Cognitive and noncognitive predictors of success

Significance To examine cognitive and noncognitive predictors of success, we conducted a megaanalysis of prospective, longitudinal data on over 10,000 cadets at the US Military Academy at West Point. Cognitive ability was negatively related to physical ability and grit. While cognitive ability predicted academic and military grades, the noncognitive attributes of physical ability and grit were more prognostic of other achievement outcomes, including successful completion of initiation training and 4-y graduation. When predicting success, how important are personal attributes other than cognitive ability? To address this question, we capitalized on a full decade of prospective, longitudinal data from n = 11,258 cadets entering training at the US Military Academy at West Point. Prior to training, cognitive ability was negatively correlated with both physical ability and grit. Cognitive ability emerged as the strongest predictor of academic and military grades, but noncognitive attributes were more prognostic of other achievement outcomes, including successful completion of initiation training and 4-y graduation. We conclude that noncognitive aspects of human capital deserve greater attention from both scientists and practitioners interested in predicting real-world success.

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