The concept of the level of intelligence or intelligence quotient (IQ). What levels of intelligence are recognized in people

How to understand how great your mental abilities are? What is the potential of your brain and is it difficult to find out? As it turns out, it became possible to find answers to these questions due to the fact that mankind invented a universal coefficient relatively long ago. What is IQ? This abbreviation is familiar to everyone today, however, if you dig deeper, you will find that most people have a rather vague idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthis. It is well known how many tests there are in order to find out and calculate your mental abilities.

The emergence of the concept of IQ

It would seem that there is nothing simpler, but as soon as scientists seriously take up this topic, a lot of questions and, so to speak, white spots immediately arose. Why did it happen? There are as many myths and legends on this topic as there are IQ tests. It is believed that the most reliable and exact test invented by the German scientist Hans Eysenck around the forties. Working in laboratories on his work, he tried to find out whether the size and weight of the brain affects its activity and the mental abilities of a person.

What is IQ? Just logical thinking or something more

He developed a system where the subject for a certain period must pass the test in the form of several dozen small logical tasks. It is designed in such a way that a person can most effectively use his logical thinking. It is generally accepted that the average or normal rate equals a hundred. It is this result that is most common among most of the world's population. According to the test, for talented or highly gifted individuals, it is one hundred and twenty and above.
Conversely, for mentally retarded and not so capable people, the coefficient ranges from fifty to ninety. It's nice to know that such an IQ is inherent in only three percent of the population the globe. Having dealt with the indicators and their meaning, you can proceed to the questions that arise. Not so long ago, it became known about a little girl, whose coefficient after passing the test was one hundred and thirty-five. This caused everyone's surprise, because, according to the test results, the girl is smarter than nuclear physicists.

World famous test

What's the catch? Scientists have concluded that a person's IQ level is mainly dependent on brain rhythms, so it is perfectly normal for a child's coefficient to exceed that of great scientists. And the activity of the human brain directly depends on the environment and the work of the body. Sleep deprivation, overwork and stress can significantly lower your IQ score. Initially, such tests were not in the public domain, but were intended only for educational institutions, but over time this information appeared on the World Wide Web, and now everyone can find out their capabilities and mental potential.
Today, to pass an IQ test, it is enough to find it on the Internet and spend about five minutes of your time, which is not particularly difficult. Thousands of people around the world have already passed it and shared their impressions, leaving reviews. IQ tests pleased most test subjects. As it turned out, many are several indicators higher than their employers and bosses. The subjects took different tests for the "intelligence factor" and were pleasantly surprised that the answers do not differ, but confirm each other.

Deciphering indicators

In general, people left a pretty good impression, of course, with the exception of those who scored below average or mediocre. Some influential scientists are of the opinion that there are many other factors in the world that influence and determine intelligence. Of course, they should also be taken into account. It would be wrong to judge an individual's ability only by the results of an IQ test. Every day people evaluate and, so to speak, test the world based on non-verbal moments in behavior. Even after a short but meaningful conversation, a person on a subconscious level comes to certain conclusions regarding the mental abilities of the interlocutor.
It is noteworthy that for people whose IQ is above average, the first impression of a stranger is rarely wrong. The prevailing opinion is subsequently difficult to change, often this requires sufficiently convincing arguments and arguments. Long-term studies of specialists have confirmed one more interesting fact: relatives, friends and other close people have an IQ level that is approximately at the same level and is as similar as possible.

IQ and binary options

The level of intellectual development plays an important role for those who participate in binary options. For those who have not come across such a concept, we can say that this is a certain financial instrument with a predetermined known size potential profit. Options are attractive because they allow you to easily get an amount that is two or three times your own investment, and in some cases the profit can be one hundred percent.
IQ Option is a broker of modern binary options. Trading on them, as is already known, can bring profit or, conversely, a loss to the maximum short term. As a rule, people with a high IQ level find it easier to trade on trading exchanges, because, according to the test, they have more developed logical thinking and other intellectual abilities that are so important in financial matters.

Conflicting data

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, this area of ​​science is far from being fully explored. It is known that in this system there are a number of gross shortcomings and errors. After all, how else can one explain the fact that Bill Gates had a score of one hundred and sixty, while Muhammad Ali had only seventy-eight, which is below average. According to this scheme, the smartest person can be stupid at the same time and vice versa.

A rather paradoxical picture emerges. Based on already existing facts and evidence, everyone decides for himself whether to trust such tests or not. Of course, how accurately you can determine the level of intelligence directly depends on the test that we use. As for IQ itself, in the modern professional environment this indicator is rarely taken into account when applying for a job. Rather, the qualifications and professional skills of the person who is trying to get a position are taken into account. Therefore, you should not focus only on this coefficient. Indeed, such a subjective and vague concept as the human mind is quite difficult to assess objectively.

There is room for research

What is IQ? As you know, the human brain works at only one percent, if all its secrets and features are revealed at least a little over time, this may mean that the greatest mystery in the world - the work of the human mind.

