyhälä, R; Lahti, J; Heinonen, K; Pesonen, A-K; Strang-Karlsson, S; Hovi, P; Järvenpää, A-L; Eriksson, J G; Andersson, S; Kajantie, E; Räikkönen, K

2011-12-06

Although severely preterm birth has been associated with impaired neurocognitive abilities in children, follow-up studies in adulthood are scarce. We set out to study whether adults born with very low birth weight (VLBW) (<1,500 g), either small for gestational age (SGA) (birth weight ≤-2 SD) or appropriate for gestational age (AGA), differ in a range of neurocognitive abilities and academic performance from adults born at term and not SGA. As part of the Helsinki Study of Very Low Birth Weight Adults, 103 VLBW (37 SGA) and 105 term-born control adults (mean age 25.0, range 21.4-29.7 years) without major neurosensory impairments participated in the follow-up study in 2007-2008. The test battery included measures of general cognitive ability as well as executive functioning and related abilities. Academic performance was self-reported. With adjustment for sex and age, the VLBW group scored lower or performed slower than the control group in some indices of all tests (these mean differences ranged from 0.3 to 0.5 SD units, p ≤ 0.03) and they had received remedial education at school more frequently; however, no differences existed in self-reported academic performance. The differences were evident in both VLBW-SGA and VLBW-AGA groups. Further covariate adjustments for parental education, current head circumference, and head circumference at birth and, in tests of executive functioning and related abilities, adjustment for IQ estimate had minor effects on the results. In comparison with control adults, VLBW adults scored lower on several neurocognitive tests. Poorer neurocognitive performance is associated with VLBW irrespective of the intrauterine growth pattern.

An in vitro Comparative Evaluation of Efficacy of Disinfecting Ability of Garlic Oil, Neem Oil, Clove Oil, and Tulsi Oil with autoclaving on Endodontic K Files tested against Enterococcus faecalis

PubMed Central

Hugar, Shivayogi; Nagmoti, Jyoti; Uppin, Chaitanya; Mistry, Laresh; Dhariwal, Neha

2017-01-01

Aim To comparatively evaluate the efficacy of disinfecting ability of garlic oil, neem oil, clove oil, and tulsi oil with autoclaving on endodontic K files tested against Enterococcus faecalis. Materials and methods Fifty endodontic K files were exposed to the test micro-organism and checked for its disinfecting ability using three different methods. Result Garlic oil, clove oil, tulsi oil and autoclave showed considerable effectiveness against E. faecalis except neem oil. Conclusion Garlic oil, clove oil and tulsi oil are an effective disinfectant and can be used as an alternative to autoclaving against the test micro-organism. Clinical Significance Herbs and herbal extracts are a natural and harmless way of controlling infection. These products are readily available and comparable to gold standard, thus can have its applications in rural India. How to cite this article Hugar S, Patel PM, Nagmoti J, Uppin C, Mistry L, Dhariwal N. An in vitro Comparative Evaluation of Efficacy of Disinfecting Ability of Garlic Oil, Neem Oil, Clove Oil, and Tulsi Oil with autoclaving on Endodontic K Files tested against Enterococcus faecalis. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017;10(3):283-288. PMID:29104390

Anthropometric, physiological and performance characteristics of elite team-handball players.

PubMed

Chaouachi, Anis; Brughelli, Matt; Levin, Gregory; Boudhina, Nahla Ben Brahim; Cronin, John; Chamari, Karim

2009-01-15

The objective of this study was to provide anthropometric, physiological, and performance characteristics of an elite international handball team. Twenty-one elite handball players were tested and categorized according to their playing positions (goalkeepers, backs, pivots, and wings). Testing consisted of anthropometric and physiological measures of height, body mass, percentage body fat and endurance (VO(2max)), performance measures of speed (5, 10, and 30 m), strength (bench press and squat), unilateral and bilateral horizontal jumping ability, and a 5-jump horizontal test. Significant differences were found between player positions for some anthropometric characteristics (height and percentage body fat) but not for the physiological or performance characteristics. Strong correlations were noted between single leg horizontal jumping distances with 5-, 10-, and 30-m sprint times (r = 0.51-0.80; P < 0.01). The best predictors of sprint times were single leg horizontal jumping with the dominant leg and the distance measured for the 5-jump test, which when combined accounted for 72% of the common variance associated with sprint ability. In conclusion, performance abilities between positions in elite team-handball players appear to be very similar. Single leg horizontal jumping distance could be a specific standardized test for predicting sprinting ability in elite handball players.

Academic performance, career potential, creativity, and job performance: can one construct predict them all?

PubMed

Kuncel, Nathan R; Hezlett, Sarah A; Ones, Deniz S

2004-01-01

This meta-analysis addresses the question of whether 1 general cognitive ability measure developed for predicting academic performance is valid for predicting performance in both educational and work domains. The validity of the Miller Analogies Test (MAT; W. S. Miller, 1960) for predicting 18 academic and work-related criteria was examined. MAT correlations with other cognitive tests (e.g., Raven's Matrices [J. C. Raven, 1965]; Graduate Record Examinations) also were meta-analyzed. The results indicate that the abilities measured by the MAT are shared with other cognitive ability instruments and that these abilities are generalizably valid predictors of academic and vocational criteria, as well as evaluations of career potential and creativity. These findings contradict the notion that intelligence at work is wholly different from intelligence at school, extending the voluminous literature that supports the broad importance of general cognitive ability (g).

Everyday Cognition: Age and Intellectual Ability Correlates

PubMed Central

Allaire, Jason C.; Marsiske, Michael

2010-01-01

The primary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between a new battery of everyday cognition measures, which assessed 4 cognitive abilities within 3 familiar real-world domains, and traditional psychometric tests of the same basic cognitive abilities. Several theoreticians have argued that everyday cognition measures are somewhat distinct from traditional cognitive assessment approaches, and the authors investigated this assertion correlationally in the present study. The sample consisted of 174 community-dwelling older adults from the Detroit metropolitan area, who had an average age of 73 years. Major results of the study showed that (a) each everyday cognitive test was strongly correlated with the basic cognitive abilities; (b) several basic abilities, as well as measures of domain-specific knowledge, predicted everyday cognitive performance; and (c) everyday and basic measures were similarly related to age. The results suggest that everyday cognition is not unrelated to traditional measures, nor is it less sensitive to age-related differences. PMID:10632150

Spatial ability in secondary school students: intra-sex differences based on self-selection for physical education.

PubMed

Tlauka, Michael; Williams, Jennifer; Williamson, Paul

2008-08-01

Past research has demonstrated consistent sex differences with men typically outperforming women on tests of spatial ability. However, less is known about intra-sex effects. In the present study, two groups of female students (physical education and non-physical education secondary students) and two corresponding groups of male students explored a large-scale virtual shopping centre. In a battery of tasks, spatial knowledge of the shopping centre as well as mental rotation ability were tested. Additional variables considered were circulating testosterone levels, the ratio of 2D:4D digit length, and computer experience. The results revealed both sex and intra-sex differences in spatial ability. Variables related to virtual navigation and computer ability and experience were found to be the most powerful predictors of group membership. Our results suggest that in female and male secondary students, participation in physical education and spatial skill are related.

Concurrent validity of the differential ability scales, second edition with the Mullen Scales of Early Learning in young children with and without neurodevelopmental disorders.

PubMed

Farmer, Cristan; Golden, Christine; Thurm, Audrey

2016-01-01

Estimates of intelligence in young children with neurodevelopmental disorders are critical for making diagnoses, in characterizing symptoms of disorders, and in predicting future outcomes. The limitations of standardized testing for children with developmental delay or cognitive impairment are well known: Tests do not exist that provide developmentally appropriate material along with norms that extend to the lower reaches of ability. Two commonly used and interchanged instruments are the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL), a test of developmental level, and the Differential Ability Scales, second edition (DAS-II), a more traditional cognitive test. We evaluated the correspondence of contemporaneous MSEL and the DAS-II scores in a mixed sample of children aged 2-10 years with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), non-ASD developmental delays, and typically developing children across the full spectrum of cognitive ability. Consistent with published data on the original DAS and the MSEL, scores on the DAS-II and MSEL were highly correlated. However, curve estimation revealed large mean differences that varied as a function of the child's cognitive ability level. We conclude that interchanging MSEL and DAS-II scores without regard to the discrepancy in scores may produce misleading results in both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of children with and without ASD, and, thus, this practice should be implemented with caution.

Planning abilities of children aged 4 years and 9 months to 8 ½ years: Effects of age, fluid intelligence and school type on performance in the Tower of London test

PubMed Central

Malloy-Diniz, Leandro Fernandes; Cardoso-Martins, Cláudia; Nassif, Elaine Pacheco; Levy, Angela Maria; Leite, Wellington Borges; Fuentes, Daniel

2008-01-01

The present study investigated the relationship between age and one type of environmental factor, namely, type of school (i.e., private vs. public), and the development of mental planning ability, as measured by the Tower of London (TOL) test. Methods Participants comprised 197 public and 174 private school students, ranging in age from 4 years and 9 months to 8 years and 6 months. Besides the TOL test, students were administered Raven's Colored Matrices. Results Results confirmed the findings of previous studies that both age and school type are important predictors of mental planning. Furthermore, results also suggest that the relationship between type of school and mental planning ability cannot be accounted for by differences in students' fluid intelligence. Conclusion In the present study, the TOL test continued to differentiate public from private school students, even after we controlled for the effect of differences on the Raven test. PMID:29213536

Evaluation of physicochemical properties of root-end filling materials using conventional and Micro-CT tests

PubMed Central

TORRES, Fernanda Ferrari Esteves; BOSSO-MARTELO, Roberta; ESPIR, Camila Galletti; CIRELLI, Joni Augusto; GUERREIRO-TANOMARU, Juliane Maria; TANOMARU-FILHO, Mario

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective To evaluate solubility, dimensional stability, filling ability and volumetric change of root-end filling materials using conventional tests and new Micro-CT-based methods. Material and Methods 7 Results The results suggested correlated or complementary data between the proposed tests. At 7 days, BIO showed higher solubility and at 30 days, showed higher volumetric change in comparison with MTA (p<0.05). With regard to volumetric change, the tested materials were similar (p>0.05) at 7 days. At 30 days, they presented similar solubility. BIO and MTA showed higher dimensional stability than ZOE (p<0.05). ZOE and BIO showed higher filling ability (p<0.05). Conclusions ZOE presented a higher dimensional change, and BIO had greater solubility after 7 days. BIO presented filling ability and dimensional stability, but greater volumetric change than MTA after 30 days. Micro-CT can provide important data on the physicochemical properties of materials complementing conventional tests. PMID:28877275

Planning or something else? Examining neuropsychological predictors of Zoo Map performance.

PubMed

Oosterman, Joukje M; Wijers, Marijn; Kessels, Roy P C

2013-01-01

The Zoo Map Test of the Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome battery is often applied to measure planning ability as part of executive function. Successful performance on this test is, however, dependent on various cognitive functions, and deficient Zoo Map performance does therefore not necessarily imply selectively disrupted planning abilities. To address this important issue, we examined whether planning is still the most important predictor of Zoo Map performance in a heterogeneous sample of neurologic and psychiatric outpatients (N = 71). In addition to the Zoo Map Test, the patients completed other neuropsychological tests of planning, inhibition, processing speed, and episodic memory. Planning was the strongest predictor of the total raw score and inappropriate places visited, and no additional contribution of other cognitive scores was found. One exception to this was the total time, which was associated with processing speed. Overall, our findings indicate that the Zoo Map Test is a valid indicator of planning ability in a heterogeneous patient sample.

