Cognitive Ability Measure
New York State Police Trooper Examination Study Guide 4
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Cognitive abilities are capabilities of our brains to perceive, reason, understand, manipulate and interact with
stimuli in the world around us. Cognitive abilities are honed through education, training and practice. The New
York State Police Trooper Examination assesses twelve narrow cognitive abilities: reading, writing, deductive
reasoning, ordering of information, inductive reasoning, pattern recognition, grammar, vocabulary, visualization,
spatial orientation, flexibility of closure, and memorization. Understanding each cognitive ability, considering your
personal strengths and weaknesses, and allocating time to practice cognitive abilities that you tend to be weak in
is one of the best ways you can prepare for the examination.
In order to better familiarize you with the diversity of questions you will experience in the cognitive section of the
examination, this study guide will describe each cognitive ability area and the manner in which it might be
demonstrated on the job. These descriptions, along with sample questions, will help you prepare for the
examination. Your performance on the cognitive section of the examination can be dramatically improved by
reviewing these sample questions and the discussion section following each question regarding the proper
methods of solving each type of question.
READING
Reading is the ability to read written words and sentences and understand what is being communicated.
Troopers are required to read and understand a vast amount of training materials and are confronted with on-
going professional training throughout their careers that is presented in a written format. Troopers also have to
read and understand policies, directives and tactical plans.
The following question will allow you to assess your reading ability, identify any areas of weakness, and learn the
proper method for solving this type of question.
Sample question 1
Please use the following passage to answer Sample Question 1.
The State of New York voted to implement a new program designed to increase public preparedness for active
shooter events due to a rise in the number of these events per year. Due to a limited budget, the program was
not designed to reach all members of the public; instead, existing data on active shooter events were analyzed to
determine at-risk groups, and a target group was identified for training. A committee was formed to identify this
ideal target group, create a curriculum, and oversee the implementation of the training program.
The committee first considered available research, which led to the discovery that over 40% of active shooter
incidents throughout the last few years occurred in office buildings. The data also showed that 68.7% of active
shooter incidents ended in five minutes or less, while police tended to respond to these incidents within 10
minutes, on average. Based on this data, the committee theorized that training office workers on how to respond
to an active shooter event would have a large impact on public preparedness.
The committee surveyed members of the civilian workforce and state troopers in the Upstate New York region
regarding their preparedness for active shooter events. State troopers reported high levels of preparedness for
active shooter events, while the civilian workforce reported low levels of preparedness. Based on this survey and
their review of available research, the committee asserted that office workers would be an ideal target group for
the training program. Several large companies were then contacted to establish interest and seek participation
for a free on-site active shooter preparedness seminar.
Through a joint effort between the committee and the New York State Police, a curriculum was developed and