The different types of concentration tests consist of games, quizzes and activities that assess a person's ability to focus intently. Some work environments implement psychological measurement tests that gauge a job applicant's ability to concentrate on work-related tasks. For children, concentration games help assess and develop the ability to focus. Improving concentration is important for athletes in specific sports. Pilots must also block out distractions and often utilize various strategies for learning and measuring this skill.
Some work environments, such as financial or healthcare settings, require well-developed concentration skills. Making mistakes in these settings could be costly or dangerous. Concentration tests in these environments typically gauge an applicant's ability to perform repetitive tasks quickly and accurately. Quizzes can be directly relevant to the work environment, such as repetitively entering numbers into a financial trading screen. In other cases, an applicant might be given a set of instructions and asked to take a concentration quiz consisting of symbols, numbers and/or the alphabet.
Children who are suffering from attention disorders or mental health issues might exhibit the inability to focus. Depending on the extent of the issue, practitioners might simply observe and interact with the child to determine whether he is able to stay focused. In other cases, concentration tests might be implemented, such as asking a child to solve a puzzle or play a game. The card game "concentration" also is utilized by some practitioners and educators to help children develop greater focus by remembering the location of specific cards.
Athletes also use a variety of concentration tests to improve their performance. Whereas a golfer concentrates in short spurts, a distance runner might need to concentrate for hours. A test of focus for a golfer might be to block out distractions in inclement weather or noisy environments. A sprinter who must concentrate intensely might test his or her concentration level by training with competitive athletes or in less than ideal track conditions. Some athletes also use pencil and paper concentration activities that require deciphering numbers, letters or symbols under timed conditions.
Pilots also undergo concentration tests during the learning and licensing process. During the learning process, concentration games help pilots stay calm while reacting to the movement of multiple objects and stimuli. Clicking on a computerized object, for example, and moving it around while ensuring that it doesn't collide with other objects is one way to increase concentration. During the licensing process, an examiner might talk excessively to a pilot to purposely distract him or her from the task at hand. A skilled pilot will block out the distraction and/or behave authoritatively and ask the examiner to stop talking.