In Module 2 we shared research data that shows that cognitive ability is one of the best predictors of general job performance. But just how important it is? Here are the results of some studies:
1. Psychology Professors, Hunter & Hunter (1984) analysed over 400 studies for supervisor ratings of overall job performance. The results are as follows:
⦁ A 57 % correlation between General Cognitive Ability and job performance for high-complexity jobs (about 17% of U.S. jobs)
⦁ A 51% correlation for medium-complexity jobs (63% of U.S. jobs)
⦁ A 38% correlation for low-complexity jobs
2. Frank L. Schmidt, Professor Emeritus of Management and Organizations in the Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa found that:
“Cognitive ability is the most important cause of job performance and the relationship between ability and performance is stable over time”
3. 98% Hiring Managers found Aptitude tests extremely useful in assigning job roles in their teams and told us that this improved the team’s performance as a whole. (Mocha)
The following table, based on a study done by a company called Mocha, illustrates how cognitive ability impacts on job performance and other critical measures.
