From the earliest years of our lives we keep hearing about IQ tests. The first time we hear this usually comes in preschool or at least in primary school, which is when most of these tests are also given out. For generations, the Intelligence Quotient has been the de facto way of determining one’s intellectual level, cognitive ability, smartness levels, and every other thing that describes how capable someone is or can be. From the moment IQ tests came into existence they have been used in many ways, all towards the same goal which is to help the individuals as well as institutions know about someone’s potential.
Of course, like most other things, IQ tests have their flaws and they are not perfect. Many claim that they do not actually measure what they are supposed to and that they are not at all accurate. This has some truths to it especially if they are used to gatekeep people from entering certain positions, educational institutions, or securing jobs.
In reality, people do not know a lot about these tests, nowhere near as much as they should. In an effort to change this at least to a degree we have composed a list of interesting things worth knowing about IQ testing. Read on to learn more about this as it is a rather fascinating topic with many nuances to it.
1. You Can Do It Online
Source: thesun.co.uk
This is something that has been available for a while now and yet many do not know about it. If you are wondering how well you would score on an IQ test years after taking one at school, or if you have never tried one and want to have the experience, worry no more. You can hop online and do a web-based test to get that score you have always wanted. This is also a great way to practice for a real IQ test that may be waiting for you somewhere as well as to familiarize yourself with the types of questions you can expect. If you want to check out one online IQ test and give it a go, make sure to visit iq-online-test.com.
2. They are Standardized
One of the more interesting facts about these tests, as well as one of their biggest downsides, is the fact that they are standardized. What this means is that everyone gets more or less the same number and types of questions regardless of who they are and where they come from.
This obviously puts certain groups at a disadvantage because most of the tests are made by the Western countries who put emphasis on different things than people from others. There have been many cases of people who come from different backgrounds and who belong to certain traditions, cultures, nations, and ethnicity scoring lower than average but not because they are intellectually inferior. The reason for these lower scores is that they do not use the same logic, same language, and same means to achieve things so the standard tests are not for them.
3. There are Different Types of Intelligence
Source: pcia.info
Another reason why IQ tests are not really accurate nor the best judge of how intellectually capable someone may be is the fact that we are all different individuals. A model test consists of only a few different sections and questions that assess several abilities. They usually include memory, processing speed, language skills, mathematical ability, visual and spatial processing, and reasoning.
But what about other things people are good at like crafts and arts? What about physical tests that make certain people superior to others? Even the things mentioned are not present on every single test. Different types of intelligence mean that people can be brilliant in many ways. Someone who is amazing at languages may score poorly on math questions. Those who are more analytical may score poor on processing speed evaluation but that does not mean they have a learning disability.
4. Know the Scale
The most popular thing about the whole test has to be the final score you get after taking the tests, which is known as IQ classification. The number is a level and it represents your level of the Intelligence Quotient. Everything above 130 is considered superior and many geniuses have scored well above it.
High averages are anywhere from 110 to 129 depending on who you ask. Average scores are between 90 and 109, with low average and borderline being between 79 and 89. Cause for concern comes when someone scores around 70, especially below 69, since it may show potential for intellectual disability of sorts. Only about 0.2% of people score above 145 and below 55, which are very high, genius level IQ and very low, subpar IQ levels.
5. Scores May Vary
Source: royalqueenseeds.cat
Another important thing worth mentioning and knowing about the test has to deal with the score you get. Taking the test is not always carried out the same way nor are you always equally prepared to take it. Outside factors influence it greatly. For example, doing it in the morning and in the afternoon yields different results. The same goes for being fully rested and drowsy or sleepy.
People have been known to do worse on an empty stomach or when they are stressed about something in their life. The look, feel, and general comfort of the palace where you take the test also matters because the feeling of relaxation and ease need to exist if one is to fully focus and give it their best.
Furthermore, some test takers have scored differently at different age, both better and worse than before. From all of this it can be said that the performance on an average IQ test is quite situational and it requires optimal conditions for the result to make sense. This is why the most meaningful of them have to be carried out in controlled environments where the participants have to be talked to and instructed on how to prepare and what to do before and during the test.
