The difference between abilities and skills explained simply

You learn to read, write, and do math in school. However, not every student becomes a writer or mathematician. It depends on your own aptitude or talent. Find out what this has to do with the distinction between abilities and skills below.

• Skills are learned. They relate to specific activities and their processes.
• A correct squat is an example of a skill. A person who has never done squats before may find it difficult to perform the exercise correctly at first. After repeating it several times and imitating the correct technique, it gradually becomes routine. The correct execution then happens automatically without the person having to think about it. They have learned the skill of doing a squat.
• However, skills are not only motor-related, such as doing a squat or learning to walk in toddlers. Cognitive and social skills also count. Reading and mental arithmetic are examples of cognitive skills.
• A skill is therefore not the squat itself, but the knowledge of how to perform it correctly and the ability to apply that knowledge. This also highlights the difference between abilities and skills. The latter are practiced and, through repetition, become established and autonomous sequences, activities, movements, or processes.
• Abilities can be trained, but they are limited by one’s own prerequisites. Intelligence is an example of a cognitive ability. It enables us to grasp complex relationships or understand social interactions.
• Abilities are therefore the basis for learning skills. They enable us to process stimuli and thus respond to certain situations. Only if you have certain abilities can you follow a trainer’s instructions to do a squat or concentrate on solving a math problem in class.