IQ tests are almost never used in Russia. But the term itself has become widely known.

Most people know that IQ (read "IQ") is a measure of the strength of human intelligence. But what does it mean and how is it calculated?

It all started with the French psychologist Alfred Binet in 1905. He worked with mentally retarded youth and, together with his colleague Theodore Simon, developed a method for measuring the psychological age of young people, which in the case of their wards was different from biological age.

Then, in 1912, the German psychologist William Stern developed a method for determining the relationship intellectual age to biological. He found that this ratio remained virtually unchanged in the process of growing children.

This ratio became known as the "Intelligence Quotient" or IQ (Intelligence Quotient). It is calculated by the formula:

100 x (intellectual age/biological age).

So, if you are 30 years old, but your IQ is 25 years old, your IQ would be: 100 x 25/30 = 83.

Distribution of IQ among the population (on the vertical axis -% of the population with iq indicated on the horizontal axis

It is clear that according to this method, the average IQ for the entire population will be 100. The individual IQ of a person shows how much a person is above or below the average intellectual level of his age.

Thus, to conduct tests, the statistics of the execution of these tests on in large numbers Human. Then the performance of each newly tested person is compared with the average performance of people who have previously passed the tests.

Since in the classical version of the tests, the results are compared with the same audience as that of the subject by age, IQ also indicates the rate of development of intelligence.

Intelligence tests are designed to test all areas of your brain: computation, pattern recognition, sequence continuation, logic, word processing, abstraction, and so on. The result obtained is compared with the norm.

Exist various interpretations the results obtained.

80% of the population has an IQ in the 80-120 range.

There are quite a few high IQ communities around the world. For example, Mensa, which has members from over 100 countries, requires an IQ of at least 132 for its members.

In order to get into the Olympic Society (Olympiq Society) you need an IQ of 180. The community website indicates that it has only 14 members.

It is believed that the results of IQ tests are good at determining the ability of people, and are good predictors of their prospects for performance. hard work. Most professors have an IQ of one hundred and thirty, which puts them in the top 3% of the population in terms of intellectual ability.

Although IQ tests are not infallible, their results are a useful indicator. As a rule, the IQ indicator remains unchanged throughout life.

Interestingly, a study in Scotland in the 1950s and 1960s of more than 11,000 people showed a relationship between IQ scores and morbidity, as well as life expectancy.

A pattern has been revealed that a person with a lower IQ has an average life expectancy lower than a person with a higher IQ.

A lower IQ means a higher chance of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

IQ of famous people

The list below shows the aikyu level of some famous people. The data is taken from open Internet sources and does not claim to be accurate.

  • Bill Gates, co-founder Microsoft160 ;
  • Stephen Hawking, British theoretical physicist 160 ;
  • Sharon Stone, American actress 154 ;
  • Harrison Ford, American actor 140 ;
  • Madonna, American singer 140 ;
  • Arnold Schwarzenegger, American actor and politician 135 ;
  • Sheldon Lee Cooper - fictional character from the television series The Big Bang Theory 187 ;
  • Snoop Dogg is an American rapper 147 ;
  • Sylvester Stallone, American actor 54 ;

What was Einstein's iq?

Albert Einstein never took a test to change the level of his IQ. Of course, there is no doubt that the famous physicist could show a high result. Most likely it would be in the region of 200, that is, at the level of the best achievements of celebrities.

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IQ tests - KNOW YOUR INTELLIGENCE LEVEL!

We have collected BEST FREE IQ TESTS . In the allotted time, answer all 40 questions and identify your weaknesses and strengths. Make the intellect your main ally to achieve your goals!

Choose any of the IQ tests below and get to work. Good luck!

Looking for free texts on intelligence? You found them! Typically, the structure of each "IQ" test is a list of questions that include both fairly simple tasks and very complex ones. For example, the test subject is asked to cope with tasks that will help determine the quality of your spatial and logical thinking. We have prepared a whole series of tests for you. Choose any free IQ test (we do not charge paid ones :) and start brainstorming! You will succeed!