Electronic vending machines for dispensing rapid HIV self-testing kits: a case study.

PubMed

Young, Sean D; Klausner, Jeffrey; Fynn, Risa; Bolan, Robert

2014-02-01

This short report evaluates the feasibility of using electronic vending machines for dispensing oral, fluid, rapid HIV self-testing kits in Los Angeles County. Feasibility criteria that needed to be addressed were defined as: (1) ability to find a manufacturer who would allow dispensing of HIV testing kits and could fit them to the dimensions of a vending machine, (2) ability to identify and address potential initial obstacles, trade-offs in choosing a machine location, and (3) ability to gain community approval for implementing this approach in a community setting. To address these issues, we contracted a vending machine company who could supply a customized, Internet-enabled machine that could dispense HIV kits and partnered with a local health center available to host the machine onsite and provide counseling to participants, if needed. Vending machines appear to be feasible technologies that can be used to distribute HIV testing kits.

Electronic vending machines for dispensing rapid HIV self-testing kits: A case study

PubMed Central

Young, Sean D.; Klausner, Jeffrey; Fynn, Risa; Bolan, Robert

2014-01-01

This short report evaluates the feasibility of using electronic vending machines for dispensing oral, fluid, rapid HIV-self testing kits in Los Angeles County. Feasibility criteria that needed to be addressed were defined as: 1) ability to find a manufacturer who would allow dispensing of HIV testing kits and could fit them to the dimensions of a vending machine, 2) ability to identify and address potential initial obstacles, trade-offs in choosing a machine location, and 3) ability to gain community approval for implementing this approach in a community setting. To address these issues, we contracted a vending machine company who could supply a customized, Internet-enabled machine that could dispense HIV kits and partnered with a local health center available to host the machine onsite and provide counseling to participants, if needed. Vending machines appear to be feasible technologies that can be used to distribute HIV testing kits. PMID:23777528

A Dynamic Speech Comprehension Test for Assessing Real-World Listening Ability.

PubMed

Best, Virginia; Keidser, Gitte; Freeston, Katrina; Buchholz, Jörg M

2016-07-01

Many listeners with hearing loss report particular difficulties with multitalker communication situations, but these difficulties are not well predicted using current clinical and laboratory assessment tools. The overall aim of this work is to create new speech tests that capture key aspects of multitalker communication situations and ultimately provide better predictions of real-world communication abilities and the effect of hearing aids. A test of ongoing speech comprehension introduced previously was extended to include naturalistic conversations between multiple talkers as targets, and a reverberant background environment containing competing conversations. In this article, we describe the development of this test and present a validation study. Thirty listeners with normal hearing participated in this study. Speech comprehension was measured for one-, two-, and three-talker passages at three different signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), and working memory ability was measured using the reading span test. Analyses were conducted to examine passage equivalence, learning effects, and test-retest reliability, and to characterize the effects of number of talkers and SNR. Although we observed differences in difficulty across passages, it was possible to group the passages into four equivalent sets. Using this grouping, we achieved good test-retest reliability and observed no significant learning effects. Comprehension performance was sensitive to the SNR but did not decrease as the number of talkers increased. Individual performance showed associations with age and reading span score. This new dynamic speech comprehension test appears to be valid and suitable for experimental purposes. Further work will explore its utility as a tool for predicting real-world communication ability and hearing aid benefit. American Academy of Audiology.

Ability Emotional Intelligence, Trait Emotional Intelligence, and Academic Success in British Secondary Schools: A 5 Year Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qualter, Pamela; Gardner, Kathryn J.; Pope, Debbie J.; Hutchinson, Jane M.; Whiteley, Helen E.

2012-01-01

This study examines the long-term effects of ability- and trait EI on academic performance for British adolescents. The sample comprised 413 students from three secondary schools in the North-West of England. Students completed tests of ability EI, trait EI, personality, and cognitive ability in Year 7 (mean age = 11 years 2 months). Performance…

Exploring the Different Trajectories of Analytical Thinking Ability Factors: An Application of the Second-Order Growth Curve Factor Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saengprom, Narumon; Erawan, Waraporn; Damrongpanit, Suntonrapot; Sakulku, Jaruwan

2015-01-01

The purposes of this study were 1) Compare analytical thinking ability by testing the same sets of students 5 times 2) Develop and verify whether analytical thinking ability of students corresponds to second-order growth curve factors model. Samples were 1,093 eighth-grade students. The results revealed that 1) Analytical thinking ability scores…

Assessing Deaf Children's Written Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steinkamp, Marjorie W.; Quigley, Stephen P.

1977-01-01

Described is the development of the Test of Syntactical Abilities (TSA), an instrument for measuring deaf children's ability to comprehend and produce syntactically correct written sentences. (Author/IM)

Improving the TAMI for use with athletes.

PubMed

Madan, Christopher R; Singhal, Anthony

2014-01-01

Athletes have been shown to have greater movement imagery abilities than non-athletes. However, since these differences were observed using questionnaires where participants subjectively judged the vividness of performing imagined movements, it is possible that responses could be biased by other factors such as social desirability. One possible solution is to use an objective test, such as the Test of Ability in Movement Imagery (TAMI; Madan, C. R., & Singhal, A. (2013). Introducing TAMI: An objective test of ability in movement imagery. Journal of Motor Behavior, 45, 153-166.). Unfortunately, young adults perform relatively well on the TAMI, leaving little room for statistical sensitivity in observing higher scores. Here we propose an alternate scoring method for the TAMI that resolves this limitation by weighing items according to their difficulty. We apply this scoring method to existing data and show that this improves the TAMI's selectivity to measuring ability in movement imagery, rather than related imagery processes. Thus, we have successfully improved the TAMI to be more suited for use with athletic populations.

Body mass index is not associated with sperm-zona pellucida binding ability in subfertile males.

PubMed

Sermondade, Nathalie; Dupont, Charlotte; Faure, Céline; Boubaya, Marouane; Cédrin-Durnerin, Isabelle; Chavatte-Palmer, Pascale; Sifer, Christophe; Lévy, Rachel

2013-09-01

Lifestyle factors, such as weight and nutritional status may affect male fertility, including sperm fertilization ability. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the association between body mass index (BMI) and sperm-zona pellucida binding ability assessed according to the zona binding (ZB) test, which has been described to be a relevant diagnostic tool for the prediction of in vitro fertilization (IVF) ability. Three hundred and six male patients from couples diagnosed with primary idiopathic or mild male factor infertility were included. Correlations between BMI and semen parameters according to ZB test indices were assessed, together with frequencies of positive and negative tests across the BMI categories. In this selected population, BMI was not related to conventional semen parameters or sperm quality assessed according to the ability of spermatozoa to bind to the zona pellucida. The previously described poor outcomes of IVF procedures in cases of male obesity could be due to other sperm defects, such as alterations of sperm capacitation or acrosome reaction. The link between male BMI and biological outcomes during IVF procedures, such as fertilization rates, should be further evaluated.

The stereognostic ability of natural dentitions versus implant-supported fixed prostheses or overdentures.

PubMed

Jacobs, R; Bou Serhal, C; van Steenberghe, D

1997-06-01

A stereognostic ability test was performed in 60 patients. Forty patients were rehabilitated by means of osseointegrated implants. One group consisted of 20 patients with fixed prostheses on implants in both the upper and lower jaws. The other 20 patients had a maxillary denture while in the mandible an overdenture was retained by means of two implants connected by a bar. They were compared to a group of 20 subjects (controls) with a non-restored natural dentition. For the stereognostic ability test, subjects had to recognise ten different test pieces by manipulating them with two antagonistic incisor teeth, avoiding any contact with other oral structures. Both response time and percentage accuracy of recognition were evaluated. The present findings indicated that subjects with an overdenture on implants did not score significantly different from those with an implant-supported fixed prosthesis. In contrast, subjects with teeth had a significantly better stereognostic ability. The percentage of correct responses was 52% for overdentures, 56% for fixed prostheses on implants and 75% for natural dentitions. From these results, it could be concluded that the stereognostic ability is impaired in subjects rehabilitated with osseointegrated implants by about one-third to one-quarter compared to subjects with natural teeth.

Differences in cognitive ability and hippocampal volume between Alzheimer's disease, amnestic mild cognitive impairment, and healthy control groups, and their correlation.

PubMed

Choi, Mi-Hyun; Kim, Hyung-Sik; Gim, Seon-Young; Kim, Woo-Ram; Mun, Kyung-Ryul; Tack, Gye-Rae; Lee, Bongsoo; Choi, Young Chil; Kim, Hyun-Jun; Hong, Seung Hwa; Lim, Dae-Woon; Chung, Soon-Cheol

2016-05-04

The study investigated differences in cognitive ability and hippocampal volume between groups of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and healthy control (HC) subjects, and explored the relationship between cognitive ability and hippocampal volume. Among the sub-tests of Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-K), the Boston naming test score decreased in the order HC, aMCI, and AD. The hippocampal volumes of subjects with AD and aMCI were relatively smaller than those of HC individuals. There were strongly positive correlations between hippocampal volume and the scores for the Boston naming test. Discriminant analysis identified the Boston naming test as having the highest level of discrimination among the variables used to differentiate the three groups (89.9%). In conclusion, the Boston naming test accurately differentiated the three groups and was correlated with hippocampal volume. These results will be helpful for choosing an accurate and economically feasible test method that efficiently differentiates the three groups. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of the NOSCA - nurses' observation scale of cognitive abilities.

PubMed

Persoon, Anke; Schoonhoven, Lisette; Melis, Rene J F; van Achterberg, Theo; Kessels, Roy P C; Rikkert, Marcel G M Olde

2012-11-01

To examine the psychometric properties of the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities. Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities is a behavioural rating scale comprising eight subscales that represent different cognitive domains. It is based on observations during contact between nurse and patient. Observational study. A total of 50 patients from two geriatric wards in acute care hospitals participated in this study. Reliability was examined via internal consistency and inter-rater reliability. Construct validity of the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities and its subscales were explored by means of convergent and divergent validity and post hoc analyses for group differences. Cronbach's αs of the total Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities and its subscales were 0·98 and 0·66-0·93, respectively. The item-total correlations were satisfactory (overall > 0·4). The intra-class coefficients were good (37 of 39 items > 0·4). The convergent validity of the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities against cognitive ratings (MMSE, NOSGER) and severity of dementia (Clinical Dementia Rating) demonstrated satisfactory correlations (0·59-0·70, p < 0·01), except for IQCODE (0·30, p > 0·05). The divergent validity of the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities against depressive symptoms was low (0·12, p > 0·05). The construct validity of the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities subscales against 13 specific neuropsychological tests showed correlations varying from poor to fair (0·18-0·74; 10 of 13 correlations p < 0·05). Validity and reliability of the total Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities are excellent. The correlations between the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities subscales and standard neuropsychological tests were moderate. More conclusive results may be found if the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities subscales were to be validated using more ecologically valid tests and in a patient population with less cognitive impairment. Use of the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities yields standardised, reliable and valid information about patient's cognitive behaviour in daily practice. The Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities aids in tailoring nursing interventions to patients' specific cognitive needs. We advocate the implementation of the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities both in research and at geriatric units in acute care hospitals. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Text Recall in Adulthood: The Role of Intellectual Abilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hultsch, David F.; And Others

1984-01-01

Examines age-related predictive relationships among an array of psychometric intellectual ability markers and text recall performance. Women from three age groups (ranging from 21 to 78 years) read and recalled four narratives at three delay intervals and completed a battery of intellectual ability tests. (Author/CB)

Modeling Ability Differentiation in the Second-Order Factor Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molenaar, Dylan; Dolan, Conor V.; van der Maas, Han L. J.

