Competence (psychology)

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In psychology, competence is often defined as

“ The cognitive abilities and skills available to individuals or that can be learned by them in order to solve certain problems, as well as the associated motivational , volitional and social readiness and abilities in order to be able to use problem-solving successfully and responsibly in variable situations. "

- F. E. Weinert

Definition of terms

With the definition mentioned above, the competence concept is very broad, which leads to problems if the concept of competence is to be differentiated from other terms and concepts. In the literature, the term competence is therefore sometimes used synonymously for terms such as achievement, ability, talent, aptitude, skill, ability, talent, performance, learning, knowledge or even intelligence.

In order to limit the competence concept, one can try to differentiate it from existing terms. For example, a competency is primarily seen as changeable; H. Can be learned and trained, classified and can therefore be distinguished from the ability concept. Accordingly, competence can be understood as the result of the learning process, so that a delimitation of knowledge (as a product of learning) is again difficult. In contrast to fluid intelligence (as a decontextualized intellectual performance), a competence is more related to certain domains (e.g. mathematical competence, linguistic competence); however, this only applies to a limited extent to crystalline intelligence .

This conceptual fuzziness means that the competence concept is sometimes viewed as redundant. With regard to the school-related competencies, which are assessed in the PISA studies , the (controversial) opinion is therefore also held that these do not measure anything other than intelligence skills.

Types of competency

In the pedagogical-psychological context, Rost (p. 830) distinguishes between three types of competence:

The ability to reliably assess people is defined as diagnostic competence. This ability is the basis for the accuracy of diagnostic procedures, which are important for both teachers and parents in educational situations (F.-W. Schrader, p. 91 ff.). The didactic-methodical competence for the design of the lessons is particularly relevant for the effective promotion of young people by teachers. That competence is composed of intelligibility and clarity of expression; from the ability to motivate young people; out of ingenuity; from frequent group work etc. (R. Tausch, p. 541 ff.). The intellectual competence plays u. a. plays an important role when comparing attractive and unattractive children, so that those with more attractive children are (unjustifiably) rated better. (DH Rost & Susanne Schilling, p. 33 ff.).

Based on the linguistics of Noam Chomsky , Walter Volpert introduced the concept of competence into psychology for the first time in 1974 with his “action competence” and defined “efficient action as stable-flexible”. Many scientists picked up this term and continued to work with it; Thus, in 1981 , Rainer Oesterreich defined the term control competence , which Dietrich Dörner in 1983 again equated with his heuristic and epistemic competence and Yann Seyrer in 1986 defined it as a general force for living in the sense of comprehensive control competence for the existing and the new, in self- related , social and factual control competence differentiated and measured empirically with the force index. In the hierarchical-sequential theories of action , skill and ability are integrated into the concept of competence: For example, Rainer Oesterreich defines skill as the competence to carry out an action and the ability as the competence to plan action, goals, areas and development within a single model. It is also important to distinguish between (objectively measured) competence and (subjectively verbalized) competence opinion, which may agree or contradict one another. From the point of view of a successful lifestyle, the habitualized competencies of a personality that make up their strengths are particularly important ; The latter can be measured using psychological test methods such as the leadership matrix or the Big Five .

In cognitive psychology , some scientists differentiated between current, epistemic and heuristic competence. The current competence is the subjective assessment of one's own knowledge and possibilities for action. Dietrich Dörner understands epistemic competence to be the knowledge of an individual about an “existing” section of reality, while heuristic competence defines his or her confidence in a “new to be found” or “newly constructed” path to the goal. In the recent research of cognitive psychology these concepts but only play a minor role. Yann Seyrer demonstrated that all personality types differentially develop a specific combination of epistemic and heuristic competence : The abstract-stringent personality type combines its "ad hoc program" with a "jump" from one consequence to the next, the concrete defensive personality type is its long-term "perseverance" with its "search" for the ideal and the concrete offensive personality type combines its short-term "perseverance" with "learning" anew.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Weinert, F. E. (2001). Comparative performance measurement in schools - a controversial matter of course . In: F. E. Weinert [ed.], Performance measurement in schools. Weinheim and Basel: Beltz-Verlag.
  2. ↑ a b Wilhelm, O., & Nickolaus, R. (2013): What distinguishes the concept of competency from established categories such as ability, skill or intelligence? , Journal of Educational Science, 16, 23–26. doi : 10.1007 / s11618-013-0380-6
  3. ^ Rindermann, H. (2006). What do international school achievement studies measure? Psychological Rundschau, 57, 69–86. doi : 10.1026 / 0033-3042.57.2.69
  4. ↑ Baumert, J., Brunner, M., Lüdtke, O., & Trautwein, U. (2007). What do international school achievement studies measure? - Results of cumulative knowledge acquisition processes: An answer to Heiner Rindermann. Psychological Rundschau, 58, 118–128. doi : 10.1026 / 0033-3042.58.2.118
  5. ↑ a b c d Detlef H. Rost (1998). Concise dictionary of educational psychology. Weinheim: Belz.
  6. ↑ Volpert, Walter: Action structure analysis as a contribution to qualification research. Cologne: Pahl-Rugenstein, 1974, p. 41.
  7. ↑ Volpert, Walter: Action structure analysis as a contribution to qualification research. Cologne: Pahl-Rugenstein, 1974, p. 46.
  8. ^ Oesterreich, Rainer: Action regulation and control. Munich: Urban & Schwarzenberg, 1981, p. 147.
  9. ^ Dörner, Dietrich: Lohausen - From dealing with indeterminacy and complexity. Bern: Huber, 1983, p. 413.
  10. ↑ Seyrer, Yann: Departure into everyday life. Weinheim: Beltz, 1986, pp. 5, 10 f., 255 f.
  11. ^ Oesterreich, Rainer: Action regulation and control. Munich: Urban & Schwarzenberg, 1981, p. 302.
  12. ↑ Seyrer, Yann: The mirror of feelings: formulas for personal development and personal success , Frankfurt a. M./Berlin/Bern/Brüssel/New York / Oxford / Vienna: Lang 2003, ISBN 3-631-50870-0 .
  13. ^ Dörner, Dietrich: Lohausen - From dealing with indeterminacy and complexity. Bern: Huber, 1983, p. 413.
  14. ↑ Seyrer, Yann: Departure into everyday life. Weinheim: Beltz, 1986, p. 267.