Iq Scores.

[Big Orange]

Recently I conducted an IQ test as part of a psychological survey and my test result was an general IQ of 111 and a verbal IQ of 103, which is supposedly a bit above average, though I take the results with caution. And I find IQ testing a flawed and dated form of intelligence grading (it seems a mild form of reassurance, saying you're not dumber than a bag of rocks). And IQ results can easily be misused for dubious political purposes.

[DTMark]

I was IQ tested when I was very young, I'm guessing, about 10 or 11. I remember having to work out things like sums and logic puzzles, put shapes into the right slots, order things etc.

But I think it is now believed that IQ can change with age

And it's all about acedemic intelligence. It doesn't test emotional intelligence.

[LC1]

And it's all about acedemic intelligence. It doesn't test emotional intelligence.

Not even academic intelligence per se. Tons of critique for IQ tests over the years, in that they only test a certain type of intelligence, the rational problem-solving kind, rather than ability to learn or emotional intelligence, as you say. They privilege one kind of thinking over all the others. So kind of like the case of that stereotypical superbrain whizzkid at school who was a member of Mensa and passed his maths GCSE at age 11, but who still couldn't tie his shoelaces or hold an intelligible conversation....

[DTMark]

Not even academic intelligence per se. Tons of critique for IQ tests over the years, in that they only test a certain type of intelligence, the rational problem-solving kind, rather than ability to learn or emotional intelligence, as you say. They privilege one kind of thinking over all the others. So kind of like the case of that stereotypical superbrain whizzkid at school who was a member of Mensa and passed his maths GCSE at age 11, but who still couldn't tie his shoelaces or hold an intelligible conversation....

Very much so.

Science fiction stories sometimes involve humans having their emotions removed.

However if that was done, the brain would cease to function. The logical and emotional sides of the brain work together. In most people.

In context - how many people have you or anyone ever met were devastatingly intelligent but also a whizz with people and able to apply their intelligence to a wide range of things?

I'd say the ideal is a perfect balance between the two attributes. In my entire life I think I have maybe met two people who I would describe as being like that.

In this respect I think that extremely high logic intelligence, like extremely low logic intelligence, is a borderline mental disorder.

Which would be why many of the geniuses of the human race tend to commit suicide or indulge in self harm.

[Turned Out Nice Again]

Some say that IQ is a measure of compliance, or at least willingness to think in the same way as the tester.

Think of cryptic crosswords which rely on a slew of implicit conventions and shared assumptions.

IQ scores have never been validated against any meaningful real world achievements (I don't count academic success) any more than does the ability to think like a writer of crossword puzzles.

Same applies to ability at chess.

The tests were created to identify gross mental impairment. At the other end of the scale they aren't that useful.

[Injin]

I generally test in the 140-160 range.

They are ********.

[DTMark]

I generally find that people who think it narrow and out moded don't do very well, whilst those who do well will also criticise it out of politeness and balance, but will point out certain merits and high correlations with other forms of measure.

Depends on what you want to test and what you're looking at. I don't think you can say that IQ tests "intelligence" without defining what that actually means.

I did very well, and my vague memories of the testing are that it was really easy and boring.

But even my "logic side" has changed as i have aged. For example when I was about 16 I could solve the Countdown "Conundrum" in a couple of seconds. Now, the contestants will beat me to it about two thirds of the time, and some of them I can't solve at all.

But, I think I have become a little more emotionally intelligent over that time. I've wondered whether it is actually possible to have both.

[wherebee]

Very much so.

Science fiction stories sometimes involve humans having their emotions removed.

However if that was done, the brain would cease to function. The logical and emotional sides of the brain work together. In most people.

In context - how many people have you or anyone ever met were devastatingly intelligent but also a whizz with people and able to apply their intelligence to a wide range of things?

Me, natch. I am also modest to a fault.

[swissy_fit]

I generally test in the 140-160 range.

They are ********.

Pretty good for a 'bot.

[swissy_fit]

Depends on what you want to test and what you're looking at. I don't think you can say that IQ tests "intelligence" without defining what that actually means.

I did very well, and my vague memories of the testing are that it was really easy and boring.

But even my "logic side" has changed as i have aged. For example when I was about 16 I could solve the Countdown "Conundrum" in a couple of seconds. Now, the contestants will beat me to it about two thirds of the time, and some of them I can't solve at all.