How celebrities passed IQ tests

The name of

Field of activity

Accommodation

Result

Abraham Lincoln

head of state

USA

IQ - 128

Adolf Gitler

head of state

Republic of Germany

IQ - 141

Albert Einstein

Scientist in exact sciences

USA

IQ - 160

Andy Warhol

ART figure

USA

IQ - 86

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Action movie hero

Republic of Austria

IQ - 135

Benedict Spinoza

Adept of philosophy

Republic of Holland

IQ - 175

Benjamin Franklin

Political figure

USA

IQ - 160

Bill Gates

Founder of Microsoft Corporation

USA

IQ - 160

Bill Clinton

head of state

USA

IQ - 137

Blaise Pascal

Adept of philosophy

Republic of France

IQ - 195

Bobby Fischer

Athlete chess player

USA

IQ - 187

Buanarotti Michelangelo

The genius of architecture

Republic of Italy

IQ - 180

Charles Darwin

Founder of the theory of evolution

United Kingdom

IQ - 165

Charles Dickens

Figure of literature

United Kingdom

IQ - 180

David Hume

Adept of philosophy

United Kingdom

IQ - 180

Galileo Galilei

Scientist in exact sciences

Republic of Italy

IQ - 185

George Frideric Handel

musical genius

Republic of Germany

IQ - 170

George Sand

Figure of literature

Republic of France

IQ - 150

George Bush

head of state

USA

IQ - 125

George Washington

head of state

USA

IQ - 118

Hans Christian Andersen

Literary worker, poet

Republic of Denmark

IQ - 145

Hillary Clinton

Political figure

USA

IQ - 140

Imanuel Kant

Adept of philosophy

Republic of Germany

IQ - 175

Isaac Newton

Scientist in exact sciences

United Kingdom

IQ - 190

Johann Sebastian Bach

musical genius

Republic of Germany

IQ - 165

Johann Strauss

musical genius

Republic of Germany

IQ - 170

John Kennedy

head of state

USA

IQ - 117

John Locke

Adept of philosophy

United Kingdom

IQ - 165

Joseph Haydn

musical genius

Republic of Austria

IQ - 160

Kasparov Garry

Politician and chess player

the Russian Federation

IQ - 190

Leonardo da Vinci

genius personality

Republic of Italy

IQ - 220

Lord Byron

Figure of literature

United Kingdom

IQ - 180

Napoleon Bonaparte

The Conqueror

Republic of France

IQ - 145

Ludwig van Beethoven

musical genius

Republic of Germany

IQ - 165

Madonna

pop singer

USA

IQ - 140

Miguel Cervantes

Figure of literature

Spanish Republic

IQ - 155

Nicholas Copernicus

Scientist in exact sciences

Republic of Poland

IQ - 160

Nicole Kidman

Actress

USA

IQ - 132

Plato

Adept of philosophy

Republic of Greece

IQ - 170

Raphael

Sculpture Genius

Republic of Italy

IQ - 170

Rembrandt

Sculpture Genius

Holland

IQ - 155

Richard Wagner

musical genius

Republic of Germany

IQ - 170

Shakira

pop singer

Colombia

IQ - 140

Sharon Stone

film actress

USA

IQ - 154

Sofia Kovalevskaya

Mathematician, Literary Worker

the Russian Federation

IQ - 170

Stephen Hawking

Scientist in exact sciences

United Kingdom

IQ - 160

Wolfham Amadeus Mozart

musical genius

Republic of Austria

IQ - 165

What is this mysterious “IQ Test”?

All people are different. Therefore, it is not surprising when one person has a more developed level of intelligence in comparison with another. Each of us has a certain idea of ​​our capabilities. But how exactly do you measure them? In this case, in most developed countries of the world, it is the IQ test, expressed in points, that comes to the rescue.

Translated from English, the abbreviation IQ means "intelligence quotient". This indicator is a quantitative assessment of the level of intelligence of an individual in comparison with the same indicator belonging to the average person of the same age as the subject. You can determine Aikyu by passing the tests presented above, which (as experts point out), although they do not assess the knowledge that an individual has, they determine his mental abilities. Our IQ tests are free chances to find out how developed your intelligence is!

The structure of each IQ test is a list of questions that are both simpler and more difficult. The subject is invited to cope with tasks related to determining the quality of spatial and logical thinking in humans. Variations of questions are very different. As practice shows, the higher the experience of passing these tests, the better the results. The Eysenck test has become the most famous among such tasks “on IQ”.

Scientists note that half of the people have an IQ in the range of 90-110 points, the rest are either below 90 or above 110 (about 25% each). According to American researchers, the average score for this test among university graduates is 105 points. For excellent students, it is 130-140. It is believed that work on improving mental abilities is necessary when the IQ is below 70.

In recent years, IQ tests have gained incredible popularity among the entire population of the planet. They are used everywhere: when applying to universities and colleges, in job interviews, when passing driver's license exams, and so on. Russia also did not stand aside. The population of our country is entirely interested in knowing the level of their own intelligence, which is why many residents try to learn as much as possible about tests to determine intellectual abilities and are not averse to passing them. A big plus of such tests for determining intelligence is their availability. If you search the Internet for IQ tests, you will certainly find free ones. Moreover, not all of them will be correctly compiled. The uniqueness of our site is that we give the opportunity not only to take a free IQ test, but to try to pass the test, which was compiled by an experienced specialist. So we have real IQ tests.

It should be noted that the average IQ of the population of a given country depends on the efficiency of the state machine and the level of internal gross product. In addition, a study was conducted that found the relationship between the factor of social intelligence and the average results in the Unified State Examination (foreign analogue of the SAT).