2011-01-01

In this article we present factor models to test for ability differentiation. Ability differentiation predicts that the size of IQ subtest correlations decreases as a function of the general intelligence factor. In the Schmid-Leiman decomposition of the second-order factor model, we model differentiation by introducing heteroscedastic residuals,…

20 CFR 404.1592 - The trial work period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... which you may test your ability to work and still be considered disabled. It begins and ends as...); (ii) If you perform work demonstrating the ability to engage in substantial gainful activity during any required waiting period for benefits; (iii) If you perform work demonstrating the ability to...

20 CFR 404.1592 - The trial work period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... which you may test your ability to work and still be considered disabled. It begins and ends as...); (ii) If you perform work demonstrating the ability to engage in substantial gainful activity during any required waiting period for benefits; (iii) If you perform work demonstrating the ability to...

20 CFR 404.1592 - The trial work period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... which you may test your ability to work and still be considered disabled. It begins and ends as...); (ii) If you perform work demonstrating the ability to engage in substantial gainful activity during any required waiting period for benefits; (iii) If you perform work demonstrating the ability to...

A Study of the Relationship between Kindergarten Nonverbal Ability and Third-Grade Reading Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wills, Aaron J.

2012-01-01

Increased scrutiny of educational proficiency targets has intensified the urgency for educators to identify measurements that indicate students' likelihood of eventual achievement in reading. This regression analysis explored the relationship between nonverbal ability in kindergarten as measured by the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) and…

Scientific Investigations of Elementary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valanides, Nicos; Papageorgiou, Maria; Angeli, Charoula

2014-01-01

The study provides evidence concerning elementary school children's ability to conduct a scientific investigation. Two hundred and fifty sixth-grade students and 248 fourth-grade students were administered a test, and based on their performance, they were classified into high-ability and low-ability students. The sample of this study was…

Sex Differences in Spatial Ability: A Critique.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clear, Sarah-Jane

1978-01-01

Explores (1) problems of the validity of tests of spatial ability, and (2) problems of the recessive gene influence theory of the origin of sex differences in spatial ability. Studies of cognitive strategies in spatial problem solving are suggested as a way to further investigate recessive gene influence. (Author/RH)

A Performance of Individual Differences in Selective Attention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wahl, Otto

A reliable, easily administered performance test of selective attentional ability was sought. A monaural listening task provided a baseline control for adequate hearing and memory; a dichotic listening task then provided indices of ability to focus attention and resist distraction while a simultaneous listening task provided measures of ability to…

33 CFR 154.2010 - Qualifications for acceptance as a certifying entity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... qualifications: (a) The ability to review and evaluate design drawings and failure analyses for compliance to... incorporated by reference; (c) The ability to monitor and evaluate test procedures and results for compliance with the operational requirements of this subpart; (d) The ability to perform inspections and observe...

The Relationship between Creative Thinking Ability and Creative Personality of Preschoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Kyung-Hwa

2005-01-01

This study investigates the relationship between creative thinking ability and creative personality of preschoolers. Prior research showed that the correlation coefficient between creative thinking ability and creative personality of teenagers was very low (Hah, 1999), so this research was undertaken to validate the test and to examine how…

Language Ability Predicts the Development of Behavior Problems in Children

PubMed Central

Petersen, Isaac T.; Bates, John E.; D’Onofrio, Brian M.; Coyne, Claire A.; Lansford, Jennifer E.; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Pettit, Gregory S.; Van Hulle, Carol A.

2013-01-01

Prior studies have suggested, but not fully established, that language ability is important for regulating attention and behavior. Language ability may have implications for understanding attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorders, as well as subclinical problems. This article reports findings from two longitudinal studies to test (a) whether language ability has an independent effect on behavior problems, and (b) the direction of effect between language ability and behavior problems. In Study 1 (N = 585), language ability was measured annually from ages 7 to 13 years by language subtests of standardized academic achievement tests administered at the children’s schools. Inattentive-hyperactive (I-H) and externalizing (EXT) problems were reported annually by teachers and mothers. In Study 2 (N = 11,506), language ability (receptive vocabulary) and mother-rated I-H and EXT problems were measured biannually from ages 4 to 12 years. Analyses in both studies showed that language ability predicted within-individual variability in the development of I-H and EXT problems over and above the effects of sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and performance in other academic and intellectual domains (e.g., math, reading comprehension, reading recognition, and short-term memory [STM]). Even after controls for prior levels of behavior problems, language ability predicted later behavior problems more strongly than behavior problems predicted later language ability, suggesting that the direction of effect may be from language ability to behavior problems. The findings suggest that language ability may be a useful target for the prevention or even treatment of attention deficits and EXT problems in children. PMID:23713507

Effects of Calibration Sample Size and Item Bank Size on Ability Estimation in Computerized Adaptive Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Alper; Weiss, David J.

2015-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the effects of calibration sample size and item bank size on examinee ability estimation in computerized adaptive testing (CAT). For this purpose, a 500-item bank pre-calibrated using the three-parameter logistic model with 10,000 examinees was simulated. Calibration samples of varying sizes (150, 250, 350, 500,…

Reading and School Achievement--Cognitive and Affective Influences; Selected Readings from the 8th Annual Spring Reading Conference at Rutgers University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kling, Martin, Ed.

This conference report contains the following papers: "Ability versus Knowledge in Testing Educational Achievement" and "Knowledge vs. Ability in Achievement Testing," by Robert L. Ebel; "A Four-Domain Taxonomy for Classifying Educational Tasks and Objectives," by Bruce W. Tuckman; "On the Social Psychology of the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Further…

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Cattell-Horn-Carroll Theory and Cross-Age Invariance of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities III

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taub, Gordon E.; McGrew, Kevin S.

2004-01-01

Establishing an instrument's factorial invariance provides the empirical foundation to compare an individual's score across time or to examine the pattern of correlations between variables in differentiated age groups. In the recently published Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability (WJ COG) and Achievement (WJ ACH) Third Edition (III) the…

Sex Differences in Mental Rotation and Spatial Visualization Ability: Can They Be Accounted for by Differences in Working Memory Capacity?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufman, Scott Barry

2007-01-01

Sex differences in spatial ability are well documented, but poorly understood. In order to see whether working memory is an important factor in these differences, 50 males and 50 females performed tests of three-dimensional mental rotation and spatial visualization, along with tests of spatial and verbal working memory. Substantial differences…

Concurrent and Predictive Validity of the Raven Progressive Matrices and the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balboni, Giulia; Naglieri, Jack A.; Cubelli, Roberto

2010-01-01

The concurrent and predictive validities of the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) and Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices (CPM) were investigated in a large group of Italian third-and fifth-grade students with different sociocultural levels evaluated at the beginning and end of the school year. CPM and NNAT scores were related to math and…

Assessing Intellectual Ability with a Minimum of Cultural Bias for Two Samples of Metis and Indian Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Lloyd Wilbert

An investigation was designed to ascertain the effects of cultural background on selected intelligence tests and to identify instruments which validly measure intellectual ability with a minimum of cultural bias. A battery of tests, selected for factor analytic study, was administered and replicated at four grade levels to a sample of Metis and…

Does Reading Cause Later Intelligence? Accounting for Stability in Models of Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Drew H.; Littlefield, Andrew K.

2017-01-01

This study reanalyzes data presented by Ritchie, Bates, and Plomin (2015) who used a cross-lagged monozygotic twin differences design to test whether reading ability caused changes in intelligence. The authors used data from a sample of 1,890 monozygotic twin pairs tested on reading ability and intelligence at five occasions between the ages of 7…

The Development of More Efficient Measures for Evaluating Language Impairments in Aphasic Patients.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Phyllis P.; Halpin, Gerald

Because it generally took over an hour to administer the Porch Index of Communicative Ability (PICA), a shorter but comparable version of the test was developed. The original test was designed to quantify aphasic patients' ability level on common communicative tasks and consisted of 18 ten-item subtests. Each item resulted in a proficiency rating,…

Dynamic Testing of Gifted and Average-Ability Children's Analogy Problem Solving: Does Executive Functioning Play a Role?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogelaar, Bart; Bakker, Merel; Hoogeveen, Lianne; Resing, Wilma C. M.

2017-01-01

In this study, dynamic testing principles were applied to examine progression of analogy problem solving, the roles that cognitive flexibility and metacognition play in children's progression as well as training benefits, and instructional needs of 7- to 8-year-old gifted and average-ability children. Utilizing a pretest training posttest control…

Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Criterion-Related Validity of Cognitive Ability Tests: A Qualitative and Quantitative Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berry, Christopher M.; Clark, Malissa A.; McClure, Tara K.

2011-01-01

The correlation between cognitive ability test scores and performance was separately meta-analyzed for Asian, Black, Hispanic, and White racial/ethnic subgroups. Compared to the average White observed correlation ([image omitted] = 0.33, N = 903,779), average correlations were lower for Black samples ([image omitted] = 0.24, N = 112,194) and…

Interpreting Vocabulary Test Scores: What Do Various Item Formats Tell Us about Learners' Ability to Employ Words?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kremmel, Benjamin; Schmitt, Norbert

2016-01-01

The scores from vocabulary size tests have typically been interpreted as demonstrating that the target words are "known" or "learned." But "knowing" a word should entail the ability to use it in real language communication in one or more of the four skills. It should also entail deeper knowledge, such as knowing the…

The Level of Creative Abilities Dimensions According to Torrance Formal Test (B) and Their Relationship with Some Variables (Sex, Age, GPA)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Awamleh, Habis; Al Farah, Yacoub; El-Zraigat, Ibrahim

2012-01-01

This study aimed to identify the level of dimensions for creative abilities (originality, flexibility, originality, elaboration) among students in Al Rai Jordanian schools according to Torrance Formal test, and to investigate the differences in these levels attributable to the study variables (gender, age, grade point average "GPA"). The…

Emergence of the Ability to Discriminate a Blue from Gray at One Month of Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maurer, Daphne; and Adams, Russell J.

1987-01-01

Two different methods which minimize achromatic cues were used to test the ability of one-month-olds to discriminate gray from broadband blue. Test data imply an improvement between birth and one month of age in the discrimination of gray from broadband blue. Possible physiological changes underlying this improvement are discussed. (Author/RWB)

The MISTRA Data: Forty-Two Mental Ability Tests in Three Batteries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Wendy; Bouchard, Thomas J., Jr.

2011-01-01

The Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart (MISTRA) was initiated in 1979 and continued until 2000. It consisted of 139 pairs of twins who had been separated in early childhood and not re-united until adulthood, and members of their families. As part of a broader assessment, these participants completed 42 mental ability tests from three well-known…

Improving students’ mathematical representational ability through RME-based progressive mathematization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warsito; Darhim; Herman, T.

