Cognitrone - COG - 1 Year License

Test Overview

Measurement of attention and concentration under validity of the Rasch model. Numerous validation studies prove the construct and criterion validity.

Main Areas of Application

• Organizational industrial psychology
• Performance-oriented aptitude diagnostics
• Clinical psychology
• Neuropsychology
• Traffic psychology
• Aviation psychology
• Sports psychology
• psychopharmacology

Theoretical Background

Cognitrone is based on the Reulecke's theoretical model, which sees concentration as a state that is essentially described by three variables:

1. Energy: The concentrative state is exhausting and uses up energy.
2. Function: Function of concentration while coping with a task.
3. Precision: The quality of the mastering of tasks. In test forms with unlimited working time the variable Energy in the sense of Reulecke (1991) is recorded via the time needed for a predetermined precision and function.

Administration

Either the work panel or the computer keyboard serves as input medium. An animated instruction phase and an error-sensitive practice phase introduce the task at hand. In test forms with unlimited working time it is the task of the respondent, to compare an abstract figure with the model, and assess its identity. After the answer was entered, the next task follows automatically. Skipping a task, going back to a previous task or correcting a task is not possible. For test forms with fixed working time a reaction is only required, if a figure is identical to the model. At the end of the presentation time the next tasks follows automatically. Skipping a task or going back to a previous task is not possible.

Test Forms

Six test forms with unlimited working time (S1-S3, S7-S9) and three test forms (S4-S6) with a fixed working time of 1.8 sec. are available. The test forms S1/S4, S2/S5 and S3/S6 contain the same stimulus material. The 3 groups differ by the complexity of the patterns. Test forms S7 contains greatly reduced stimulus material. The figure from a task field has only to be compared with one figure in one of the display fields. S8 and S9 contain very simple constant stimulus material, S8 being slightly more difficult. Additionally both test forms are limited to seven minutes.

Scoring

Main variable of the test forms S1-S3, S7, S11: Mean time "correct rejection" (sec); Main variables of the test forms S4-S6: Total "correct reactions", Total "incorrect reactions". Main variables of the test forms S8-S9: Total "reactions" (correct and incorrect reactions), percentage "incorrect reactions".

Reliability

The reliabilities are very high, the majority of them being over r=0.95.

Validity

Many studies of different aspects of validity (content validity, convergent and discriminant validity, construct validity, and criterion validity) have been carried out; all these studies indicate that the test is valid. A number of studies carried out in the field of traffic psychology also confirm the validity of the test.

Norms

For the COG forms S1 – S5 and S8, S9 and S11 norm samples ranging in size from N=165 to N=1230 are available. Most of the norms are also available separated according to age and educational level. Special norms from among the following are also available for these forms: norms for drivers with conspicuous behaviour, Swedish adults, traffic-psychological clients from Portugal, Portuguese air traffic controllers, job seekers, would-be pilots, and pilots from Portugal, schoolchildren.

Testing Time

Between 5 and 20 minutes (including instruction and practice phase), depending on test form.

 

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VTS System Overview

The Schuhfried VTS enables computer-assisted application of a large number of highly diverse psycho-diagnostic tests and measuring procedures. In developing the system much emphasis was placed on transparent structure and largely uniform design. It is therefore simple to operate and easy to understand and does not require any special computer skills.

The VTS basic module is required for administration of any of the available tests.

The Schuhfried VTS supports the administration of both single tests and test batteries. Many of the single tests are available in different test versions. These test versions may differ, for example, in terms of test duration or difficulty or may be parallel forms. They are characterized by different parameters reflecting specific test requirements. They have been designed for administration to a specific population (e.g. psychiatric patients, children, etc.) or for special measuring purposes (e.g. repeated measurements). Test batteries are compiled from the available single tests and test versions.