The Role of General and Specific Cognitive Abilities in Predicting Performance of Three Occupations: Evidence from Bifactor Models

Abstract

Cognitive abilities are related to job performance. However, there is less agreement about the relative contribution of general versus specific cognitive abilities to job performance. Similarly, it is not clear how cognitive abilities operate in the context of complex occupations. This study assessed the role of cognitive abilities on the performance of three aviation-related jobs: flying, navigation, and air battle management (ABM). Correlated-factor and bifactor models were used to draw a conclusion about the predictive relations between cognitive abilities and job performance. Overall, the importance of particular cognitive abilities tends to vary across the three occupations, and each occupation has different sets of essential abilities. Importantly, the interplay of general versus specific abilities is different across occupations, and some specific abilities also show substantial predictive power.

Factor Structure and Criterion-Related Validity of the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test Form T for Pilot Applicants

“…Aviation-related acquired knowledge, in particular, related uniquely with all performance criteria across the three samples, suggesting strong predictive value for pilot performance that can be even stronger than that of general ability. A similar result was also manifested with different pilot performance criteria (ALMamari & Traynor, 2021). The construct of job/technical knowledge in aviation is consistently found to be an influential predictor for subsequent pilot performance (e.g., ALMamari & Traynor, 2019, 2020; Ree et al, 1995; Zierke, 2014).…”

Mental health and labor supply: Evidence from Canada

“…This decline in cognition can lead to a reduction in work and labor performance. This positive relationship between cognition ability and work performance is reported in the literature ( ALMamari & Traynor, 2021 ; Gottfredson, 1986 , 2003 ; Hunter, 1986 ; Nye et al, 2022 ; Schmitt, 2014 ). In other words, mental health problems diminish cognition ability, leading to a decline in work and labor performance or productivity.…”

Deductive Reasoning Skills in Children Aged 4–8 Years Old

“…Young children’s general intelligence (g factor) plays a significant role in their cognitive skills progress ( Almamari and Traynor 2021 ; Gomes et al 2014 ; Panizzon et al 2014 ). Moreover, language is central in the operations of children’s complex cognitive tasks, especially in deductive reasoning ( Coetzee et al 2023 ).…”