IQ Tests: How They Are Built

There are other types of questions as well. As practice shows, the higher the experience of passing these tests, the better the results. The most famous among such tasks was the Eysenck test. Good accuracy is demonstrated by tests bearing the names of their creators: D. Wexler, J. Raven, R. Amthauer and R. B. Cattell. At the same time, to date, no one has yet introduced a single standard that existing IQ tests would adhere to.

All tests are divided into age groups in order to give an accurate assessment of the intellectual development of a person, corresponding to his years. In other words, the results of IQ tests can be the same - for example, a child of 11 and a master of mathematics. This is because they are equally developed for their age. If you take the Eysenck test, the creator developed it to determine the level of intelligence in people over 18 years old.

History of IQ and what influences it

Back in 1912, the German scientist Wilhelm Stern for the first time presented to the general public the concept of “intelligence quotient”, unusual at that time. In carrying out his research, he turned his attention to the shortcomings inherent in one of the indicators of the Binet scales, namely, mental age. To determine an accurate assessment of an individual's intelligence, Stern proposed dividing the mental age by the present age (also called chronological age), and taking the remainder of this operation.

The first appearance of the term IQ dates back to 1916, when it was used in the Stanford-Binet scale. But today (perhaps due to the greatly increased interest among the population in IQ indicators) there are several other scales, the validity of which has not been proven. Therefore, it is now quite difficult to compare the results shown by different tests. Therefore, psychologists often recommend referring to classical tests to determine the coefficient of intelligence development. These are the tests we have selected for you.

Causes affecting the IQ score

Naturally, one of the main reasons that have a serious impact on the level of IQ is heredity. The main emphasis in ongoing research on determining the relationship between these two indicators was placed on children. The results of these studies was a fairly strong spread in the testimony: some scientists stated that IQ depends on the available genes by less than half; while others even cited data reporting almost one hundred percent dependence. The rest that could affect the results of IQ tests is the environment and setting, as well as all sorts of errors inherent in such measurements. That is, according to such studies, it turns out that the level of IQ largely depends on hereditary genes.

Another reason that affects IQ scores is individual genes (the brain activity of an ordinary person depends on about 17,000 genes). Research shows that individual genes affect an individual's existing IQ level, but in fact, such an effect does not have a strong effect. Such a dependence, revealed in the course of the ongoing research, turned out to be at the level of a statistical error.

At the moment, studies have begun to look for differences in the genome in people with high and low IQ levels. If someone manages to find out the genetic causes of "braininess", then perhaps there will be a tool that allows you to increase the level of IQ in a person. States with such knowledge will move ahead faster in terms of economic and technological development.

The third reason that can affect the level of IQ is the environment. Of course, everything that is around a person (especially the family) has an impact on his development. In the course of research, many factors of such dependence have been identified. They included family income, the size of the house and its price, the developing relationships between all family members, and so on. This dependence is characterized by a coefficient equal to 0.25-0.35. But as a person grows older, this influence gradually decreases until it reaches zero at about the age of majority (these studies concerned only a complete family with two parents and two children).

Improper nutrition can also tell on the level of development of IQ. Thus, recent studies have shown that eating fish products by a pregnant woman has a beneficial effect on intellectual development her unborn child.
Another study, involving about 13,000 people, determined that breast-feeding also has a positive effect on the intelligence of the baby. True, it should be noted that immediately after the publication this study he was criticized. The reasons for the scientific "attack" were an incorrect analysis of the data obtained, a complete disregard for existing theories.

IQ Differences by Human Groups

According to most experts, on average, there is no significant difference in the level of intelligence development between men and women belonging to the same age group. But it is in the male population that the most striking variation in this indicator is observed: that is, there are a lot of men with a high level of intelligence and also a lot of those whose IQ is quite low. In addition, this indicator is expressed in women and men a little differently. This is especially noticeable after five years. Upon the onset of this age, boys begin to show superiority over the beautiful half of humanity in terms of spatial intelligence and manipulation. Girls show better verbal functions.
Leadership in the field of mathematical abilities also departs to men. One of the American researchers came to the conclusion that for every 13 men who have excellent ability to mathematical operations, there is only one woman equal to them.

Racial differences

Numerous studies have been conducted to identify differences in the average level of IQ among residents of the United States of America led to the following conclusion: for the representatives of the African American population, this indicator was equal to 85 points, for Hispanics - 89, for the white race - 103, for the Asian - 106, and for the Jewish - 113.

At the same time, the average level of IQ, if we consider data from tests half a century ago, shows some changes. So, today, the IQ of the Negroid race in 1995 corresponds to the IQ of white people who lived in 1945. Therefore, "blame" everything on genetic features people seems impossible.

Don't dismiss this important factor as the influence of society on the development of intelligence. This is especially noticeable in orphans. For example, in the same USA, the IQ level of children whose upbringing was carried out by representatives of the white race is about 10% higher than that of those who lived in a black family. And in the UK, the difference is even more interesting: in boarding schools, black children have a higher IQ than their white peers.