2018-01-01

This study aims to determine the differences in the improving of mathematical representation ability based on progressive mathematization with realistic mathematics education (PMR-MP) with conventional learning approach (PB). The method of research is quasi-experiments with non-equivalent control group designs. The study population is all students of class VIII SMPN 2 Tangerang consisting of 6 classes, while the sample was taken two classes with purposive sampling technique. The experimental class is treated with PMR-MP while the control class is treated with PB. The instruments used are test of mathematical representation ability. Data analysis was done by t-test, ANOVA test, post hoc test, and descriptive analysis. The result of analysis can be concluded that: 1) there are differences of mathematical representation ability improvement between students treated by PMR-MP and PB, 2) no interaction between learning approach (PMR-MP, PB) and prior mathematics knowledge (PAM) to improve students’ mathematical representation; 3) Students’ mathematical representation improvement in the level of higher PAM is better than medium, and low PAM students. Thus, based on the process of mathematization, it is very important when the learning direction of PMR-MP emphasizes on the process of building mathematics through a mathematical model.

Modulating Tone to Promote Motor Development Using a Neurofacilitation of Developmental Reaction (NFDR) Approach in Children with Neurodevelopmental Delay

PubMed Central

Batra, Vijay; Batra, Meenakshi; Pandey, Ravindra Mohan; Sharma, Vijai Prakash; Agarwal, Girdhar Gopal

2015-01-01

Objective To compare the efficacy of a Neurofacilitation of Developmental Reaction (NFDR) approach with that of a Conventional approach in the modulation of tone in children with neurodevelopmental delay. Methods Experimental control design. A total of 30 spastic children ranging in age from 4 to 7 years with neurodevelopmental delay were included. Baseline evaluations of muscle tone and gross motor functional performance abilities were performed. The children were allocated into two intervention groups of 15 subjects each. In groups A and B, the NFDR and conventional approaches were applied, respectively, for 3 months and were followed by subsequent re-evaluations. Results Between group analyses were performed using independent t test for tone and primitive reflex intensity and a Mann-Whitney U test for gross motor functional ability. For the within-group analyses, paired t tests were used for tone and primitive reflex intensity, and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for gross motor functional ability. Conclusion The NFDR approach/technique prepares the muscle to undergo tonal modulation and thereby enhances motor development and improves the motor functional performance abilities of the children with neurodevelopmental delay. PMID:28239268

The effect of the inspiratory muscle training on functional ability in stroke patients.

PubMed

Jung, Nam-Jin; Na, Sang-Su; Kim, Seung-Kyu; Hwangbo, Gak

2017-11-01

[Purpose] This study was to find out an inspiratory muscle training (IMT) program therapeutic effects on stroke patients' functional ability. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty stroke patients were assigned to one of two groups: inspiratory muscle training (n=10), and control (n=10), randomization. The inspiratory muscle training participants undertook an exercise program for 30 minute per times, 5 times a week for 6 weeks. The investigator measured the patients' trunk impairment scale (TIS) and 6 minute walking test (6MW) for functional ability before and after IMT. [Results] The TIS appeared some significant differences in both groups before and after the training. The 6MW test showed some significant differences in the inspiratory muscle training group, but didn't show any significant difference in the control group. And the differences in both groups after depending the inspiratory muscle training were significantly found in the tests of TIS and 6MW test [Conclusion] The results showed that the inspiratory muscle training in stroke patients are correlated with the trunk stability and locomotion ability, suggesting that physical therapist must take into consideration the inspiratory muscle training, as well as functional training to improve physical function in stroke patients.

The relationship between two visual communication systems: reading and lipreading.

PubMed

Williams, A

1982-12-01

To explore the relationship between reading and lipreading and to determine whether readers and lipreaders use similar strategies to comprehend verbal messages, 60 female junior and sophomore high school students--30 good and 30 poor readers--were given a filmed lipreading test, a test to measure eye-voice span, a test of cloze ability, and a test of their ability to comprehend printed material presented one word at a time in the absence of an opportunity to regress or scan ahead. The results of this study indicated that (a) there is a significant relationship between reading and lipreading ability; (b) although good readers may be either good or poor lipreaders, poor readers are more likely to be poor than good lipreaders; (c) there are similarities in the strategies used by readers and lipreaders in their approach to comprehending spoken and written material; (d) word-by-word reading of continuous prose appears to be a salient characteristic of both poor reading and poor lipreading ability; and (c) good readers and lipreaders do not engage in word-by-word reading but rather use a combination of visual and linguistic cues to interpret written and spoken messages.

The slow decay and quick revival of self-deception

PubMed Central

Chance, Zoë; Gino, Francesca; Norton, Michael I.; Ariely, Dan

2015-01-01

People demonstrate an impressive ability to self-deceive, distorting misbehavior to reflect positively on themselves—for example, by cheating on a test and believing that their inflated performance reflects their true ability. But what happens to self-deception when self-deceivers must face reality, such as when taking another test on which they cannot cheat? We find that self-deception diminishes over time only when self-deceivers are repeatedly confronted with evidence of their true ability (Study 1); this learning, however, fails to make them less susceptible to future self-deception (Study 2). PMID:26347666

The use of cognitive ability measures as explanatory variables in regression analysis.

PubMed

Junker, Brian; Schofield, Lynne Steuerle; Taylor, Lowell J

2012-12-01

Cognitive ability measures are often taken as explanatory variables in regression analysis, e.g., as a factor affecting a market outcome such as an individual's wage, or a decision such as an individual's education acquisition. Cognitive ability is a latent construct; its true value is unobserved. Nonetheless, researchers often assume that a test score , constructed via standard psychometric practice from individuals' responses to test items, can be safely used in regression analysis. We examine problems that can arise, and suggest that an alternative approach, a "mixed effects structural equations" (MESE) model, may be more appropriate in many circumstances.

Is the impact of fatigue related to walking capacity and perceived ability in persons with multiple sclerosis? A multicenter study.

PubMed

Dalgas, U; Langeskov-Christensen, M; Skjerbæk, A; Jensen, E; Baert, I; Romberg, A; Santoyo Medina, C; Gebara, B; Maertens de Noordhout, B; Knuts, K; Béthoux, F; Rasova, K; Severijns, D; Bibby, B M; Kalron, A; Norman, B; Van Geel, F; Wens, I; Feys, P

2018-04-15

The relationship between fatigue impact and walking capacity and perceived ability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is inconclusive in the existing literature. A better understanding might guide new treatment avenues for fatigue and/or walking capacity in patients with MS. To investigate the relationship between the subjective impact of fatigue and objective walking capacity as well as subjective walking ability in MS patients. A cross-sectional multicenter study design was applied. Ambulatory MS patients (n = 189, age: 47.6 ± 10.5 years; gender: 115/74 women/men; Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS): 4.1 ± 1.8 [range: 0-6.5]) were tested at 11 sites. Objective tests of walking capacity included short walking tests (Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FW), 10-Metre Walk Test (10mWT) at usual and fastest speed and the timed up and go (TUG)), and long walking tests (2- and 6-Minute Walk Tests (MWT). Subjective walking ability was tested applying the Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 (MSWS-12). Fatigue impact was measured by the self-reported modified fatigue impact scale (MFIS) consisting of a total score (MFIS total ) and three subscales (MFIS physical , MFIS cognitive and MFIS psychosocial ). Uni- and multivariate regression analysis were performed to evaluate the relation between walking and fatigue impact. MFIS total was negatively related with long (6MWT, r = -0.14, p = 0.05) and short composite (TUG, r = -0.22, p = 0.003) walking measures. MFIS physical showed a significant albeit weak relationship to walking speed in all walking capacity tests (r = -0.22 to -0.33, p < .0001), which persisted in the multivariate linear regression analysis. Subjective walking ability (MSWS-12) was related to MFIS total (r = 0.49, p < 0.0001), as well as to all other subscales of MFIS (r = 0.24-0.63, p < 0.001), showing stronger relationships than objective measures of walking. The physical impact of fatigue is weakly related to objective walking capacity, while general, physical, cognitive and psychosocial fatigue impact are weakly to moderately related to subjective walking ability, when analysed in a large heterogeneous sample of MS patients. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Influence of 16-year-old Students' Gender, Mental Abilities, and Motivation on their Reading and Drawing Submicrorepresentations Achievements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devetak, Iztok; Aleksij Glažar, Saša

2010-08-01

Submicrorepresentations (SMRs) are a powerful tool for identifying misconceptions of chemical concepts and for generating proper mental models of chemical phenomena in students' long-term memory during chemical education. The main purpose of the study was to determine which independent variables (gender, formal reasoning abilities, visualization abilities, and intrinsic motivation for learning chemistry) have the maximum influence on students' reading and drawing SMRs. A total of 386 secondary school students (aged 16.3 years) participated in the study. The instruments used in the study were: test of Chemical Knowledge, Test of Logical Thinking, two tests of visualization abilities Patterns and Rotations, and questionnaire on Intrinsic Motivation for Learning Science. The results show moderate, but statistically significant correlations between students' intrinsic motivation, formal reasoning abilities and chemical knowledge at submicroscopic level based on reading and drawing SMRs. Visualization abilities are not statistically significantly correlated with students' success on items that comprise reading or drawing SMRs. It can be also concluded that there is a statistically significant difference between male and female students in solving problems that include reading or drawing SMRs. Based on these statistical results and content analysis of the sample problems, several educational strategies can be implemented for students to develop adequate mental models of chemical concepts on all three levels of representations.

Influence of prolonged unilateral cervical muscle contraction on head repositioning--decreased overshoot after a 5-min static muscle contraction task.

PubMed

Malmström, Eva-Maj; Karlberg, Mikael; Holmström, Eva; Fransson, Per-Anders; Hansson, Gert-Ake; Magnusson, Måns

2010-06-01

The ability to reproduce a specified head-on-trunk position can be an indirect test of cervical proprioception. This ability is affected in subjects with neck pain, but it is unclear whether and how much pain or continuous muscle contraction factors contribute to this effect. We studied the influence of a static unilateral neck muscle contraction task (5 min of lateral flexion at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction) on head repositioning ability in 20 subjects (10 women, 10 men; mean age 37 years) with healthy necks. Head repositioning ability was tested in the horizontal plane with 30 degrees target and neutral head position tests; head position was recorded by Zebris((R)), an ultrasound-based motion analyser. Head repositioning ability was analysed for accuracy (mean of signed differences between introduced and reproduced positions) and precision (standard deviation of the differences). Accuracy of head repositioning ability increased significantly after the muscle contraction task, as the normal overshoot was reduced. An average overshoot of 7.1 degrees decreased to 4.6 degrees after the muscle contraction task for the 30 degrees target and from 2.2 degrees to 1.4 degrees for neutral head position. The increased accuracy was most pronounced for movements directed towards the activated side. Hence, prolonged unilateral neck muscle contraction may increase the sensitivity of cervical proprioceptors.

General Mathematical Ability Predicts PASAT Performance in MS Patients: Implications for Clinical Interpretation and Cognitive Reserve.

PubMed

Sandry, Joshua; Paxton, Jessica; Sumowski, James F

2016-03-01

The Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) is used to assess cognitive status in multiple sclerosis (MS). Although the mathematical demands of the PASAT seem minor (single-digit arithmetic), cognitive psychology research links greater mathematical ability (e.g., algebra, calculus) to more rapid retrieval of single-digit math facts (e.g., 5+6=11). The present study evaluated the hypotheses that (a) mathematical ability is related to PASAT performance and (b) both the relationship between intelligence and PASAT performance as well as the relationship between education and PASAT performance are both mediated by mathematical ability. Forty-five MS patients were assessed using the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading, PASAT and Calculation Subtest of the Woodcock-Johnson-III. Regression based path analysis and bootstrapping were used to compute 95% confidence intervals and test for mediation. Mathematical ability (a) was related to PASAT (β=.61; p<.001) and (b) fully mediated the relationship between Intelligence and PASAT (β=.76; 95% confidence interval (CI95)=.28, 1.45; direct effect of Intelligence, β=.42; CI95=-.39, 1.23) as well as the relationship between Education and PASAT (β=2.43, CI95=.81, 5.16, direct effect of Education, β=.83, CI95=-1.95, 3.61). Mathematical ability represents a source of error in the clinical interpretation of cognitive decline using the PASAT. Domain-specific cognitive reserve is discussed.

