Can You Trust Your IQ?

Transcript

Download transcript

"...Five of hearts, 10 of clubs, seven of clubs...
... Ace of spades, and then the 10 of diamonds and four of diamonds."

"Wow, well I'm impressed!"

For some people, memorising cards indicates intelligence.

For others, it's the speed of solving a puzzle.

But often, people disagree about how to measure intelligence.

Intelligence Quotient

The Intelligence Quotient, or IQ, is a score derived from several tests of intelligence, such as memory or problem solving.

The IQ test is supposed to be a standardised, universal indicator of intelligence.

The average IQ score is 100, and tests are adjusted for age.

But critics warn the test is open to bias.

The people who set the tests will have different ideas and experience, to those who sit them.

Creating a test that applies equally to everyone is practically impossible.

Prof Bob Sternberg Cognitive Psychologist, US – "If you think about kids who grew up in difficult kinds, or challenging kinds of environments, and the skills that they really have to develop are practical skills to survive, and creative skills to be able to deal with constant changes in their environment."

So while some children develop analytical skills, others develop practical skills.

By adulthood, they will each have different types of intelligence, which are difficult to measure and compare.

Quantitative Vs Qualitative

The IQ test is an attempt to apply a quantitative numeric value to intelligence.

Quantitative:
Expressed by quantity or numbers

Qualitative:
Expressed with non-numerical qualities

Whereas critics argue that qualitative factors such as emotional intelligence or creativity, are ignored.

Accusations of cultural, ethnic and gender bias have also been levelled at the IQ test.

So although the IQ test might identify one type of intelligence, its validity is difficult to prove.

This is partly because intelligence itself is so difficult to define.