But, I think I have become a little more emotionally intelligent over that time. I've wondered whether it is actually possible to have both.

I must have a split personality because I think I wrote this post, or at least I could have.

Off the scale when young, now I'm so dumb and slow I'm afraid to test but I know a lot more about, well, humans, and myself.

[Snafu]

I've got a very clever older brother and we went to the same school, 4 years apart.

I remember the teachers quickly assuming I was as intelligent, so any dumb answer I gave to questions was always interpreted as if I was saying something clever. No doubt helped my grades. So because he was so clever and programmed computers and stuff from an early age, I didn't want to compete with it so I climbed trees instead. I was very good at climbing trees. And riding bikes. There was an "IQ" test in the army where I scored 7 out of 9. The really clever people, and liars, scores 9. I can't do maths easily but I like twisting shapes!

He's now burnt out from working too much and his social skills are firmly in the nerd spectrum. But he's definitely cleverer.

[DTMark]

I've got a very clever older brother and we went to the same school, 4 years apart.

I remember the teachers quickly assuming I was as intelligent, so any dumb answer I gave to questions was always interpreted as if I was saying something clever. No doubt helped my grades. So because he was so clever and programmed computers and stuff from an early age, I didn't want to compete with it so I climbed trees instead. I was very good at climbing trees. And riding bikes. There was an "IQ" test in the army where I scored 7 out of 9. The really clever people, and liars, scores 9. I can't do maths easily but I like twisting shapes!

He's now burnt out from working too much and his social skills are firmly in the nerd spectrum. But he's definitely cleverer.

Brother is five years younger than me.

I was the "clever" older one who did program computers from an early age. 9 GCSEs grade A to C, all easy stuff.

He did badly at school and he's in catering. He enjoys it. I can see he gets real pride from what he creates.

I did one of those "what type of job are you best suited to?" survey things, and it came back with things like librarian, systems analyst, barrister and the like.

The one job area it found no matches on, for which I am totally unsuited, is catering.

My father has the academic intelligence and sees things in black and white, my mother has more emotional intelligence and sees the shades of grey.

My father is laidback and my mother is neurotic.

As I grew up I seemed to start with the academic side and emotionally was a little "cold".

Now I'm older, the balance has swung, and I've also developed my mother's neurotic tendencies.

I did read a psychology book which said that your "second childhood" begins at 40.

The key point is probably: who is the most happy? Actually I think he and I are both emotionally a bit "mixed up" in the same ways, but I tend to pick the world apart with my brain asking endless questions until it's as if the very fabric of existence begins to shatter.

[swissy_fit]

I tend to pick the world apart with my brain asking endless questions until it's as if the very fabric of existence begins to shatter.

Take all your philosophy books and throw/give them away. Never look at another and never think about them.

If anyone starts reducing things into their constituent parts using philosophical arguments shout "B*llocks" at the top of your voice and walk away, even if it is your mother.

Take up surfing and/or similar.

Trust me.

[the_duke_of_hazzard]

I got an IQ in a test at 15 of 174.

Sadly, it's total nonsense. I'm not that smart, even at inference, let alone academics or emotional intelligence.

It's a rough guide to certain abilities, nothing more.

[@contradevian]

Many moons ago I recall buying a book of IQ tests and doing them properly (with a stop watch). My "IQ" markedly increased gradually (can't remember the scores now) but apparently that isn't supposed to happen. I think IQ tests for a while were discredited, for a while at least, due to discriminating against certain types culturally, but its so long ago that I can't really recall the rationale.

I think my motivation for getting the IQ book is that many employers such as Post Office Telephones etc and the Electricity Board would set them to determine the level of apprenticeship level you could enter at. Yes it was that long ago.

[MrPin]

I've got a very clever older brother and we went to the same school, 4 years apart.

I remember the teachers quickly assuming I was as intelligent, so any dumb answer I gave to questions was always interpreted as if I was saying something clever. No doubt helped my grades. So because he was so clever and programmed computers and stuff from an early age, I didn't want to compete with it so I climbed trees instead. I was very good at climbing trees. And riding bikes. There was an "IQ" test in the army where I scored 7 out of 9. The really clever people, and liars, scores 9. I can't do maths easily but I like twisting shapes!