Estimating Premorbid Cognitive Abilities in Low-Educated Populations

PubMed Central

Apolinario, Daniel; Brucki, Sonia Maria Dozzi; Ferretti, Renata Eloah de Lucena; Farfel, José Marcelo; Magaldi, Regina Miksian; Busse, Alexandre Leopold; Jacob-Filho, Wilson

2013-01-01

Objective To develop an informant-based instrument that would provide a valid estimate of premorbid cognitive abilities in low-educated populations. Methods A questionnaire was drafted by focusing on the premorbid period with a 10-year time frame. The initial pool of items was submitted to classical test theory and a factorial analysis. The resulting instrument, named the Premorbid Cognitive Abilities Scale (PCAS), is composed of questions addressing educational attainment, major lifetime occupation, reading abilities, reading habits, writing abilities, calculation abilities, use of widely available technology, and the ability to search for specific information. The validation sample was composed of 132 older Brazilian adults from the following three demographically matched groups: normal cognitive aging (n = 72), mild cognitive impairment (n = 33), and mild dementia (n = 27). The scores of a reading test and a neuropsychological battery were adopted as construct criteria. Post-mortem inter-informant reliability was tested in a sub-study with two relatives from each deceased individual. Results All items presented good discriminative power, with corrected item-total correlation varying from 0.35 to 0.74. The summed score of the instrument presented high correlation coefficients with global cognitive function (r = 0.73) and reading skills (r = 0.82). Cronbach's alpha was 0.90, showing optimal internal consistency without redundancy. The scores did not decrease across the progressive levels of cognitive impairment, suggesting that the goal of evaluating the premorbid state was achieved. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.96, indicating excellent inter-informant reliability. Conclusion The instrument developed in this study has shown good properties and can be used as a valid estimate of premorbid cognitive abilities in low-educated populations. The applicability of the PCAS, both as an estimate of premorbid intelligence and cognitive reserve, is discussed. PMID:23555894

Young children's non-numerical ordering ability at the start of formal education longitudinally predicts their symbolic number skills and academic achievement in maths.

PubMed

O'Connor, Patrick A; Morsanyi, Kinga; McCormack, Teresa

2018-01-25

Ordinality is a fundamental feature of numbers and recent studies have highlighted the role that number ordering abilities play in mathematical development (e.g., Lyons et al., ), as well as mature mathematical performance (e.g., Lyons & Beilock, ). The current study tested the novel hypothesis that non-numerical ordering ability, as measured by the ordering of familiar sequences of events, also plays an important role in maths development. Ninety children were tested in their first school year and 87 were followed up at the end of their second school year, to test the hypothesis that ordinal processing, including the ordering of non-numerical materials, would be related to their maths skills both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. The results confirmed this hypothesis. Ordinal processing measures were significantly related to maths both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, and children's non-numerical ordering ability in their first year of school (as measured by order judgements for everyday events and the parents' report of their child's everyday ordering ability) was the strongest longitudinal predictor of maths one year later, when compared to several measures that are traditionally considered to be important predictors of early maths development. Children's everyday ordering ability, as reported by parents, also significantly predicted growth in formal maths ability between Year 1 and Year 2, although this was not the case for the event ordering task. The present study provides strong evidence that domain-general ordering abilities play an important role in the development of children's maths skills at the beginning of formal education. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Use of Multi-Response Format Test in the Assessment of Medical Students' Critical Thinking Ability.

PubMed

Mafinejad, Mahboobeh Khabaz; Arabshahi, Seyyed Kamran Soltani; Monajemi, Alireza; Jalili, Mohammad; Soltani, Akbar; Rasouli, Javad

2017-09-01

To evaluate students critical thinking skills effectively, change in assessment practices is must. The assessment of a student's ability to think critically is a constant challenge, and yet there is considerable debate on the best assessment method. There is evidence that the intrinsic nature of open and closed-ended response questions is to measure separate cognitive abilities. To assess critical thinking ability of medical students by using multi-response format of assessment. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a group of 159 undergraduate third-year medical students. All the participants completed the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) consisting of 34 multiple-choice questions to measure general critical thinking skills and a researcher-developed test that combines open and closed-ended questions. A researcher-developed 48-question exam, consisting of 8 short-answers and 5 essay questions, 19 Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ), and 16 True-False (TF) questions, was used to measure critical thinking skills. Correlation analyses were performed using Pearson's coefficient to explore the association between the total scores of tests and subtests. One hundred and fifty-nine students participated in this study. The sample comprised 81 females (51%) and 78 males (49%) with an age range of 20±2.8 years (mean 21.2 years). The response rate was 64.1%. A significant positive correlation was found between types of questions and critical thinking scores, of which the correlations of MCQ (r=0.82) and essay questions (r=0.77) were strongest. The significant positive correlations between multi-response format test and CCTST's subscales were seen in analysis, evaluation, inference and inductive reasoning. Unlike CCTST subscales, multi-response format test have weak correlation with CCTST total score (r=0.45, p=0.06). This study highlights the importance of considering multi-response format test in the assessment of critical thinking abilities of medical students by using both open and closed-ended response questions.

Residual effects of middle-of-the-night administration of zaleplon and zolpidem on driving ability, memory functions, and psychomotor performance.

PubMed

Verster, Joris C; Volkerts, Edmund R; Schreuder, Antonia H C M L; Eijken, Erik J E; van Heuckelum, Janet H G; Veldhuijzen, Dieuwke S; Verbaten, Marinus N; Paty, Isabelle; Darwish, Mona; Danjou, Philippe; Patat, Alain

2002-12-01

Thirty healthy volunteers participated in this two-part study. Part 1 was a single-blind, two-period crossover design to determine the effects of a single dose of ethanol (0.03% < BAC < 0.05%) or ethanol-placebo on driving ability, memory, and psychomotor performance. Part 2 was a double-blind, five-period crossover design to measure the effects of a middle-of-the-night administration of zaleplon 10 or 20 mg, zolpidem 10 or 20 mg, or placebo on driving ability 4 hours after administration and memory and psychomotor performance 6 hours after administration. The on-the-road driving test consisted of operating an instrumented automobile over a 100-km highway circuit at a constant speed (95 km/h) while maintaining a steady lateral position between the right lane boundaries. The standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP) was the primary performance parameter of the driving test. The psychomotor and memory test battery consisted of the Word Learning Test, the Critical Tracking Test, the Divided Attention Test, and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test. Data for each part were analyzed separately using ANOVA for crossover designs. Zaleplon 10 and 20 mg did not significantly impair driving ability 4 hours after middle-of-the-night administration. Relative to placebo, after zolpidem 10 mg, SDLP was significantly elevated, but the magnitude of the difference was small and not likely to be of clinical importance. Memory and psychomotor test performance was unaffected after both doses of zaleplon and zolpidem 10 mg. In contrast, zolpidem 20 mg significantly increased SDLP and speed variability. Further, zolpidem 20 mg significantly impaired performance on all psychomotor and memory tests. Finally, driving performance, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Divided Attention Test, and immediate and delayed free recall of the Word Learning Test were significantly impaired after ethanol. The results show that zaleplon (10 and 20 mg) is a safe hypnotic devoid of next-morning residual impairment when used in the middle of the night.

Simple Mindreading Abilities Predict Complex Theory of Mind: Developmental Delay in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

PubMed

Pino, Maria Chiara; Mazza, Monica; Mariano, Melania; Peretti, Sara; Dimitriou, Dagmara; Masedu, Francesco; Valenti, Marco; Franco, Fabia

2017-09-01

Theory of mind (ToM) is impaired in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The aims of this study were to: (i) examine the developmental trajectories of ToM abilities in two different mentalizing tasks in children with ASD compared to TD children; and (ii) to assess if a ToM simple test known as eyes-test could predict performance on the more advanced ToM task, i.e. comic strip test. Based on a sample of 37 children with ASD and 55 TD children, our results revealed slower development at varying rates in all ToM measures in children with ASD, with delayed onset compared to TD children. These results could stimulate new treatments for social abilities, which would lessen the social deficit in ASD.

Effects of mutation and some environmental factors on the physiology and pathogenicity of selected bacteria

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Decicco, B. T.

1974-01-01

Studies with mutants of Staphylococcus aureus lacking some virulence factors suggest that the presence of deoxyribonuclease correlates with mouse pathogenicity of S. aureus, while the ability to ferment mannitol or the possession of coagulases are not required for virulence. Autotrophy investigations on mycobacteria demonstrate a complete correlation between the ability to grow with hydrogen and the species of scotochromogenic mycobacterium tested. All tested strains of M. gordonae, a saprophyte, could grow autotrophically while none of the tested strains of M. scrofulaceum, a clinically important species, possessed this ability. A series of heat tolerant mutants of Pseudomonas fluorescences were obtained which can grow at temperatures up to 54 C, in contrast to a maximum growth temperature of 37 C for the wild type.

An Evaluation of Electronic Nose for Space Program Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Rebecca C.; Linnell, Bruce R.; Buttner, William J.; Mersqhelte, Barry

2003-01-01

The ability to monitor air contaminants in the Shuttle and the International Space Station is important to ensure the health and safety of astronauts. Three specific space applications have been identified that would benefit from a chemical monitor: organic contaminants in crew cabins, propellant contaminants in the airlock, and pre-combustion fire detection. NASA has assessed several commercial and developing electronic noses (e-noses) for these applications. A preliminary series of tests identified those e-noses that exhibited sufficient sensitivity to the vapors of interest. These e-noses were further tested to assess their ability to identify vapors, and in-house software has been developed to enhance identification. This paper describes the tests, the classification ability of selected e-noses, and the software improvements made to meet the requirements for these space program applications.

Selection for associative learning of colour stimuli reveals correlated evolution of this learning ability across multiple stimuli and rewards.

PubMed

Liefting, Maartje; Hoedjes, Katja M; Lann, Cécile Le; Smid, Hans M; Ellers, Jacintha

2018-05-16

We are only starting to understand how variation in cognitive ability can result from local adaptations to environmental conditions. A major question in this regard is to what extent selection on cognitive ability in a specific context affects that ability in general through correlated evolution. To address this question we performed artificial selection on visual associative learning in female Nasonia vitripennis wasps. Using appetitive conditioning in which a visual stimulus was offered in association with a host reward, the ability to learn visual associations was enhanced within 10 generations of selection. To test for correlated evolution affecting this form of learning, the ability to readily form learned associations in females was also tested using an olfactory instead of a visual stimulus in the appetitive conditioning. Additionally, we assessed whether the improved associative learning ability was expressed across sexes by colour-conditioning males with a mating reward. Both females and males from the selected lines consistently demonstrated an increased associative learning ability compared to the control lines, independent of learning context or conditioned stimulus. No difference in relative volume of brain neuropils was detected between the selected and control lines. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Acquisition of dental skills in preclinical technique courses: influence of spatial and manual abilities.

