The theory of limited rationality proposed by Simon underlies the descriptive approach of
the decisional process. Descriptive approaches indicate that people use heuristics
throughout the decision-making process and do not rationally analyse the alternatives
they are faced with. Certainly, the idea of identifying an optimal decision-making strategy
was not forgotten on the emergence of descriptive approaches. In economic
environments, the idea of rational alternative analysis is still the basis of all decisional
recommendations. Another direction for the pragmatist economists has been the
evaluation of decision-making abilities. Knowing whether a certain person exhibits
decision-making abilities is indeed a serious challenge for psychological research.
The ideal way to construct psychological tests is standardizing experimental tests. In
scientific research, the particularities of the cognitive functioning are studied through
theoretical lenses. In order to test the theoretical hypotheses, specific experimental tasks
are formulated. In case of decision-making, the well known descriptive theoretical
developments refers to the limited rationality of human decision-makers (Simon, 1959).
The experimental tasks proving that decision-makers do not rationally analyse the given
situation and the alternatives are diverse, but with no doubt the best known are those
proposed by Tversky and Kahneman. The central thesis behind the theory of limited
rationality holds that people make recourse to cognitive heuristics and personal strategies
in the analysis of available information, and information processing is occasionally
performed as effect of the cognitive bias. The cognitive biases and heuristics (strategies
we employ in order to make decisions without accurately analysing the entire
information) in the analysis of decisional alternatives are: the framing effect, alternative
prototypicality, alternative representativity, alternative accessibility, Ellsberg’s paradox,
Allais’ paradox. In the study of biases and heuristics a series of experimental tasks have
been proposed. Consequently, the experimental tasks have been analysed and
standardized so as to compile a collection of items for the test that should evaluate the
decision-makers’ rationality or their sensitivity to bias.
Method presentation
Each of the 8 cognitive aptitudes of maximum relevance for professional and academic
performance has been operationalized in a series of tests. The number of tests varies
according to the complexity of the aptitude. For instance, general learning ability is
highly complex, with several components, therefore it has been assigned seven test
categories. In exchange, clerical abilities being more specific, with fewer components,
have been assigned a single test with several subscales. The total number of BTPAC tests
is 23, of which 3 – those referring to reaction time – are only available on the computer.