Competences
The term competence has various, somewhat overlapping definitions. In a general sense, being competent or having competence means that a person does something well when judged by relevant criteria. Hierarchically different practical competencies may be categorized starting from very general down to concrete skills. Considered analytically, abstract competencies related to knowledge and command of theories may be seen as different from practical competencies, that is, skills.
In Mindfindr reports the term competence (or competency) refers to different skills, abilities and resources that are based on natural personal aptitudes and traits of a person and that enable the individual to implement certain practical tasks. Usually people are to an extent aware of their strongest competencies and aim to put them into a profitable professional use and further develop those strengths.
Usually it is possible to measure and evaluate the level of the ability component in a competence using psychological tests. This is especially feasible where mathematical-logical, linguistic and spatial-perceptual competencies are concerned.
The Mindfindr competence framework describes the relative strengths of respondents’ competencies. To facilitate the interpretation of the report results by the respondent the relative contributions of different competencies in the overall model are given in percentage points along with illustrative graphs. The total sum of the competencies is thus 100 percent. A respondent may consider the relative strengths of his or her individual competencies. The competencies whose values are over 10 percent are relative strengths, while those below are areas potentially in need of improvement, especially if they are crucial with regard to the person’s academic and professional goals.
Verbal ratings of competencies set them into a more general frame of reference. The respondent might profit from putting to a profitable use the competencies that are rated as “Strong” or “Very strong”, as they are statistically stronger than average.
- Logical-mathematical competence describes a person’s ability to make logical inferences, solve mathematical problems and draw sound conclusions.
- Linguistic competence refers to verbal fluency, writing abilities, language skills and an interest in learning foreign languages
- Spatial-perceptual competence shows in a person’s ability to solve 3D problems, figure out structures and orient in nature and built environments
- Social competence refers to interpersonal skills and a capacity to make friends and get along with different kinds of people
- Emotional competence covers an ability to understand and make use of one’s own and others’ emotions and nonverbal skills
- Physical competence refers to physical strength, good muscular coordination and endurance under physical strain
- Dexterity competence refers to motor skills, good eye-hand coordination and an ability to perform manual operations swiftly upon perceptions
- Intuitive competence covers innovativeness, insightfulness and an ability to find creative solutions to problems in new situations
- Aesthetic competence embodies having an eye for beauty, a good judgement of forms and colors and skills to produce such things
- Musical competence entails having an exceptionally good sense of rhythms and pitches of sounds or an ability to compose music
