Intro to Assessment: Fluid Reasoning
Fluid Reasoning skills are another area assessed during psychoeducational evaluations with Dr. Katie. For more information, check out my last two posts on Verbal Comprehension and Visual Spatial Skills!
Fluid Reasoning skills are a set of cognitive skills that aid in our ability to understand new information. Consider fluid reasoning our “problem solving” capacity - it includes the ability to think beyond the facts by making connections to prior knowledge or applying common patterns or rules.
Assessing Fluid Reasoning allows me to understand one’s ability to problem solve with unfamiliar information or while navigating new situations. That way, I can determine someone’s ability to think beyond the facts by making connections to prior knowledge or by linking common patterns, concepts, or rules. I like to think of it as the ability to “think outside of the box” by tapping into previous knowledge, applying concepts, and identifying patterns.
What are Fluid Reasoning Skills?
Fluid Reasoning skills help one to identify relationships between things (patterns, connected topics). This includes the ability to complete puzzles, think abstractly or analogically, and process information efficiently by analyzing patterns. Fluid Reasoning is enhanced by visual processing and verbal abilities for many children. As the name implies, for someone to think “fluidly,” they may need to problem solve by going back and forth between concepts, ideas, and patterns. In order to be a “fluid” thinker in novel situations, your child’s brain must make connections, think creatively, and use inductive (bottom up) or deductive (top down) reasoning strategies to work through a problem.
One way to think about Fluid Reasoning is through the example of “If A = B, and B = C, then C = ?” to help you navigate something new. There are many factors that can influence your child’s performance on Fluid Reasoning tasks, including executive functioning skills (e.g., sustained attention, cognitive flexibility, efficiency, frustration tolerance), responsiveness to feedback, patterns of intellectual skills, as well as other aspects of language/cognitive functions, including visual processing, working memory, or processing speed.
What do Fluid Reasoning scores in the “Average” range mean?
If one performs in the Average range in Fluid Reasoning on a test of intellectual functioning, this shows that they have developmentally typical reasoning skills. They can use instruction and feedback effectively, improve performance through practice, and apply general or specific concepts to understand with new information similarly to other kids their age. These skills can contribute to their academic mastery, particularly in their ability to think outside of the box and connect seemingly unconnected ideas, such as linking math concepts of division with science topics about cells. Without any other barriers or learning differences, these individuals generally have the capacity to learn efficiently in school and can build upon their knowledge to learn new things in creative ways.
What do Fluid Reasoning scores in the “High Average, Very High, or Extremely High” range mean?
High Fluid Reasoning performance scores typically demonstrate that one has skill in making informed decisions creatively and efficiently. They may also communicate and express their knowledge in “out of the box” ways and may appear older and/or more efficient than their age in terms of problem-based learning. If someone has strong fluid thinking, they may also struggle to stay focused on tasks they find less challenging or too straight forward. They may require more stimulation or cross-subject connection in order to stay engaged. Sometimes a strength in fluid reasoning could look like distractibility in some environments. Individuals with high Fluid Reasoning skills may excel in popular games like Sudoku and chess.
What do Fluid Reasoning scores in the “Low Average, Very Low, or Extremely Low” range mean?
Low Fluid Reasoning performance scores may indicate poorly or underdeveloped fluid thinking skills compared to same aged peers through the lens of standardized assessment. These individuals may struggle with inferential questions, appear confused with if/then concepts, or benefit from corrective feedback throughout instruction to make links. While it does not mean they can’t figure out how to solve a problem, one may get more easily confused, distracted, or overwhelmed when needing to juggle multiple pieces of information at once. They may require more concrete or direct links between concepts or need things repeated. They may need additional skill building with understanding math concepts, listening comprehension tasks, organizing writing, and reading comprehension (especially inferential questions). There are many factors that influence Fluid Reasoning performance other than pure weaknesses in this area, including testing error, underlying neurodevelopmental weaknesses such as ADHD, difficulty with performing under timed pressure, anxiety, and other cultural implications/factors. Therefore, it is important to talk more in-depth with the examiner.
How do Fluid Reasoning Skills affect learning?
Fluid Reasoning impacts one’s efficiency under timed pressure, ability to navigate stress when analyzing details, and their recall. One may be incredibly knowledgeable of information, but might struggle with efficiency when trying to see the “forest through the trees.” Research supports that Fluid Reasoning skills are highly linked to reading comprehension, expressive writing, math problem solving, quantitative reasoning, science, and any class where making connections and reasoning is of high importance towards success. Fluid reasoning is our “puzzle solving” brain, so high skills in this area can lead someone to interests in puzzles, “brain busters,” or analysis. School settings tap into these skills regularly. If one has low Fluid Reasoning skills, it is important to provide them with additional opportunities to build these skills, as well as means to support their flexibility with thinking. For more information about school-based strategies, check out this blog.
What are some ways to enhance my child’s Fluid Reasoning Skills?
The developing brain learns well through use of peer support and connection, as it expands your child’s perspective on problem solving in both academic and play-based environments. When your child sees others work through problems, it increases opportunity, flexibility, and creativity in the future for similar experiences.
Improve enrichment and learning opportunities that extend slightly beyond your child’s specific interests. If reading about biology is not of interest to your child, help them find a way to link the topic to their interests in history or their favorite book.
Increase reciprocal teaching strategies by talking through your process. You can make observations with your child like, “I like the way you approached that, I thought about it this way,” or “I am thinking about solving the problem this way, do you have other ideas?”
Use review, repetition, and corrective feedback to promote transfer of ideas. Rather than clustering single concepts (e.g., division in math vs. cell development in science), provide opportunities for your child to link new topics with previously learned (and solidly used/understood) concepts when studying.
Help your child link new topics with background knowledge. When children struggle with fluid reasoning, they tend to benefit from making connections to previous learned ideas (especially things that really “click”).
Increase your child’s tolerance (whether frustration or anxiety) with novelty. Model use of problem solving or tolerating discomfort/change out loud to help them navigate new or unfamiliar situations.
Increase kinesthetic and play-based learning. Use your body to learn!
Encourage your child to talk aloud or draw out their ideas (especially if they have a visual spatial strength!). Children who struggle with condensing many ideas or making connections between ideas benefit from tapping into other brain strengths.
Use visual referents for abstract or content heavy tasks, particularly with written expression or when studying. Cluster paragraphs in circles, minimize visual stimuli on the page, or draw arrows to link ideas on study materials. Consider graphic organizers for writing.
Keep it fun! There are many family friendly games that tap into Fluid Reasoning skills. Play games that involve puzzles, problem solving, mystery, or making things to acquire knowledge in a non threatening way. Cooperative or mystery games like Codenames, Dixit, Clue, and Stuffed Fables can be fun ways to think outside the box.
Next up: Working Memory! Just another part of my efforts to demystify the testing process. Stay tuned!
Sources:
Ferrer E, O'Hare ED, Bunge SA. (2009) Fluid reasoning and the developing brain. Front Neuroscience, 1(46-51). doi: 10.3389/neuro.01.003.2009. PMID: 19753096; PMCID: PMC2858618.
American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education. (2014). Standards for educational and psychological testing. Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.
Ayearst, L. E., & Bagby, R. M. (2010). Evaluating the psychometric properties of psychological measures. In M. M. Antony & D. H. Barlow (Eds.), Handbook of assessment and treatment planning for psychological disorders (pp. 23–61). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Groth-Marnat, G., & Wright, A. J. (2016). Handbook of psychological assessment (6th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
