How do IQ tests work and are they relevant
IQ tests have been used to measure intelligence for over 100 years. But what do these tests involve and are they the best way to assess our intellect?
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LEONARDO da Vinci, Stephen Hawking, Albert Einstein, Natalie Portman, Jodie Foster and Geena Davis all have one thing in common.
Apart from being famous, they are reported to be among some of the brightest people in the world, according to their Intelligence Quotients (IQ).
The first IQ test was developed by French psychologists Alfred Binet and Théodore Simon in 1905 to identify schoolchildren who needed remedial education.
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The test involved participants undertaking several cognitive functioning assessments.
Their IQs were then calculated by dividing their mental age by their chronological age and multiplying it by 100.
So if a child was ten-years-old and passed the test created for 12-year-olds, they would have an IQ of 120.
In the 100 years or so since, a variety of IQ tests have been created, but the purpose of them remains the same — to measure cognitive ability.
What do IQ tests involve?
IQ tests typically involve a mix of verbal and non-verbal questions assessing things like vocabulary, mathematical skills, reasoning ability, comprehension, spatial processes, and memory and attention.
Swinburne University Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology Con Stough said some tests measure all of these abilities, while others may only measure a few.
“We tend to average all of these abilities together to get a global estimate of your IQ,” he said.
If you were to take an IQ test, questions could include:
Four years ago, Jane was twice as old as Sam. Four years on from now, Sam will be 3/4 of Jane’s age. How old is Jane now?
The same word can be added to the end of GRASS and the beginning of SCAPE to form two other English words. What is the word?
There are 1200 elephants in a herd. Some have pink and green stripes, some are all pink and some are all blue. One third are pure pink. Is it true that 400 elephants are definitely blue?
Prof Stough said seeking the advice of a qualified psychologist who has been properly trained to conduct IQ tests will result in more accurate score than undertaking an unsupervised, online test.
(The answers for the questions above are included at the bottom of the article)
What does your score mean?
IQ tests are standardised so the average score a person will receive is 100.
Around 95% of Australians will have an IQ between 70 and 130.
Prof Stough said we shouldn’t necessarily equate IQ with the word “intelligent” though, as IQ tests really only measure academic intelligence.
“There are other types of intelligence which could also be important, for example emotional intelligence, spiritual intelligence and entrepreneurial or creative intelligence,” he said.
“IQ test scores do not predict the quality of our relationships, success within an organisations, mental health and even wellbeing.”
Why are IQ tests controversial?
For starters, the father of IQ testing Alfred Binet said that there were limitations to assessing intelligence this way.
He argued that intelligence is influenced by a variety of factors, it changes over time, it’s too broad a concept to simplify with a score and it can only be compared among children with similar backgrounds.
Prof Stough said as the 20th century progressed, IQ tests were used to determine the worth of potential immigrants to the US.
He said many of those assessed were at a disadvantage because they came from poor countries without much education.
He said some researchers have also used IQ tests to suggest that different racial groups have lower levels of intelligence, a theory which has since been discounted.
In 1990, the Guinness Book of World Records removed the category of “Highest IQ” after concluding that IQ tests weren’t reliable enough to determine a single recipient of the award.
Prior to that decision, Marilyn vos Savant from the United States held the record for three years with an IQ of 228.
What is Mensa and who can join?
Those with an IQ in the top two per cent of the population can apply to become a member of Mensa, an organisation for intellectuals.
Founded in 1946 in England, there are now around 134,000 Mensans in 100 countries worldwide.
Over 1,900 of those live in Australia.
Co-founder of Australian Mensa Jeff Whittle said the idea behind Mensa is “to facilitate people of a particular ilk getting together, just like any other club.”
“Friends are welcome at all Mensa activities, and often people will not know, or care, who is a member and who is not.”
What factors can affect your score?
Outside of your cognitive abilities, different environmental factors can affect how well you do on an IQ test.
A lack of motivation, poor mental health, poor sleep and nutrition, high stress and low quality education can all impact on you score.
“We know that certain diets and nutrients can improve IQ and we know that better education can improve our IQ, so the environment is very important and in my opinion we should focus on developing better environments for all children to learn,” Prof Stough said.
“That includes better parenting, nutrition and teaching, among other factors.”
Prof Stough said age can also impact on a person’s score.
“We know that performance on cognitive tests can get worse as we get older for example processing speed, reasoning, spatial processing, and some types of memory,” he said.
“Some scores can improve as we get older such as our vocabulary, so we need to have age-related norms for good IQ tests.”
Should you believe the hype?
Despite criticisms, Prof Stough said IQ tests are still useful to assess if children need help in school, to measure cognitive health and help people make career choices.
He said you will probably do better at school, obtain a higher-paying job and even live a longer life if you have a high IQ, but it’s not guaranteed.
Mr Whittle said having a high IQ isn’t the most important thing in life.
“Having a high IQ might make it less likely that you will do something stupid, but it certainly won’t guarantee it,” he said.
Answers:
1) 12
2) Land
3) No
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