A classification that summarizes differences across five cognitive domains
The BrainTypeIQ brain type is a way of summarizing score differences across five cognitive domains and nine tasks. The 9 main types show the broad pattern, while the 27 profiles show differences within the same type.
Under the classification rule, an axis is assigned to one side when one score is clearly higher than the other; when the difference is small, it is Balanced. Thus, a result with GAI clearly higher than CPI is Reflective, while one with a clearly higher verbal score is Verbal. The type name summarizes the relative pattern across several scores.
The brain type therefore describes the combination of cognitive abilities measured by BrainTypeIQ.
Two axes form the 9 main types
Axis 1: GAI/CPI — Reflective, Balanced, or Responsive
- Reflective — GAI, which comprises Gc, Gf, and Gv, is clearly higher than CPI
- Balanced — The difference between GAI and CPI is small
- Responsive — CPI is clearly higher than GAI
This axis compares the combined score for comprehension, reasoning, and visuospatial processing with the combined score for retaining information and processing it quickly. The difference between GAI and CPI explains these two composites in detail.
For a Reflective result, compare performance when there is time to understand the content with performance when several pieces of information must be retained and an answer produced quickly. For a Responsive result, compare performance on tasks requiring a rapid series of responses with performance on unfamiliar, complex problems that need to be examined in depth. Balanced means that neither composite is clearly higher than the other.
Axis 2: Verbal/Visual — Verbal, Balanced, or Visual
- Verbal — The verbal score is clearly higher than the nonverbal score
- Balanced — The difference between the verbal and nonverbal scores is small
- Visual — The nonverbal score is clearly higher than the verbal score
This axis compares tasks that use vocabulary and knowledge with tasks that use figures, rules, and spatial relationships. Verbal and nonverbal strengths explains how to read that difference.
For a Verbal result, compare working through ideas in words with deriving relationships from figures and layouts. For a Visual result, examine whether figures and spatial arrangements are easier to work with than verbal explanations. Balanced means that the score difference between verbal and nonverbal formats is small.
Combining the three positions on each axis produces the following 9 main types.
| Reflective | Balanced | Responsive | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal | Silent Philosopher | Strategic Advisor | Verbal Influencer |
| Balanced | Truth Detective | Harmony Conductor | Essential Minimalist |
| Visual | Phantom Architect | Wit Artisan | Intuitive Scout |
Silent Philosopher, for example, is the Reflective × Verbal type: GAI is clearly higher than CPI, and the verbal score is clearly higher than the nonverbal score. In this way, each type summarizes two score relationships.
See all 9 types for the description of each type.
The Gwm/Gs sub-axis creates 27 profiles
After the main type has been determined, the difference between working memory (Gwm) and processing speed (Gs) divides each type into three further profiles.
- Gwm-leaning — Gwm is clearly higher than Gs
- Balanced — The difference between Gwm and Gs is small
- Gs-leaning — Gs is clearly higher than Gwm
Gwm is the score for tasks that require information to be retained temporarily while it is processed. Gs is the score for tasks that require simple visual information to be distinguished and responded to accurately within a short period. The sub-axis shows which of these two forms of processing was relatively higher within the same main type.
For a Gwm-leaning profile, look at how you perform when several conditions or steps must be kept in mind while reasoning. For a Gs-leaning profile, look at tasks that require simple visual information to be distinguished quickly and processed in sequence. Balanced means that neither retention nor processing speed is clearly higher than the other.
Combining the 9 main types with the three sub-axis positions produces 27 profiles.
Short codes such as GV-W
The result screen shows a code such as GV-W beside the type name. Its three characters identify the position within the 27 profiles.
- First character (GAI/CPI axis) — G (GAI, Reflective) / B (Balanced) / C (CPI, Responsive)
- Second character (Verbal/Visual axis) — V (Verbal) / H (Hybrid, the Balanced position) / I (Image, the Visual position)
- Third character (Gwm/Gs sub-axis) — W (Gwm-leaning) / E (Even, the Balanced position) / S (Gs-leaning)
GV-W means Reflective × Verbal × Gwm-leaning. Its main type is Silent Philosopher, and Gwm is clearly higher than Gs within that type.
How to read the BrainTypeIQ report explains the relationship among the five domains, nine tasks, and brain type.