Cognitive Aptitude Test

The Cognitive Aptitude Test (CAT) measures an individual's aptitude, or ability to solve problems, digest and apply information, learn new skills, and think critically. Individuals with high aptitude are more likely to be quick learners and high performers than are individuals with low aptitude. The CAT consists of 50 items; very few people finish all 50 items in the 15 minute time limit.
Score Reports

Each individual is given a raw score and a percentile ranking. The raw score indicates how many questions (out of 50) the individual answered correctly, while the percentile ranking is a relative performance metric that indicates how the individual scored relative to others who have taken the test. For example, a percentile ranking of 45 means than an individual scored better than 45% of the group on which the test was normed.

PDFs

ยท        Sample Score Report

Aptitude as a Predictor of Performance

Research shows that cognitive aptitude is one of the most accurate predictors of job success: twice as predictive as job interviews, three times as predictive as experience, and four times as predictive as education level.

Sample CCAT Question:

If a plane travels at a speed of 400 miles per hour, how many hours will it take to travel 3000 miles?

A.   5

B.   6

C.   6.5

D.   7

E.   7.5

Answer: E

 
Validity Information

Construct Validity: The CAT has been shown to be highly correlated to other leading measures of cognitive aptitude. Correlations with leading employment aptitude tests range from .55 to .8.

Predictive Validity: Various studies have shown that CAT results correlate significantly with job performance for a wide variety of jobs, but it is an especially effective predictor of performance for jobs that require enhanced abilities in the areas of problem-solving, learning, critical thinking, and verbal and mathematical reasoning. Examples of jobs for which the CAT has high predictive validity include managerial positions, software engineers and other technology workers, financial analysts, auditors, and many others.

 

Standardization Sample

Norms for the CAT were developed using a sample of 985 individuals. The sample was made up of working adults aged 18 and older. These individuals were being assessed for employee selection purposes, and represented a mixture of individuals from over 50 companies whose current positions included managerial positions, technical services positions, customer service positions, and sales and sales-related positions.

Since the original norms for the CAT were created, the CAT has been administered over 500,000 times.

The mean score for the standardization sample for the CAT is 24.2, the median score is 24, and the standard deviation is 8.58.

Mean Scores and Standard Deviations for Various Occupational Samples

Type of Sample

N

M

SD

Applicants for equity sales associates position at an investment bank

39

23.1

6.63

Applicants for business development manager position at an oil company

74

25.1

6.63

Applicants for software engineer positions at a technology company

36

25.2

7.35

Incumbent transaction processing specialists at a regional bank

17

22.7

7.52

Incumbent relationship managers at a regional financial institution

18

28.1

7.38

Incumbent auditors at a multinational consumer goods company

19

26.4

6.15

Total standardization sample (including all of the above and other samples)

985

24.2

8.58