Aggregated Cognitive Assessments and the Limits of Discriminative Evaluation
Abstract
This technical note examines the limitations of aggregated cognitive assessments commonly used to summarize performance across tasks or domains. By isolating a minimal condition under which aggregation collapses distinct cognitive profiles into identical scores, it shows how discriminative information may be lost despite locally informative evaluations. The analysis is purely diagnostic and non-theoretical, focusing on inferential limits imposed by evaluation interfaces rather than on cognitive models or psychological interpretations.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Cognitive Abilities and Testing
Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
Educational and Psychological Assessments
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
- Publication date
- 3 February 2026
- Language
- EN