PubMed

Schwibbe, Anja; Kothe, Christian; Hampe, Wolfgang; Konradt, Udo

2016-10-01

Sixty years of research have not added up to a concordant evaluation of the influence of spatial and manual abilities on dental skill acquisition. We used Ackerman's theory of ability determinants of skill acquisition to explain the influence of spatial visualization and manual dexterity on the task performance of dental students in two consecutive preclinical technique courses. We measured spatial and manual abilities of applicants to Hamburg Dental School by means of a multiple choice test on Technical Aptitude and a wire-bending test, respectively. Preclinical dental technique tasks were categorized as consistent-simple and inconsistent-complex based on their contents. For analysis, we used robust regression to circumvent typical limitations in dental studies like small sample size and non-normal residual distributions. We found that manual, but not spatial ability exhibited a moderate influence on the performance in consistent-simple tasks during dental skill acquisition in preclinical dentistry. Both abilities revealed a moderate relation with the performance in inconsistent-complex tasks. These findings support the hypotheses which we had postulated on the basis of Ackerman's work. Therefore, spatial as well as manual ability are required for the acquisition of dental skills in preclinical technique courses. These results support the view that both abilities should be addressed in dental admission procedures in addition to cognitive measures.

Audiovisual speech perception in infancy: The influence of vowel identity and infants' productive abilities on sensitivity to (mis)matches between auditory and visual speech cues.

PubMed

Altvater-Mackensen, Nicole; Mani, Nivedita; Grossmann, Tobias

2016-02-01

Recent studies suggest that infants' audiovisual speech perception is influenced by articulatory experience (Mugitani et al., 2008; Yeung & Werker, 2013). The current study extends these findings by testing if infants' emerging ability to produce native sounds in babbling impacts their audiovisual speech perception. We tested 44 6-month-olds on their ability to detect mismatches between concurrently presented auditory and visual vowels and related their performance to their productive abilities and later vocabulary size. Results show that infants' ability to detect mismatches between auditory and visually presented vowels differs depending on the vowels involved. Furthermore, infants' sensitivity to mismatches is modulated by their current articulatory knowledge and correlates with their vocabulary size at 12 months of age. This suggests that-aside from infants' ability to match nonnative audiovisual cues (Pons et al., 2009)-their ability to match native auditory and visual cues continues to develop during the first year of life. Our findings point to a potential role of salient vowel cues and productive abilities in the development of audiovisual speech perception, and further indicate a relation between infants' early sensitivity to audiovisual speech cues and their later language development. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved.

Concept mapping learning strategy to enhance students' mathematical connection ability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hafiz, M.; Kadir, Fatra, Maifalinda

2017-05-01

The concept mapping learning strategy in teaching and learning mathematics has been investigated by numerous researchers. However, there are still less researchers who have scrutinized about the roles of map concept which is connected to the mathematical connection ability. Being well understood on map concept, it may help students to have ability to correlate one concept to other concept in order that the student can solve mathematical problems faced. The objective of this research was to describe the student's mathematical connection ability and to analyze the effect of using concept mapping learning strategy to the students' mathematical connection ability. This research was conducted at senior high school in Jakarta. The method used a quasi-experimental with randomized control group design with the total number was 72 students as the sample. Data obtained through using test in the post-test after giving the treatment. The results of the research are: 1) Students' mathematical connection ability has reached the good enough level category; 2) Students' mathematical connection ability who had taught with concept mapping learning strategy is higher than who had taught with conventional learning strategy. Based on the results above, it can be concluded that concept mapping learning strategycould enhance the students' mathematical connection ability, especially in trigonometry.

The effect of thematic learning model, learning style, and reading ability on the students’ learning outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurlaela, L.; Samani, M.; Asto, I. G. P.; Wibawa, S. C.

2018-01-01

This study aims at gaining empirical findings of the effectiveness of thematic instructional model as compared to conventional instruction; and the potential capacity of thematic instructional model in accommodating different learning styles and reading abilities. This is an experimental research design with 140 elementary students as research subject. The data were collected by using achievement test, learning style questionnaire, and reading comprehension test, and analyzed by using Anava. The results indicate: there is a significant difference in achievement between students who use thematic instructional model and those using conventional model; a significant difference in achievement between students with visual learning style and those having auditorial learning style; a significant difference between students with high reading ability and those with low reading ability. Student’s achievement is influenced by the interaction between instructional model and student’s learning style. Student’s achievement is not influenced by the interaction between instructional model and student’s reading ability, the interaction between student’s learning style and student’s reading ability, and the interaction among instructional model, learning style and student’s reading ability. The conclusion is thematic instructional model was more effective than conventional instruction and thematic instructional model had a capacity in accommodating different learning styles and reading abilities.

Evidence for shared genetic risk between ADHD symptoms and reduced mathematics ability: a twin study

PubMed Central

Greven, Corina U.; Kovas, Yulia; Willcutt, Erik G.; Petrill, Stephen A.; Plomin, Robert

2013-01-01

Background Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and mathematics ability are associated, but little is known about the genetic and environmental influences underlying this association. Methods Data came from more than 6,000 12-year-old twin pairs from the U.K. population-representative Twins Early Development Study. Parents rated each twin’s behaviour using a DSM-IV-based 18-item questionnaire of inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms. Mathematics tests based on the U.K. National Curriculum were completed by each twin. The twins also completed standardised tests of reading and general cognitive ability. Multivariate twin model fitting was applied. Results Inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms were highly heritable (67% and 73%, respectively). Mathematics ability was moderately heritable (46%). Mathematics ability and inattentiveness showed a significantly greater phenotypic correlation (rp=−0.26) and genetic correlation (rA=−0.41) than mathematics ability and hyperactivity-impulsivity (rp=−0.18; rA=−0.22). The genetic correlation between inattentiveness and mathematics ability was largely independent from hyperactivity-impulsivity, and was only partially accounted for by genetic influences related to reading and general cognitive ability. Conclusions Results revealed the novel finding that mathematics ability shows significantly stronger phenotypic and genetic associations with inattentiveness than with hyperactivity-impulsivity. Genetic associations between inattentiveness and mathematics ability could only partially be accounted for by hyperactivity-impulsivity, reading and general cognitive ability. Results suggest that mathematics ability is associated with ADHD symptoms largely because it shares genetic risk factors with inattentiveness, and provide further evidence for considering inattentiveness and hyperactivity-impulsivity separately. DNA markers for ADHD symptoms (especially inattentiveness) may also be candidate risk factors for mathematics ability and vice versa. PMID:23731013

Evidence for shared genetic risk between ADHD symptoms and reduced mathematics ability: a twin study.

PubMed

Greven, Corina U; Kovas, Yulia; Willcutt, Erik G; Petrill, Stephen A; Plomin, Robert

2014-01-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and mathematics ability are associated, but little is known about the genetic and environmental influences underlying this association. Data came from more than 6,000 twelve-year-old twin pairs from the UK population-representative Twins Early Development Study. Parents rated each twin's behaviour using a DSM-IV-based 18-item questionnaire of inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms. Mathematics tests based on the UK National Curriculum were completed by each twin. The twins also completed standardised tests of reading and general cognitive ability. Multivariate twin model fitting was applied. Inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms were highly heritable (67% and 73% respectively). Mathematics ability was moderately heritable (46%). Mathematics ability and inattentiveness showed a significantly greater phenotypic correlation (r(p) = -.26) and genetic correlation (r(A) = -.41) than mathematics ability and hyperactivity-impulsivity (r(p) = -.18; r(A) = -.22). The genetic correlation between inattentiveness and mathematics ability was largely independent from hyperactivity-impulsivity, and was only partially accounted for by genetic influences related to reading and general cognitive ability. Results revealed the novel finding that mathematics ability shows significantly stronger phenotypic and genetic associations with inattentiveness than with hyperactivity-impulsivity. Genetic associations between inattentiveness and mathematics ability could only partially be accounted for by hyperactivity-impulsivity, reading and general cognitive ability. Results suggest that mathematics ability is associated with ADHD symptoms largely because it shares genetic risk factors with inattentiveness, and provide further evidence for considering inattentiveness and hyperactivity-impulsivity separately. DNA markers for ADHD symptoms (especially inattentiveness) may also be candidate risk factors for mathematics ability and vice versa. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry © 2013 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Accessible Transportation, Geographic Elevation, and Masticatory Ability Among Elderly Residents of a Rural Area.

PubMed

Hamano, Tsuyoshi; Tominaga, Kazumichi; Takeda, Miwako; Sundquist, Kristina; Nabika, Toru

2015-06-26

Given that public transportation networks are often worse in rural areas than in urban areas, rural residents who do not drive can find it difficult to access health-promoting goods, services, and resources related to masticatory ability. Moreover, geographical location, assessed by elevation, could modify this association. The aim of this study was to test whether the association between access to transportation and masticatory ability varied by elevation. Data were collected from a cross-sectional study conducted in Mizuho and Iwami counties, Japan. Objective masticatory ability was evaluated using a test gummy jelly and elevation was estimated by the geographic information systems according to the participant's address. After excluding subjects with missing data, 672 subjects (Mizuho = 401 and Iwami = 271) were analyzed. After adjustment for potential confounders, being a driver was not significantly associated with masticatory ability among elderly people living at low elevation (≤313 m) in Mizuho county. However, after the same adjustment, being a driver remained significantly associated with increased masticatory ability among elderly at high elevations. Similar findings were observed in Iwami county. Accessible transportation was significantly associated with increased mastication ability in elderly people living at high elevations, but not in those living at low elevations.

Perceptions of competence, implicit theory of ability, perception of motivational climate, and achievement goals: a test of the trichotomous conceptualization of endorsement of achievement motivation in the physical education setting.

PubMed

Cury, F; Da Fonséca, D; Rufo, M; Sarrazin, P

2002-08-01

To test and extend the conceptualization of the endorsement of achievement goals in the physical education setting Mastery, Performance-approach, and Performance-approach goals, Perception of the physical education competence, Implicit theory about sport ability, and Perception of the motivational climate were assessed among 682 boys attending five French schools. Analysis indicated that (1) Performance-approach goals were positively associated with perception of physical education Competence, Entity beliefs about sport ability, the Performance dimension of the motivational climate, and negatively associated with Incremental beliefs about sport ability. (2) Mastery goals were positively associated with perception of physical education Competence, Incremental beliefs about sport ability, the Mastery dimension of the motivational climate, and negatively associated with the Performance dimension of the motivational climate. Also, (3) Performance-avoidance goals were positively associated with Entity beliefs about sport ability and the Performance dimension of the motivational climate; these goals were negatively associated with Incremental beliefs about sport ability and perception of physical education Competence. These results clearly attested to the validity of the trichotomous model in the physical education setting.

Improvement of metacognitive skills and students’ reasoning ability through problem-based learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haryani, S.; Masfufah; Wijayati, N.; Kurniawan, C.

2018-03-01

The aim of this research is to know the influence of PBL application to the improvement of metacognitive skill and students’ reasoning ability on Constanta solubility product (Ksp). The research used mix method with concurrent triangulation strategy and pretest-posttest control group design. Metacognitive skills are known from the results of written tests and questionnaires with N-Gain analysis, t-test, whereas reasoning ability is known from observations and interviews with descriptive analysis. The results showed that the N-Gain effect of PBL on metacognitive skills is 0,59 with medium category and N-Gain value of PBL influence on reasoning ability is 0.71 with the high category. The steps in the PBL affect the metacognitive skills and can train learners to develop their reasoning skills in the solving problems.

Differences in spatial working memory as a function of team sports expertise: the Corsi Block-tapping task in sport psychological assessment.