In the course of research, scientists discovered a pattern that lies in the existing difference in the average level of IQ between residents different countries. According to certain data, this indicator is affected by the current size of the GDP, the practical use of democratic principles, the levels of crime and the birth rate of the population, the percentage ratio between believers and atheists. In countries belonging to the developing group, in addition to the above reasons, it also affects the average level of IQ and poor nutrition, coupled with numerous diseases. In this regard, we ask you to familiarize yourself with an interesting map ...

Relationship between health, age and IQ

A properly composed diet, especially in the early stages of human development, has a beneficial effect on the development of intellectual abilities. An example is the iodine deficiency factor in the body: in its presence, the average IQ score decreases by 12 points. Those who have a sufficiently high IQ live longer and get sick less often.

IQ acts as a measure of a person's intellectual abilities, which reach their maximum values ​​at 26 years of age. Then they gradually decrease.

The IQ of an adult, to a greater extent than that of children, is determined by genetic heredity. In the latter, this indicator is influenced by the environment. Some children, due to certain life features At first, he is ahead of his peers in terms of intelligence, but over time, their performance levels out.
School success

Representatives of the American Psychological Association noted that children whose results on IQ tests have high rates are much better at absorbing the material supplied at school than those who received more low scores. Such a correlation reaches 0.5. Intelligence tests allow pre-selected naturally gifted children to teach them in a separate, accelerated program.

Income, fromcriminal propensity and IQ

Part of the research on the impact of IQ on human life shows that more high intelligence increases the productivity of an individual - his income increases accordingly. Moreover, this indicator does not depend on the social environment of a person, including his family.

The American Psychological Association in one of its reports noticed that the level of intelligence has little to do with a person's propensity to commit crimes. The correlation in this case is only 0.2. It is important to note here that causal relationships are indirect. That is, poor school performance is not always explained by a low level of IQ, but it often influences the possibility of a person becoming a criminal.

Arthur Jensen cites information according to which the largest percentage of crimes occurs in people with IQs ranging from 70 to 90 points.

Scientific achievements, etc.mining activity

According to some studies, it can be concluded that success in the scientific field of activity is more dependent on such character traits as purposefulness and innovative thinking. But Dr. Eysenck cites other data, according to which the level of intelligence of successful scientists is lower than that of their colleagues who received the Nobel Prize. The average IQ test scores were 166. At the same time, some scientists demonstrated the highest possible level, equal to 177 points. Spatial IQ was, according to the scientist, 137 points, although in more young age he should have been taller. And the mathematical average IQ is 154.

Two scientists, Frank Schmidt and John Hunter, came to the conclusion that with an equal amount of experience, the person with the higher IQ will be more productive. According to the researchers, the development of intelligence has an impact on all types of human activity, but its level differs depending on the chosen field of activity. From this we can conclude that a job that involves long-term brain work will not be available to those who have a low IQ. At the same time, for activities related to physical activity, the size of this coefficient will not seriously affect.

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Story

The concept of the IQ was introduced by the German scientist W. Stern in 1912. He drew attention to the serious shortcomings of mental age as an indicator in Binet's scales. Stern suggested using the quotient of mental age divided by chronological age as an indicator of intelligence. IQ was first used in the 1916 Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale.

At the present time, interest in IQ tests has increased many times over, as a result of which a wide variety of unreasonable scales have appeared. Therefore, to compare the results different tests very difficult and the IQ number itself has lost its informative value.

Tests

Each test consists of many different tasks of increasing complexity. Among them test tasks on logical and spatial thinking, as well as tasks of other types. Based on the results of the test, IQ is calculated. It has been observed that the more test options a subject passes, the top scores He shows. Most famous test is the Eysenck test. More accurate are the tests of D. Wexler, J. Raven, R. Amthauer, R. B. Cattell. On the this moment there is no single standard for IQ tests.

The tests are divided into age groups and show the development of a person corresponding to his age. That is, a child at 10 and a university graduate can have the same IQ, because the development of each of them corresponds to its age group. The Eysenck test was developed for the age group of 18 years and older, and provides for a maximum IQ level of 180 points.

It is important to note that most of the tests that can be found on the Internet and which claim to measure IQ are developed by incompetent organizations and individuals and usually significantly inflate the results. All studies linking IQ to intelligence, general problem-solving ability, academic and professional potential, and other social outcomes refer to results from occupational IQ tests such as the Wechsler Test, etc.

What affects IQ

Heredity

The role of genetics and environment in predicting IQ is discussed in Plomin et al.(2001, 2003). Until recently, heredity was mainly studied in children. Miscellaneous studies showed heritability between 0.4 and 0.8 in the US, which means, depending on the study, that from slightly less than half to markedly more than half the difference in IQ, among the observed children, depended on their genes. The rest depended on the conditions of the child's existence and measurement error. Heritability between 0.4 and 0.8 suggests that IQ is "significantly" heritable.

