Cambridge Brain Science Assessment Components for Autism
Token Search
Working Memory—The ability to temporarily hold information in memory, and manipulate or update it based on changing circumstances or demands. This task involves self-directed searching, so there is a strategy component as well.
Example – Systematically searching for your car keys that have been left somewhere by your partner.
Rotations
Mental Rotation – A function of visual representation in the brain, mental rotation is the ability to efficiently manipulate mental representations of objects in order to make valid conclusions about what objects are and where they belong.
Example – Navigating using a map on your phone that keeps rotating every time you turn, or finding the route to a room inside a building even though you came in through a different door when you first learned your way around.
Odd One Out
Deductive Reasoning – The core cognitive ability to apply rules to information in order to arrive at a logical conclusion.
Example – The ability to determine that something is true because of a set of facts. For instance, when doing your taxes, you may determine that you qualify for a tax rebate based on certain rules set out by your country.
Spatial Planning
Planning – A fundamental property of intelligent behavior, planning is the ability to act with forethought and sequence behaviour in an orderly fashion to reach specific goals.
Example – Packing items into your car’s trunk so that they all fit, or assembling a piece of furniture.
Grammatical Reasoning
Verbal Reasoning—The ability to quickly understand and make valid conclusions about concepts expressed in words.
Example – Understanding everyday speech that may contain negative statements – for instance, “I didn’t know that he wasn’t going to show up”.
Double Trouble
Response Inhibition—The ability to concentrate on relevant information in order to make a correct response despite interference or distracting information.
Example – Blocking out background conversations when you’re trying to focus on something, or ignoring buzz words when viewing a television ad (“Fresh! Simple! Revolutionary!”) and focusing your attention on more important factors, like price and quality of the item being sold.