PubMed

Furley, Philip; Memmert, Daniel

2010-06-01

Individual differences in visuospatial abilities were investigated in experienced basketball players compared with nonathletes. Most research shows that experts and novices do not differ on basic cognitive ability tests. Nevertheless, there are some equivocal findings indicating there are differences in basic cognitive abilities such as attention. The goal of the present research was to investigate team-ball athletes in regard to their visuospatial abilities. 112 male college students (54 basketball players, 58 nonathlete college students) were tested in their spatial capacity with the Corsi Block-tapping Task. No differences in spatial capacity were evident between basketball players and nonathlete college students. The results are discussed in the context of the expert performance approach and individual difference research.

The performance of ravens on simple discrimination tasks: a preliminary study

PubMed Central

Range, Friederike; Bugnyar, Thomas; Kotrschal, Kurt

2015-01-01

Recent studies suggest the existence of primate-like cognitive abilities in corvids. Although the learning abilities of corvids in comparison to other species have been investigated before, little is known on how corvids perform on simple discrimination tasks if tested in experimental settings comparable to those that have been used for studying complex cognitive abilities. In this study, we tested a captive group of 12 ravens (Corvus corax) on four discrimination problems and their reversals. In contrast to other studies investigating learning abilities, our ravens were not food deprived and participation in experiments was voluntary. This preliminary study showed that all ravens successfully solved feature and position discriminations and several of the ravens could solve new tasks in a few trials, making very few mistakes. PMID:25948877

Work ability, effort-reward imbalance and disability pension claims.

PubMed

Wienert, J; Spanier, K; Radoschewski, F M; Bethge, M

2017-12-30

Effort-reward imbalance (ERI) and self-rated work ability are known independent correlates and predictors of intended disability pension claims. However, little research has focused on the interrelationship between the three and whether self-rated work ability mediates the relationship between ERI and intended disability pension claims. To investigate whether self-rated work ability mediates the association between ERI and intended disability pension claims. Baseline data from participants of the Third German Sociomedical Panel of Employees, a 5-year cohort study that investigates determinants of work ability, rehabilitation utilization and disability pensions in employees who have previously received sickness benefits, were analysed. We tested direct associations between ERI with intended disability pension claims (Model 1) and self-rated work ability (Model 2). Additionally, we tested whether work ability mediates the association between ERI and intended disability pension claims (Model 3). There were 2585 participants. Model 1 indicated a significant association between ERI and intended disability pension claims. Model 2 showed a significant association between ERI and self-rated work ability. The mediation in Model 3 revealed a significant indirect association between ERI and intended disability pension claims via self-rated work ability. There was no significant direct association between ERI and intended disability pension claims. Our results support the adverse health-related impact of ERI on self-rated work ability and intended disability pension claims. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Visuo-spatial ability in colonoscopy simulator training.

PubMed

Luursema, Jan-Maarten; Buzink, Sonja N; Verwey, Willem B; Jakimowicz, J J

2010-12-01

Visuo-spatial ability is associated with a quality of performance in a variety of surgical and medical skills. However, visuo-spatial ability is typically assessed using Visualization tests only, which led to an incomplete understanding of the involvement of visuo-spatial ability in these skills. To remedy this situation, the current study investigated the role of a broad range of visuo-spatial factors in colonoscopy simulator training. Fifteen medical trainees (no clinical experience in colonoscopy) participated in two psycho-metric test sessions to assess four visuo-spatial ability factors. Next, participants trained flexible endoscope manipulation, and navigation to the cecum on the GI Mentor II simulator, for four sessions within 1 week. Visualization, and to a lesser degree Spatial relations were the only visuo-spatial ability factors to correlate with colonoscopy simulator performance. Visualization additionally covaried with learning rate for time on task on both simulator tasks. High Visualization ability indicated faster exercise completion. Similar to other endoscopic procedures, performance in colonoscopy is positively associated with Visualization, a visuo-spatial ability factor characterized by the ability to mentally manipulate complex visuo-spatial stimuli. The complexity of the visuo-spatial mental transformations required to successfully perform colonoscopy is likely responsible for the challenging nature of this technique, and should inform training- and assessment design. Long term training studies, as well as studies investigating the nature of visuo-spatial complexity in this domain are needed to better understand the role of visuo-spatial ability in colonoscopy, and other endoscopic techniques.

An Iconic Comparison of Photographs and the Live Television Screen in Visual Diagnostic Ability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hofer, Jarrel

This study focused on five major activities: (1) developing an achievement test to measure visual diagnostic ability of television service technicians, (2) assessing the independence of the dimension of visual diagnostic ability, (3) comparing the iconic equivalence of photographs with motion cues and live screen presentations of defective…

Does Spatial Training Improve Children's Mathematics Ability?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Yi-Ling; Mix, Kelly

2011-01-01

The authors' primary aim was to investigate a potential causal relationship between spatial ability and math ability. To do so, they used a pretest-training-posttest experimental design in which children received short-term spatial training and were tested on problem solving in math. They focused on first and second graders because earlier studies…

Right-Hemispheric Cortical Contributions to Language Ability in Healthy Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Ettinger-Veenstra, Helene; Ragnehed, Mattias; McAllister, Anita; Lundberg, Peter; Engstrom, Maria

2012-01-01

In this study we investigated the correlation between individual linguistic ability based on performance levels and their engagement of typical and atypical language areas in the brain. Eighteen healthy subjects between 21 and 64 years participated in language ability tests, and subsequent functional MRI scans measuring brain activity in response…

Psycholinguistic Abilities of Children with Williams Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rossi, Natalia F.; Heinze, Elena Garayzabal; Giacheti, Celia M.; Goncalves, Oscar F.; Sampaio, Adriana

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the psycholinguistic abilities of children with Williams syndrome (WS) and typically developing children using the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities (ITPA). Performance on the ITPA was analysed in a group with WS (N=20, mean age=8.5 years, SD=1.62) and two typically developing groups,…

The Asymptotic Distribution of Ability Estimates: Beyond Dichotomous Items and Unidimensional IRT Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinharay, Sandip

2015-01-01

The maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) of the ability parameter of an item response theory model with known item parameters was proved to be asymptotically normally distributed under a set of regularity conditions for tests involving dichotomous items and a unidimensional ability parameter (Klauer, 1990; Lord, 1983). This article first considers…

Improving Reasoning Skills in Secondary History Education by Working Memory Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ariës, Roel Jacobus; Groot, Wim; van den Brink, Henriette Maassen

2015-01-01

Secondary school pupils underachieve in tests in which reasoning abilities are required. Brain-based training of working memory (WM) may improve reasoning abilities. In this study, we use a brain-based training programme based on historical content to enhance reasoning abilities in history courses. In the first experiment, a combined intervention…

Effect of Musical Expertise on Visuospatial Abilities: Evidence from Reaction Times and Mental Imagery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brochard, Renaud; Dufour, Andre; Despres, Olivier

2004-01-01

Recently, the relationship between music and nonmusical cognitive abilities has been highly debated. It has been documented that formal music training would improve verbal, mathematical or visuospatial performance in children. In the experiments described here, we tested if visual perception and imagery abilities were enhanced in adult musicians…

Examiner Errors on the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales Committed by Graduate Student Examiners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loe, Scott A.

2014-01-01

Protocols from 108 administrations of the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales were evaluated to determine the frequency of examiner errors and their impact on the accuracy of three test composite scores, the Composite Ability Index (CIX), Verbal Ability Index (VIX), and Nonverbal Ability Index (NIX). Students committed at least one…

CognitiveGenesis (CG): Assessing Academic Achievement and Cognitive Ability in Adventist Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thayer, Jerome; Kido, Elissa

2012-01-01

CognitiveGenesis collected achievement and ability test data from 2006-2009 for all students in Seventh-day Adventist schools in North America. Students were above average in achievement compared to national norms and achieved above that predicted by their ability scores. The more years students attended Adventist schools, the higher they…

Social Networking Sites and Cognitive Abilities: Do They Make You Smarter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alloway, Tracy Packiam; Horton, John; Alloway, Ross G.; Dawson, Clare

2013-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the impact of social networking sites (SNS) on cognitive abilities and reported levels of social connectedness in adolescents. In order to provide a reliable measure of cognitive skills, standardized tests of verbal ability, working memory, and academic attainment were administered. Students also…

The Effect of Metadiscourse Instruction on Iranian EFL Learners' Speaking Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahour, Touran; Entezari Maleki, Saeideh

2014-01-01

This study attempted to unveil the effect of metadiscourse instruction on the improvement of the speaking ability of Iranian EFL learners. After the administration of a language proficiency test, 34 homogeneous participants were assigned into the experimental and control groups. Then, the two groups were compared on their speaking ability. After…

Spatial Abilities and Anatomy Knowledge Assessment: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langlois, Jean; Bellemare, Christian; Toulouse, Josée; Wells, George A.

2017-01-01

Anatomy knowledge has been found to include both spatial and non-spatial components. However, no systematic evaluation of studies relating spatial abilities and anatomy knowledge has been undertaken. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the relationship between spatial abilities test and anatomy knowledge assessment. A…

The Ability to Tap to a Beat Relates to Cognitive, Linguistic, and Perceptual Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tierney, Adam T.; Kraus, Nina

2013-01-01

Reading-impaired children have difficulty tapping to a beat. Here we tested whether this relationship between reading ability and synchronized tapping holds in typically-developing adolescents. We also hypothesized that tapping relates to two other abilities. First, since auditory-motor synchronization requires monitoring of the relationship…

The Development of Reading Ability in Kindergarten. Technical Report No. 515.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Linda A.; And Others

A study was conducted to explore how children learn to read in kindergarten. The study employed a heuristic model that included entering ability, home background, instructional processes, home support for literacy development, and measures of student ability at the end of kindergarten. Children were tested, whole-day classroom observations were…

The integrated learning management using the STEM education for improve learning achievement and creativity in the topic of force and motion at the 9th grade level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kakarndee, Nampetch; Kudthalang, Nukool; Jansawang, Natchanok

2018-01-01

The aims of this research study were to investigate and analyze the processing performances and the performance results (E1/E2) efficiency at the determining criteria for planning students' improvements to their learning processes toward their scientific knowledge were investigated, carry out the investigations, gathering evidence, and proposing explanations were developed and predicted. Students' engagements to their needs in unambiguous and clearly content of science teaching onto the instructional processes were attempted for establishing a national approach with the STEM education instructional method were strategized. Research administrations were designed to a sample size consisted of 40 secondary students in science class at the 9th grade level in Borabu School with the purposive sampling technique was selected. Using the STEM Education instructional innovation's lesson plans were managed learning activities. Students' learning achievements were assessed with the Pre-Test and Post-Test designs of 30 items. Students' creative thinking abilities were determined of their perceptions that obtained of the 3-item Creative Thinking Ability Test. The results for the effectiveness of the innovative instructional lesson plans based on the STEM Education Method, the lessoning effectiveness (E1/E2) evidences of 78.95/76.58 over the threshold setting is 75/75. Pretest-posttest designs for assessing students' learning achievements that impact a student's ability to achieve and explains with the STEM education instructional method were differences, significantly (ρ<.001) and the posttest of the 3-item Creative Thinking Ability Test designs for assessing Students' creative thinking abilities that impact a student's ability to have a good skill level in originality, fluency and flexibility thinking with the STEM education instructional method were differences, significantly (ρ<.001).