Search for hereditary causes of IQ

Research has begun to find out the genetic differences between people with high and low IQs. So, the Beijing Institute of Genomics (Beijing Genomics Institute) is starting a massive GWAS study of the genomes of people with high mental abilities. . The discovery of genetic causes may allow the invention of means to increase IQ. Nations that gain access to such technologies will be able to further advance in economic and scientific and technological development.

Environment

The environment affects the development of the brain. In particular, an unhealthy, restricted diet can reduce the brain's ability to process information. Research 25,446 people Danish National Birth Cohort led to the conclusion that eating fish during pregnancy and breastfeeding an infant increases its IQ.

Also, a study of more than 13 thousand children showed that breastfeeding can increase the intelligence of a child by 7 points.

Health and IQ

Proper nutrition during childhood is critical for mental development; poor nutrition can reduce IQ. For example, a lack of iodine leads to a decrease in IQ by an average of 12 points. People with higher IQs tend to have lower mortality rates and are less likely to get sick.

Age and IQ

Although IQ itself signifies the rarity of intelligence in its age group, intelligence generally peaks at age 26, followed by a slow decline.

The IQ of adults is much more determined by genetics than by environment than the IQ of children. Some children initially outperform their peers in IQ, but then their IQ levels off relative to their peers.

Social Consequences

Relationship with other tests and exams

There is a study that found a correlation of 0.82 between the general intelligence factor and the SAT score.

School performance

The American Psychological Association, in its report Intelligence: Knowns and Unknowns (1995), notes that, according to all studies, children with high IQ test scores tend to learn more school material than their peers with lower scores. The correlation between IQ scores and grades is about 0.5. IQ tests are one way to select gifted children and develop individual (accelerated) learning plans for them.

Labor productivity

According to Frank Schmidt and John Hunter, when hiring job seekers without relevant experience, general intellectual ability is the most successful predictor of future performance. In predicting job performance, IQ has some performance for any activity studied to date, but this performance varies by job type. Although IQ is more closely related to thinking ability than motor skills, scores on IQ tests predict performance in all occupations. Given this, for the most skilled activities (research, management), low IQ is more likely to be a barrier to sufficient performance, while for the least skilled activities, athletic strength (arm strength, speed, endurance, and coordination) is more likely to predict performance. . Basically, the predictive power of IQ is related to faster acquisition necessary knowledge and skills in the workplace.

The American Psychological Association in its report "Intelligence: Known and Unknown" notes that since IQ explains only 29% of differences in work performance, other personality characteristics, such as interpersonal skills, personality traits, etc., are likely to have the same or of great importance, but at the moment there are no such reliable tools for measuring them as IQ tests.

Income

Some studies have shown that intelligence and work productivity are linearly related, such that higher IQ leads to higher work productivity. Charles Murray, co-author of The Bell Curve, found that IQ has a significant impact on a person's income, regardless of the family and social class in which the person grew up.

The American Psychological Association report Intelligence: Knowns and Unknowns (1995) notes that IQ scores explain about one-fourth of differences in social status and one-sixth of differences in income.

Achievements in real life

The average IQs of populations are related to real-life achievement:

  • PhDs 125
  • People with higher education 114
  • incomplete higher education 105-110
  • Office workers and sales workers 100-105
  • High school graduates, skilled workers (e.g. electricians) 100
  • Those who attended high school but did not graduate 95
  • Semi-skilled workers (e.g. tractor drivers, factory workers) 90-95
  • Graduated from high school without high school (8 years) 90
  • Not completed 8 years of school 80-85
  • Have a 50% chance to get into high school 75

Average IQ of various professional groups:

  • Professional and technical workers 112
  • Managers and administrators 104
  • Office workers, sales workers, skilled workers, foremen and foremen 101
  • Semi-skilled workers (machine operators, maintenance workers, including domestic workers; farmers) 92
  • Unskilled workers 87

Type of tasks that can be performed:

  • Adults who can learn simple labor skills 70
  • Adults who can harvest, fix furniture 60
  • Adults who can do housework, simple carpentry 50
  • Adults who can mow lawns, do laundry 40

There are significant differences within and overlap between these categories. People with high IQs are found at all levels of education and occupational groups. The largest differences are found for individuals with low IQs, who rarely graduate from universities or become professionals (IQs less than 90).

IQ and crime

The American Psychological Association in the report "Intelligence: Known and Unknown" notes that the correlation between IQ and crime is -0.2 ( Feedback). A correlation of 0.20 means that the explained differences in crime are less than 4%. It is important to understand that causal relationships between IQ test scores and social outcomes may be indirect. Children who do poorly in school may feel alienated and therefore more likely to commit delinquency than children who do well.

In The g Factor (Arthur Jensen, 1998), Arthur Jensen cites data showing that people with an IQ in the 70-90 range, regardless of race, are more likely to commit crimes than people with an IQ below or above this interval, and the peak of crime falls on 80-90.

Other consequences of IQ

The average IQ of a country's population is related to GDP (see) and government efficiency.

