Online Assessment of Cognitive Functioning: A Reliable Alternative to Laboratory Testing?

As the population ages, risks for cognitive decline threaten independence and quality of life for older adults. Classically, psychological assessment tools to evaluate cognitive functioning are administered in face-to-face laboratory sessions, which is time- and resource-consuming. With the aim of reducing such costs, the present study set out to develop and validate two new online tools, allowing a rapid assessment of general cognitive abilities and of prospective memory. We collected data from 250 participants equally spread across the adult lifespan (aged 18 – 86). Results suggest that performance assessed via these newly developed online tools is comparable to performance in face-to-face laboratory settings. Our findings thereby indicate that these online tools can reliably measure cognitive functioning across the lifespan at a reduced cost, which may help detect individuals at risk of developing age-related cognitive disorders.