Digital Library: Non-cognitive skills

Non-cognitive skills

Non-cognitive skills are not the usual skills, such as mathematical, scientific and technological or linguistic ones, but they can be equally decisive in personal and professional success. Non-cognitive skills are those not directly related to information processing. Instead, they refer to individual characteristics related to emotional, psychosocial and personality characteristics. They are, in fact, human and social skills not related to cognition, but just as necessary for development.

Non-cognitive skills are part of a person's cultural background, so the person himself can be defined as competent and declarable only if he possesses these skills as much as if he possesses traditional skills. Although not currently codified, they are in fact indispensable in social life and in the world of work. For a long time, training has been synonymous with the consolidation of hard skills (basic theoretical and procedural knowledge for carrying out a series of specific areas). Now, however, the fundamental importance of socio-emotional or behavioural skills has been understood: in fact, having good cognitive skills is not enough to live in society or to carry out a specific job. Non-cognitive skills are a series of psychological tools that allow to develop a positive and functional approach in every area of daily life, personal or work. Therefore, these predispositions are fundamental in society. They include a wide range of abilities like emotional maturity and stability, self control, friendliness, empathy, collaboration, conscientiousness, perseverance, grit, decision-making.

These non-cognitive skills can also be divided into three aspects:

• Character: character and personality, friendliness, open-mindedness, awareness and conscientiousness
• Attitude: optimistic and functional to the development of positive behaviors, capable of providing the right motivation
• Motivation: which consists in the ability to face the challenges of everyday life with a dynamic approach

Significance in Times of Crisis (e.g. pandemic)

Non-cognitive skills in times of crisis help to face safety and safeguarding the compactness of the work group even the most complex situations, proving to be an essential factor.