Group differences

Floor

Most researchers believe that, in general, the average development of intelligence is approximately the same in men and women. At the same time, men have more variation: among them there are more of both very smart and very stupid; that is, there are more men among people with very high or very low intelligence. Between men and women there is also some difference in the severity of various aspects of the intellect. Until the age of five, these differences do not exist. From the age of five, boys begin to surpass girls in the field of spatial intelligence and manipulation, and girls of boys in the field of verbal abilities. Among men, people with high mathematical abilities are much more common. According to the American researcher K. Benbow, among those especially gifted in mathematics, there is only one woman for 13 men.

Race

Studies among US residents have shown a statistically significant gap between the average IQ of different racial groups.

According to The Bell Curve (1994), the median IQ of African Americans is 85, Hispanics 89, Whites (of European descent) 103, Asians (Chinese, Japanese, and Korean descent) 106, and Jews 113.

This gap can be used as a rationale for the so-called. "scientific racism", but according to some studies (Race_and_intelligence#cite_note-Dickens_.26_Flynn_2006-50) it is gradually decreasing.

In addition, the average IQ, as measured by old tests, increases over time. As a result of the Flynn effect, the average IQ of African Americans in 1995 matches the average IQ of whites in 1945 (Race_and_intelligence#cite_note-56). Such significant changes that have occurred over several decades cannot be explained by genetic factors.

The influence of social factors on IQ is confirmed by studies of orphans. In the US, children of African descent raised by white foster parents have ~10% higher IQs than non-whites. In the UK, black boarding students have a higher IQ than whites. (Race_and_intelligence#Uniform_rearing_conditions)

The country

Differences in average IQ between countries were found. A number of studies have found a link between a country's average IQ and its economic development, GDP (see, for example, IQ and the Wealth of Nations), democracy, crime, fertility, and atheism. AT developing countries environmental factors such as malnutrition and disease are likely to lower the average national IQ.

IQ and academic success

Some research has found that purposefulness and originality play a higher role in achieving success. However, Dr. Eysenck cites a review of the IQ measurements (Roe, 1953) of eminent scientists at a level below the Nobel laureates. Their average IQ was 166, although some of them scored 177, the highest score on the test. Their average spatial IQ was 137, although it could have been higher at a younger age. Their average math IQ was 154 (128 to 194).

Criticism of IQ

IQ tests have been repeatedly criticized by scientists. Thus, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences V. A. Vasiliev found that in Eysenck's IQ tests, a significant part of the tasks was compiled incorrectly or the author's solutions were incorrect. Here are Vasiliev's statements on this subject:

I ... decided to study the tests without haste, especially since their answers did not systematically coincide with mine in problems from my professional fields: logic and geometry. Also found out that the majority of decisions of the author of tests is incorrect. And in some cases, the subject generally only has to guess the answer - it makes no sense to rely on logic.

To this, one can notice that tasks for IQ tests evaluate not only the ability to logical, deductive thinking, but also to inductive. The rules for performing some IQ tests warn in advance that in some tasks the answers do not follow unambiguously from the task, and it is required to choose the most reasonable or simple answer. This corresponds to many real life situations where there is no clear answer.

If a person answered in the same way as Eysenck, then he thereby only demonstrates the standard of his thinking, a quick and predictable reaction to a simple stimulus. A slightly less flat person will think a hundred times before answering ... There are a myriad of possible solutions each such task. The smarter you are, the more likely it is that your solution will not coincide with the author's.
The practical meaning here is only one: the one who gives the “correct” answer on the test will be easier to fit into the average education system and communicate with people who think the same way as he does. In general, Eysenck tests the ideal average.

Not intending to criticize IQ tests, the Soviet psychologist Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky nevertheless showed in his works that the current IQ of a child says little about the prospects for his further education and mental development. In this regard, he introduced the concept of "zone of proximal development".

see also

  • Marilyn vos Savant is the woman with the highest IQ in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records.

