Redefining Intelligence for the Digital Age: How "Mentally Fit" are you?

Criteria Corp, a provider of employee testing software, today unveiled an internet-based version of an innovative new cognitive aptitude test, the MRAB, created by a team led by Harvard University psychologist Dr. Stephen Kosslyn and Jennifer Shephard. The MRAB, or MiniCog Rapid Assessment Battery, was originally designed for the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, an offshoot of NASA, which wanted a way to measure the cognitive performance of astronauts during prolonged space travel. Based on recent research in the field of cognitive neuroscience that seeks to measure and define the brain's information processing capacities, the MRAB serves as a kind of "blood pressure cuff for the mind," says Dr. Kosslyn.

Unlike traditional intelligence tests that measure "I.Q.", or general intelligence, the MRAB assesses specific cognitive abilities that together provide a picture of a person's "mental fitness." The MRAB consists of nine short tests that assess a test subject's attention, working memory, and reasoning abilities. Each of the subtests measures a different aspect of the brain's "processing power", and these specific cognitive competencies can influence a person's ability to perform certain real-world tasks. For example, two of the subtests measure a person's ability to maintain concentration and ignore irrelevant information, skills that are critical for professionals as diverse as truck drivers, blackjack dealers, and surgeons. The tests are also ideally suited for repeated administrations to measure day-to-day fluctuations of mental functioning.

For individuals who wish to measure their "mental fitness," a beta version of the MRAB is available at www.mrabtest.com. The entire MRAB takes approximately 25-30 minutes to complete.

About Criteria

Criteria Corporation is the leader in web-based pre-employment testing. Criteria's HireSelect® service allows companies to implement a state-of-the-art employee testing program quickly and cost-effectively, without needing to spend money on costly test consulting services. HireSelect is a subscription-based service that allows subscribers unlimited access to all tests, as well as to interactive tools such as the Job Profiler, which allows companies to perform a customized job requirements analysis. Criteria's test development efforts are guided by its Scientific Advisory Board, which includes several of the world's foremost experts in cognitive psychology, psychometrics, and statistics. To find out more visit www.criteriacorp.com.