The implementation of multiple intelligences based teaching model to improve mathematical problem solving ability for student of junior high school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fasni, Nurli; Fatimah, Siti; Yulanda, Syerli

2017-05-01

This research aims to achieve some purposes such as: to know whether mathematical problem solving ability of students who have learned mathematics using Multiple Intelligences based teaching model is higher than the student who have learned mathematics using cooperative learning; to know the improvement of the mathematical problem solving ability of the student who have learned mathematics using Multiple Intelligences based teaching model., to know the improvement of the mathematical problem solving ability of the student who have learned mathematics using cooperative learning; to know the attitude of the students to Multiple Intelligences based teaching model. The method employed here is quasi-experiment which is controlled by pre-test and post-test. The population of this research is all of VII grade in SMP Negeri 14 Bandung even-term 2013/2014, later on two classes of it were taken for the samples of this research. A class was taught using Multiple Intelligences based teaching model and the other one was taught using cooperative learning. The data of this research were gotten from the test in mathematical problem solving, scale questionnaire of the student attitudes, and observation. The results show the mathematical problem solving of the students who have learned mathematics using Multiple Intelligences based teaching model learning is higher than the student who have learned mathematics using cooperative learning, the mathematical problem solving ability of the student who have learned mathematics using cooperative learning and Multiple Intelligences based teaching model are in intermediate level, and the students showed the positive attitude in learning mathematics using Multiple Intelligences based teaching model. As for the recommendation for next author, Multiple Intelligences based teaching model can be tested on other subject and other ability.

Influence of Problem-Based Learning Model of Learning to the Mathematical Communication Ability of Students of Grade XI IPA SMAN 14 Padang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nisa, I. M.

2018-04-01

The ability of mathematical communication is one of the goals of learning mathematics expected to be mastered by students. However, reality in the field found that the ability of mathematical communication the students of grade XI IPA SMA Negeri 14 Padang have not developed optimally. This is evident from the low test results of communication skills mathematically done. One of the factors that causes this happens is learning that has not been fully able to facilitate students to develop mathematical communication skills well. By therefore, to improve students' mathematical communication skills required a model in the learning activities. One of the models learning that can be used is Problem Based learning model Learning (PBL). The purpose of this study is to see whether the ability the students' mathematical communication using the PBL model better than the students' mathematical communication skills of the learning using conventional learning in Class XI IPA SMAN 14 Padang. This research type is quasi experiment with design Randomized Group Only Design. Population in this research that is student of class XI IPA SMAN 14 Padang with sample class XI IPA 3 and class XI IPA 4. Data retrieval is done by using communication skill test mathematically shaped essay. To test the hypothesis used U-Mann test Whitney. Based on the results of data analysis, it can be concluded that the ability mathematical communication of students whose learning apply more PBL model better than the students' mathematical communication skills of their learning apply conventional learning in class XI IPA SMA 14 Padang at α = 0.05. This indicates that the PBL learning model effect on students' mathematical communication ability.

IQ as moderator of terminal decline in perceptual and motor speed, spatial, and verbal ability: Testing the cognitive reserve hypothesis in a population-based sample followed from age 70 until death.

PubMed

Thorvaldsson, Valgeir; Skoog, Ingmar; Johansson, Boo

2017-03-01

Terminal decline (TD) refers to acceleration in within-person cognitive decline prior to death. The cognitive reserve hypothesis postulates that individuals with higher IQ are able to better tolerate age-related increase in brain pathologies. On average, they will exhibit a later onset of TD, but once they start to decline, their trajectory is steeper relative to those with lower IQ. We tested these predictions using data from initially nondemented individuals (n = 179) in the H70-study repeatedly measured at ages 70, 75, 79, 81, 85, 88, 90, 92, 95, 97, 99, and 100, or until death, on cognitive tests of perceptual-and-motor-speed and spatial and verbal ability. We quantified IQ using the Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices (RCPM) test administrated at age 70. We fitted random change point TD models to the data, within a Bayesian framework, conditioned on IQ, age of death, education, and sex. In line with predictions, we found that 1 additional standard deviation on the IQ scale was associated with a delay in onset of TD by 1.87 (95% highest density interval [HDI; 0.20, 4.08]) years on speed, 1.96 (95% HDI [0.15, 3.54]) years on verbal ability, but only 0.88 (95% HDI [-0.93, 3.49]) year on spatial ability. Higher IQ was associated with steeper rate of decline within the TD phase on measures of speed and verbal ability, whereas results on spatial ability were nonconclusive. Our findings provide partial support for the cognitive reserve hypothesis and demonstrate that IQ can be a significant moderator of cognitive change trajectories in old age. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Automation of Flight Software Regression Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tashakkor, Scott B.

2016-01-01

NASA is developing the Space Launch System (SLS) to be a heavy lift launch vehicle supporting human and scientific exploration beyond earth orbit. SLS will have a common core stage, an upper stage, and different permutations of boosters and fairings to perform various crewed or cargo missions. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is writing the Flight Software (FSW) that will operate the SLS launch vehicle. The FSW is developed in an incremental manner based on "Agile" software techniques. As the FSW is incrementally developed, testing the functionality of the code needs to be performed continually to ensure that the integrity of the software is maintained. Manually testing the functionality on an ever-growing set of requirements and features is not an efficient solution and therefore needs to be done automatically to ensure testing is comprehensive. To support test automation, a framework for a regression test harness has been developed and used on SLS FSW. The test harness provides a modular design approach that can compile or read in the required information specified by the developer of the test. The modularity provides independence between groups of tests and the ability to add and remove tests without disturbing others. This provides the SLS FSW team a time saving feature that is essential to meeting SLS Program technical and programmatic requirements. During development of SLS FSW, this technique has proved to be a useful tool to ensure all requirements have been tested, and that desired functionality is maintained, as changes occur. It also provides a mechanism for developers to check functionality of the code that they have developed. With this system, automation of regression testing is accomplished through a scheduling tool and/or commit hooks. Key advantages of this test harness capability includes execution support for multiple independent test cases, the ability for developers to specify precisely what they are testing and how, the ability to add automation, and the ability of the harness and cases to be executed continually. This test concept is an approach that can be adapted to support other projects.

Simple Mindreading Abilities Predict Complex Theory of Mind: Developmental Delay in Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pino, Maria Chiara; Mazza, Monica; Mariano, Melania; Peretti, Sara; Dimitriou, Dagmara; Masedu, Francesco; Valenti, Marco; Franco, Fabia

2017-01-01

Theory of mind (ToM) is impaired in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The aims of this study were to: (i) examine the developmental trajectories of ToM abilities in two different mentalizing tasks in children with ASD compared to TD children; and (ii) to assess if a ToM simple test known as eyes-test could predict performance on…

Analysis Test of Understanding of Vectors with the Three-Parameter Logistic Model of Item Response Theory and Item Response Curves Technique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rakkapao, Suttida; Prasitpong, Singha; Arayathanitkul, Kwan

2016-01-01

This study investigated the multiple-choice test of understanding of vectors (TUV), by applying item response theory (IRT). The difficulty, discriminatory, and guessing parameters of the TUV items were fit with the three-parameter logistic model of IRT, using the parscale program. The TUV ability is an ability parameter, here estimated assuming…

Assessing Giftedness in Children: Comparing the Accuracy of Three Shortened Measures of Intelligence to the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newton, Jocelyn H.; McIntosh, David E.; Dixon, Felicia; Williams, Tasha; Youman, Elizabeth

2008-01-01

This study examined the accuracy of three shortened measures of intelligence: the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability, Third Edition Brief Intellectual Ability (WJ III COG BIA) score; the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, Fifth Edition Abbreviated IQ (SB5 ABIQ); and the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test IQ Composite (K-BIT) in predicting…

Audiovisual Speech Perception in Infancy: The Influence of Vowel Identity and Infants' Productive Abilities on Sensitivity to (Mis)Matches between Auditory and Visual Speech Cues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altvater-Mackensen, Nicole; Mani, Nivedita; Grossmann, Tobias

2016-01-01

Recent studies suggest that infants' audiovisual speech perception is influenced by articulatory experience (Mugitani et al., 2008; Yeung & Werker, 2013). The current study extends these findings by testing if infants' emerging ability to produce native sounds in babbling impacts their audiovisual speech perception. We tested 44 6-month-olds…

The Neural Substrates Associated with Attentional Resources and Difficulty of Concurrent Processing of the Two Verbal Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mizuno, Kei; Tanaka, Masaaki; Tanabe, Hiroki C.; Sadato, Norihiro; Watanabe, Yasuyoshi

2012-01-01

The kana pick-out test has been widely used in Japan to evaluate the ability to divide attention in both adult and pediatric patients. However, the neural substrates underlying the ability to divide attention using the kana pick-out test, which requires participants to pick out individual letters (vowels) in a story while also reading for…

Effect of Formative and Ability Test Results on Early Learning of Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kadir, Abdul; Ardi, Muhammad; Nurhayati, B.; Dirawan, Gufran Darma

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship of formative tests to early learning ability of students in the science learning style. This research used an experimental method with a 2 x 2 factorial design. The participants comprised all the students in class VII of the Islamic Junior High School State of Kolaka, a total of 343…

An Investigation of the Measurement Properties of the Spot-the-Word Test In a Community Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mackinnon, Andrew; Christensen, Helen

2007-01-01

Intellectual ability is assessed with the Spot-the-Word (STW) test (A. Baddeley, H. Emslie, & I. Nimmo Smith, 1993) by asking respondents to identify a word in a word-nonword item pair. Results in moderate-sized samples suggest this ability is resistant to decline due to dementia. The authors used a 3-parameter item response theory model to…

The Effects of High Scientific Literacy, Self-Efficacy, and Achievement Motivation on Teachers' Ability to Compose Effective Tests: Case Study from Manado, Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poluakan, Cosmas

2012-01-01

This research was conducted to determine the effects of high scientific literacy, self-efficacy, and achievement motivation on teachers' ability to compose effective tests. It was conducted among junior high school science teachers in Manado, North Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, from April to September 2011, using a cross-sectional survey design.…

Least Squares Method for Equating Logistic Ability Scales: A General Approach and Evaluation. Iowa Testing Programs Occasional Papers, Number 30.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haebara, Tomokazu

When several ability scales in item response models are separately derived from different test forms administered to different samples of examinees, these scales must be equated to a common scale because their units and origins are arbitrarily determined and generally different from scale to scale. A general method for equating logistic ability…

Latent Class Analysis of Differential Item Functioning on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Mi-young Lee; Cohen, Allan S.; Schwanenflugel, Paula J.

2008-01-01

This study investigated the use of latent class analysis for the detection of differences in item functioning on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Third Edition (PPVT-III). A two-class solution for a latent class model appeared to be defined in part by ability because Class 1 was lower in ability than Class 2 on both the PPVT-III and the…

Longitudinal Assessment of Intellectual Abilities of Children with Williams Syndrome: Multilevel Modeling of Performance on the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test--Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mervis, Carolyn B.; Kistler, Doris J.; John, Angela E.; Morris, Colleen A.

2012-01-01

Multilevel modeling was used to address the longitudinal stability of standard scores (SSs) measuring intellectual ability for children with Williams syndrome (WS). Participants were 40 children with genetically confirmed WS who completed the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test--Second Edition (KBIT-2; A. S. Kaufman & N. L. Kaufman, 2004) 4-7…

Assessment of postural balance function.

PubMed

Kostiukow, Anna; Rostkowska, Elzbieta; Samborski, Włodzimierz

2009-01-01

Postural balance is defined as the ability to stand unassisted without falling. Examination of the patient's postural balance function is a difficult diagnostic task. Most of the balance tests used in medicine provide incomplete information on this coordination ability of the human body. The aim of this study was to review methods of assessment of the patient's postural balance function, including various tests used in medical diagnostics centers.