He's now burnt out from working too much and his social skills are firmly in the nerd spectrum. But he's definitely cleverer.

Topologist!

[MrPin]

Some say that IQ is a measure of compliance, or at least willingness to think in the same way as the tester.

Think of cryptic crosswords which rely on a slew of implicit conventions and shared assumptions.

IQ scores have never been validated against any meaningful real world achievements (I don't count academic success) any more than does the ability to think like a writer of crossword puzzles.

Same applies to ability at chess.

The tests were created to identify gross mental impairment. At the other end of the scale they aren't that useful.

No matter! You passed the ukelele test! Now, me, I couldn't work out how to blow into it, to get a sound out of it!

[@contradevian]

I've got a very clever older brother and we went to the same school, 4 years apart.

I remember the teachers quickly assuming I was as intelligent, so any dumb answer I gave to questions was always interpreted as if I was saying something clever. No doubt helped my grades. So because he was so clever and programmed computers and stuff from an early age, I didn't want to compete with it so I climbed trees instead. I was very good at climbing trees. And riding bikes. There was an "IQ" test in the army where I scored 7 out of 9. The really clever people, and liars, scores 9. I can't do maths easily but I like twisting shapes!

He's now burnt out from working too much and his social skills are firmly in the nerd spectrum. But he's definitely cleverer.

I recall performing better on "spatial awareness" test and more poorly on number problems. I also seem to recall verbal reasoning being part of tests, but that might have been the 11+

[happy_renting]

I was IQ tested when I was very young, I'm guessing, about 10 or 11. I remember having to work out things like sums and logic puzzles, put shapes into the right slots, order things etc.

You write very well, for someone with an IQ of 10 or 11!

[The XYY Man]

You write very well, for someone with an IQ of 10 or 11!

Indeed.

A damn sight better than the illegible scrawl that Stephen Hawking gave me.

Last time I ask that tw@t for his autograph...

XYY

[StainlessSteelCat]

Take all your philosophy books and throw/give them away. Never look at another and never think about them.

If anyone starts reducing things into their constituent parts using philosophical arguments shout "B*llocks" at the top of your voice and walk away, even if it is your mother.

Take up surfing and/or similar.

Trust me.

This is good advice. Most of the joy in my life comes from simple pleasures like going out for a run in the hills or a cycle along the beach. I still like learning stuff but I stay clear of topics designed to screw with your mind, are too introspective or make you feel bad about yourself. Economics may be the dismal science, but philosophy ain't too happy either.

[DTMark]

This is good advice. Most of the joy in my life comes from simple pleasures like going out for a run in the hills or a cycle along the beach. I still like learning stuff but I stay clear of topics designed to screw with your mind, are too introspective or make you feel bad about yourself. Economics may be the dismal science, but philosophy ain't too happy either.

This is advice I've been given before by more than one person on this forum. When more than one person tells you the same thing, there's a very high degree of probability that they are right.

We have spectacular views within 300m of here and I shall go and take advantage of them tomorrow. And I will book that camping trip.

[frozen_out]

Interesting. I always wonder.... how many people who critique the IQ test based on what research shows have ever actually read anything about it?

The IQ test, believe it or not, is actually a pretty good indicator of an individual's success in life

[winkie]

I am generally good at the, what shape, picture or number comes next in the sequence.....the rest of the questions not a clue.

[Frank Hovis]

This is good advice. Most of the joy in my life comes from simple pleasures like going out for a run in the hills or a cycle along the beach. I still like learning stuff but I stay clear of topics designed to screw with your mind, are too introspective or make you feel bad about yourself. Economics may be the dismal science, but philosophy ain't too happy either.

Totally agree, I think we all had the "search for answers" period, usually coinciding with college, and the side effects were becoming a bit weird and depressed.

I like quiet, it reconnects you with yourself. I've really cut down my radio listening as I find it intrusive.

The one I find odd with IQ tests is the massive weighting it gives to age, so if you're an early developer (I was) then you get a massive IQ score at, say, 8 but the same test results at 21 will give you an average score. So any time you read these slow news day stories of 5 year olds having an IQ of 250 remember that they're rubbish, any reasonably intelligent 5yo will get 250 it's just that most aren't tested because they don't have pushy parents.