Attention To Detail and Cyber Skill: Associated Beyond General Intelligence in Cyber-Soldier Conscripts

Abstract

We explore the potential of attention to detail as a component in the selection of conscripts for the cyber track in the Swedish Armed Forces. To measure attention to detail, we adapted the embedded figures test and administered it to conscripts as part of the extended mustering. We report results from a conscript selection with 97 test participants of which 56 continued to become cyber soldiers, finishing their training the following year. Attention to detail showed little correlation with the cognitive-ability components of the mustering test battery, suggesting that attention to detail is unlikely to be strongly associated with general intelligence for this population. Attention to detail was the only cognitive-ability component of the mustering test battery that showed a significant predictive relationship with practical post-training cyber skill (R² = 0.10). Therefore, we believe that it could be a useful additional component in the selection process.