Notes

  1. At the same time, according to the results of some studies, Germans, on average, have a higher IQ coefficient than citizens of other countries. (unavailable link)
  2. Plomin et al. (2001, 2003)
  3. R. Plomin, N. L. Pedersen, P. Lichtenstein and G. E. McClearn (05 1994). "Variability and stability in cognitive abilities are largely genetic later in life". Behavior Genetics 24 (3): 207. DOI:10.1007/BF01067188. Retrieved 2006-08-06.
  4. Neisser et al." Intelligence: Knowns and Unknowns. Board of Scientific Affairs of the American Psychological Association (August 7, ). Archived from the original on June 1, 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2006.
  5. Bouchard TJ, Lykken DT, McGue M, Segal NL, Tellegen A (Oct 1990). "". Science (journal) 250 (4978): 223–8. PMID2218526.
  6. World Intelligence Network. IQ and genetics
  7. Gosso, M.F. (2006). "The SNAP-25 gene is associated with cognitive ability: evidence from a family-based study in two independent Dutch cohorts". Molecular Psychiatry 11 (9): 878-886. DOI:10.1038/sj.mp.4001868.
  8. Gosso MF, de Geus EJ, van Belzen MJ, Polderman TJ, Heutink P, Boomsma DI, Posthuma D. The SNAP-25 gene is associated with cognitive ability: evidence from a family-based study in two independent Dutch cohorts
  9. http://www.genomics.cn/en/index.php
  10. Information Processing: BGI visit
  11. Information Processing: Supercomputers and the mystery of IQ
  12. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 88, no. 3, 789-796, September 2008 Associations of maternal fish intake during pregnancy and breastfeeding duration with attainment of developmental milestones in early childhood: a study from the Danish National Birth Cohort Emily Oken, Marie Louise Østerdal, Matthew W Gillman, Vibeke K Knudsen, Thorhallur I Halldorsson, Marin Strøm, David C Bellinger, Mijna Hadders-Algra, Kim Fleischer Michaelsen and Sjurdur F Olsen
  13. Breastfeeding and child cognitive development: new… - PubMed result
  14. Svetlana Kuzina. “Intelligence tests are wrong! ".
  15. Vygotsky L.S. "The dynamics of the mental development of a schoolchild in connection with learning."

Links

  • The Mensa society's free IQ test is the Raven test of fluid intelligence. One of the highest quality free tests (Mensah) (eng.)
  • Global Intelligence Network (World Intelligence Network)
  • Gabumba test center
  • Free Visual IQ Test

Unsuccessful attempts to define the essence of intelligence have led to the desire to understand it through intellectual performance. This means that the question "What is intelligence?" was reformulated as follows: "What type of behavior is called intellectual?" To answer this question, one must create situations that give one the choice to act intellectually or non-intellectually, and then observe individual differences between people choosing intellectual and non-intellectual ways of doing things. According to many psychologists of the early 20th century, intelligence tests create precisely such situations in which only one choice out of several alternatives can be correct. A smart test is a model of the type of problems where smart execution is possible. Therefore, some psychologists (A. Binet, C. Spearman, L. Theremin, and others) began to call intelligence what is measured by intellectual tests. Intelligence quotient (IQ) has become synonymous with intelligence.

For the first time, the concept of the level of intelligence was used by the famous Roman philosopher and orator Mark Tullius Cicero: by intelligence, he meant the totality of mental abilities inherent in a particular person. The classical concept of the level of intelligence has been known for almost a century. Its creator is the French psychologist Alfred Binet, who, together with his collaborator Theodore Simon, published the first series of tests to measure the level of intelligence. A. Binet proceeded from the assumption that the level of intelligence (as an innate ability) remains constant throughout life and is directed to solving various problems. A few years later, psychologists William Stern and Lewis Terman improved Binet's tests by introducing the concept of "intelligence quotient" in 1912.

V. Stern drew attention to some shortcomings of mental age as an indicator in the scales proposed by Binet. The main disadvantage was that the same difference in the "mental age" of two individuals for different age levels has a different value. The smaller the chronological age of the child, the more significant are the shifts that occur in his mental development during each year of life. Therefore, Stern proposed to determine not an absolute measure of intelligence (the difference between mental age (IA) and chronological age (XA)), but a relative one (a quotient obtained by dividing IA by XB). The intelligence quotient was first used in the Stanford-Binet intelligence scale in 1916.

Thus, the intelligence quotient or IQ is not a constant value and changes under the influence of the environment. Intelligence quotient or IQ is a reflection of both previous and subsequent achievements in learning.


The concept of intelligence quotient or IQ characterizes the result of intelligence tests. Historically, IQ was expressed as the proportion of mental development and chronological age multiplied by 100. Now IQ is measured in other ways, but still on a scale of 100 units with a standard deviation of 16.

This indicator is determined as a result of arithmetic division based on the score obtained by the person who completed the intelligence test. This score is called mental age and is divided by the examinee's chronological age, after which it is multiplied by one hundred. For most people, it ranges from 85 to 115 points.

There are standardized IQ values ​​or levels:

IQ in the range of 65 - 85 means a low level of intelligence;

IQ in the range of 85 - 100 means a normal level, the lower limit of the norm;

IQ in the range of 100 - 115 means a normal level, the upper limit of the norm;

· IQ in the range of 115 - 130 means a high level of development of intellectual abilities;

· An IQ in the range of 130-160 means that the person is mentally gifted.

We add that, according to many psychologists, both heredity and environmental conditions largely influence the formation of the level of intelligence. It is believed that when a person reaches the age of 16, the intellect of a person can no longer grow. At some stage, they began to pay attention to the limitations of the classical definition of intelligence - it turned out that even if you know the intellectual potential of a particular person, it is still impossible to predict whether he will be able to succeed at work or in his personal life.

It has repeatedly happened that people with a very high level of intelligence could not adapt to their environment, while their counterparts with average intelligence turned out to be successful.

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