Minicog Rapid Assessment Battery (MRAB)

Assessment

What is it?

The Minicog Rapid Assessment Battery (MRAB) is a cognitive fitness assessment designed to measure mental fitness, attention, focus, working memory, and reasoning ability. Originally developed by a research team led by Dr. Stephen Kosslyn, former Chair of the Psychology Department at Harvard University, the MRAB was created to measure the cognitive effects of prolonged space travel on astronauts. It consists of nine short tests that assess the brain’s information processing functions.

Funded by NASA, the MRAB was designed for use in environments requiring sustained concentration and cognitive precision. The test’s portability made it accessible to astronauts and extreme athletes alike, such as climbers on Mt. Everest, who used the MRAB to measure the effects of high altitude on cognitive performance. Now available commercially, the MRAB is a proprietary assessment licensed exclusively by Criteria. It offers a modern approach to assessing cognitive ability, going beyond traditional IQ and aptitude tests to evaluate a subject’s mental fitness for high-concentration tasks. The MRAB is ideal for roles requiring sustained focus and reasoning abilities, providing unique insights into a candidate’s cognitive capabilities and overall mental fitness.

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Measurement Objectives

The MRAB focuses on assessing four critical cognitive abilities:

  • Attention and Focus: The ability to maintain concentration over extended periods, a key factor in roles requiring prolonged focus.
  • Working Memory: The capacity to hold and manipulate information in mind while completing complex tasks.
  • Reasoning Ability: The ability to analyze situations, solve problems, and make logical decisions.
  • Mental Fitness: The overall cognitive health of a candidate, particularly their ability to process information accurately and efficiently in high-stress environments.

These skills are crucial for roles that require high cognitive stamina and the ability to perform well under pressure. By measuring a subject’s cognitive fitness, the MRAB helps predict success in tasks that demand intense concentration, attention to detail, and sustained mental effort.

Use

The MRAB is suited for roles needing sustained concentration, attention to detail, and mental stamina, such as pilots, air traffic controllers, surveillance operators, and machine operators. This test helps employers identify candidates capable of handling high-stakes, mentally demanding tasks. Integrating the MRAB in recruitment ensures candidates possess the mental agility needed for success in demanding environments. The MRAB also enhances the candidate experience, reflecting the employer’s commitment to cognitive fitness and strengthening brand appeal.

Results

MRAB results include raw scores and percentile rankings across nine cognitive assessments. Raw scores show performance, while percentiles compare candidates to a norm group. These scores support data-driven hiring, helping employers select individuals with strong cognitive fitness for roles requiring high concentration, focus, and reasoning. Percentile rankings allow easy candidate comparisons to identify those most suited for mentally demanding tasks.

Development

Developed by Dr. Stephen Kosslyn's NASA-funded team, the MRAB assesses cognitive fitness elements like attention, working memory, and reasoning. Unlike traditional IQ tests, it focuses on the brain’s ability to process and apply information in real-world tasks. Extensively validated, the MRAB predicts performance in roles requiring sustained mental effort and precision, making it an effective tool for high-focus job selection.

Reference Group

Key features

What it measures

Attention and Focus
Working Memory
Reasoning Ability
Mental Fitness

References

https://www.criteriacorp.com/files/Criteria-Overview-MRAB.pdf

Provider:

Criteriacorp