Abstract Reasoning

 
Abstract reasoning is the process of perceiving issues and reaching conclusions through the use of symbols or generalisations rather than concrete factual information.

Abstract – Inductive Reasoning

 
Practice Abstract reasoning tests (also known as inductive reasoning and/or diagrammatic reasoning tests). Abstract reasoning tests are used to assess someone’s general intellect and ability to work out new concepts and abstract ideas, without relying on prior knowledge. In Abstract reasoning questions the purpose is to recognize patterns and similarities between shapes and figures. The ability to answer abstract reasoning questions should be independent of educational experience and cultural background, and can be used to provide an objective indication of intellectual potential. Of course this is not completely true since this ability can be trained simply by completing and studying tests which contain the type of questions you want to be trained in.

However keep in mind that you can train the ability to answer abstract reasoning problems but this does not increase your abstract reasoning skills. In perfect abstract reasoning questions you should not be able to revert to prior knowledge. When you are trained in a certain type of abstract reasoning question you actually can revert to prior knowledge.

Abstract reasoning tests are commonly accepted to be a good measure of general intelligence. They test your ability to perceive relationships and work out any co-relationships, without any prior knowledge of language or mathematics.

 

Diagrammatic reasoning

 
Abstract reasoning is often confused with diagrammatic reasoning. However diagrammatic reasoning is the ability to infer a set of rules from a flowchart or similar diagram and then to apply those rules to a new situation. So a flowchart or diagram will provide you information about how to solve a problem and it is up to you to extract this information correctly and apply it to the problem. Keep in mind that this is the official and correct explanation of diagrammatic reasoning however the terms abstract reasoning and diagrammatic reasoning are often used interchangeably. So if you ever have to do a test in which you have to answer either diagrammatic reasoning or abstract reasoning questions be sure to be informed about what you should actually expect.

Also take a look at our abstract reasoning examples and types page for additional information or try to make our abstract reasoning test to practicing for aptitude and IQ tests.