Cognitive and Psychomotor Abilities: A Further Investigation of TheirRelationship

摘要

A study was conducted to expand our understanding of the relationship betweencognitive and psychomotor abilities. The tests were administered as might occur in personnel selection and classification. A paper-and-pencil multiple aptitude battery and a wide-ranging, computer-based psychomotor test battery were administered to 429 male and female military recruits. A confirmatory factor analysis yielded the higher order factors of general cognitive ability (g) and psychomotor I technical knowledge (PMtFK). The PM/TK factor was interpreted as representing Vernon's (1969) practical factor (k:m) (see P.E. Vernon, Intelli ence and Cultural Environmen London: Methuen). In the joint analysis of these two batteries, g and PM/TK each accounted for about 31% of the common variance. No residualized lower order factor accounted for more than 7%. The higher order PM(TK factor) influenced a broad range of lower order psychomotor factors.